Parent-taught driver's ed (PTDE) is a great alternative to traditional classroom courses for Texas teens. Instead of scheduling in-car practice with a driving instructor, you practice whenever you want with your parent.
This is a convenient and affordable alternative, but there are rules to follow to make sure you complete your parent-taught course correctly. Here's what you need to know.
What Is Parent-Taught Drivers Ed?
Texas law allows drivers under the age of 18 to learn to drive from their parents instead of going to driving school. There are several phases to the course:
Classroom Instruction: 32 hours of curriculum on Texas traffic laws and safety
Behind-the-Wheel Instruction: 7 hours of in-car observation and 7 hours of driving instruction
Supervised Driving Practice: 30 additional hours of supervised driving practice
Parents can teach all of the phases, or they can mix and match with professional instructors. Whichever route you choose, it's important to make sure you're fully eligible before you begin, so your hard work — and DMV fees — aren't wasted.
Student Requirements for Parent-Taught Driver's Ed
Texas parent-taught driver's ed is designed for students who live in the state and are ages 14 to 17. Students who have not yet earned a high school diploma or GRE must meet these requirements:
School Enrollment: Students must be enrolled in school for the past 80 days. This can include public, private, or homeschooling.
GRE Enrollment: If not enrolled in school, the student must be enrolled in a high school equivalency program for 45 days.
Satisfactory Progress: Regardless of the type of program, students must be meeting all attendance and academic requirements to be eligible for parent-taught driver education.
To prove you are enrolled in school, you will need to have a school official complete the Verification of Enrollment and Attendance form. If your school is closed over summer vacation, you can submit your most recent report card instead, provided it shows your attendance record.
Parent Requirements for Parent-Taught Driver's Ed
PTDE has rules about who can qualify as a driver education instructor. Despite the name, your driver's ed teacher doesn't have to be your mom or dad. Eligible adults include:
Parents
Step-parents
Grandparents
Step-grandparents
Foster parents
Legal guardian
Other individuals designated by your parent, legal guardian, or a judge
Note that if your parent/guardian selects another person to be your driver-ed teacher, that person needs to be over age 25 and have at least seven years of driving experience. They also aren't allowed to charge you a fee for teaching you to drive.
Once you decide on an eligible teacher, that person needs to be approved. They will need to meet the following requirements:
A valid Texas driver's license for the past three years
No DUIs in the past seven years
No record of criminally negligent homicide
No license suspension, revocation, or forfeiture for the past three years
Fewer than six points on their driver's license
To apply to teach PTDE, you need to complete the Parent-Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Request form online and pay the required fees. From there, you will be issued an instructor number to be used on the learner permit and driver license applications.
Getting Started with PTDE
While most parents expect to supervise their teens behind the wheel, many aren't prepared to teach the classroom portion of driver's education. After all, it's one thing to know how to drive, but another thing to teach traffic laws in full detail.
Make parent-taught driver education easier on your family by taking Aceable's online PTDE course. You'll be confident that you have everything you need to know at your fingertips on your phone or laptop, so you'll be ready to hit the road with Mom or Dad when it's time to practice behind the wheel.
Updated 8/2/24