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Course List

Full Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) Course

teen and parent

This course includes BOTH online classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training. Take this course to earn your learner license and qualify for your driver license.

  • Complete your classroom instruction online and qualify for your learner license after six hours of instruction!
  • Take FREE Practice Exams to help prepare you for the Knowledge Test.
  • Take your Knowledge Test online for FREE!
  • We provide logs and instructions for your behind-the-wheel training.

Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY Course

parent and teen

This course allows teens ages 15-17 who have a learner license to complete their behind-the-wheel portion of driver education with their parent as their instructor.

  • Complete all 14 hours of behind-the-wheel training with your parent as your instructor.
  • Contains a convenient course PDF you can print and take with you in the car or view on your mobile device.
  • Optional videos and online activities for additional help.
  • Get one step closer to your driver license.

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About the Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education Online Courses

The Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education courses allow teens to complete their driver education requirements with their parent as their instructor. The courses are regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Safe2Drive offers both the full Parent-Taught Driver Education course, which includes both the online classroom instruction hours and behind-the-wheel training, and the Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY course, which includes only the behind-the-wheel training.

Eligibility Requirements for Instructors

There are a few requirements a person must meet in order to be eligible to instruct a Parent-Taught Driver Education course:

  • The instructor must be the student’s parent, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster parent or legal guardian appointed by a court. A power of attorney is not considered a legal guardian. Additionally, a parent, legal guardian, or a judge of a court with jurisdiction over the student can designate a person to instruct the course who:
    • is at least 25 years old;
    • does not charge a fee for conducting the course; and
    • has at least seven years of driving experience.
  • The instructor must possess a valid license for the preceding three years that has not been suspended, revoked, or forfeited in the past three years for an offense that involves the operation of a motor vehicle.
  • Instructors cannot have:
    • a conviction (including a probated sentence) of criminally negligent homicide;
    • a conviction (including a probated sentence) of driving while intoxicated in the last seven years; and
    • a conviction in the preceding three years of:
      1. three or more moving violations described by Section 542.304, Transportation Code, including violations that resulted in an accident; or
      2. two or more moving violations described by Section 542.304, Transportation Code, that resulted in an accident.

Instructors are responsible for checking their criminal and driver records prior to requesting the PTDE Program Guide. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will verify the instructor’s record when it processes the student’s learner license and again when it processes the student’s provisional driver license.

If the DPS determines that the instructor does not meet the requirements, the DPS will deny the learner license or provisional driver license along with any prior classroom instruction or behind the wheel/in-car instruction provided by the ineligible instructor.

To verify your eligibility to be an instructor before ordering the PTDE Program Guide, please use the DPS Online Driver Record Request System.


The Full Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education Course

The full Parent-Taught Driver Education course consists of 32 hours of online instruction and 44 hours of behind-the-wheel training and practice. Safe2Drive provides the curriculum and a behind-the-wheel teaching guide. Parents monitor their teen's progress through the online course and follow the behind-the-wheel instruction guide to provide behind-the-wheel training. Teens take the first six hours of online instruction to obtain a learner license. Thereafter, the online instruction (a.k.a., "theory") and behind-the-wheel training (a.k.a., "practice") occur in parallel.

The course is divided into two components:

  • 32 Hours of Online Instruction (Theory)
  • 44 Hours of Behind-the-Wheel Training (Practice)

The TDLR regulates the topics that must be covered in both the online instruction and behind-the-wheel training. The 32 hours of online instruction include:

  • Rules of the Road
  • Distracted Driving
  • Driving Emergencies
  • Protecting Yourself While Driving
  • Driving in All Seasons
  • Adult and Child Safety Equipment
  • Impaired Driving
  • Driving Behaviors
  • Recent Trends in Driving
  • Best Practices and Procedures

The behind-the-wheel training is divided into three parts:

  • 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
  • 7 hours of behind-the-wheel observation
  • 30 hours of practice driving (10 hours of which must be done at night)

The topics covered in the behind-the-wheel training include:

  • Pre-Drive Tasks
  • Basics of Vehicle Operation and Control
  • Attention and Communication
  • Managing Vehicle Space
  • Reference Points
  • Turns, Changing Lanes, and Passing
  • Parking
  • Aggressive Drivers
  • Distracted Driving
  • Traffic Laws and Right-of-Way
  • Safe Driving Techniques
  • Driving in Adverse Weather

A 6-hour certificate is issued when a teen completes the first six hours of online instruction. This certificate can be used to obtain a learner license. The learner license allows a teen to begin driving with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the front passenger seat. A second certificate (a "Certificate of Completion") is issued upon completing the course. This certificate is submitted to the Texas Department of Public Safety to obtain a driver license. Keep in mind that there are other requirements that must be met in order to get your driver license, such as completing the ITTD course, being at least 16 years old, having resided in Texas for at least 30 days prior to applying for your driver license, and having held your learner license for at least 6 months. You will also need to gather the required documents and pass the driving skills test at the DPS.


The Texas Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only Course

The Texas Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only course allows parents to serve as their teen's instructor for the required 14 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction that is required for licensing. The course provides a step-by-step guide for parents to help their teens acquire the knowledge and skills about basic vehicle operation such as turning, backing, and parking.

The Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY course is divided into two components:

  • 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
  • 7 hours of behind-the-wheel observation

The topics covered in the training include:

  • Pre-Drive Tasks
  • Basics of Vehicle Operation and Control
  • Attention and Communication
  • Managing Vehicle Space
  • Reference Points
  • Turns, Changing Lanes, and Passing
  • Parking
  • Aggressive Drivers
  • Distracted Driving
  • Traffic Laws and Right-of-Way
  • Safe Driving Techniques
  • Driving in Adverse Weather

The Texas Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY course is much less expensive than hiring a certified driving instructor. It is easy to understand and self-paced. Our materials guide parents on how to instruct their teens on the rules of the road, right-of-way, the basics of driving skills, intermediate safe driving practices, and more. Logs are included to help parents track, document, and prepare their teens' driving histories for submission to the Texas DPS.

*Please keep in mind that in addition to this 14 hours of behind-the-wheel training, teens must complete 30 hours of practice driving (10 hours of which must be done at night) with an adult who is at least 21 years of age and who has had his or her driver license for at least a year. This practice time must be certified by the teen's parent/guardian.

After completing the 14-hour Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY course and the 30 hours of practice driving (10 hours of which must be done at night), there are some additional requirements you'll need to meet prior to applying for your driver license. You will need to complete the ITTD course, be at least 16 years old, have resided in Texas for at least 30 days prior to applying for your driver license, and have held your learner license for at least 6 months. You will also need to gather the required documents and pass the driving skills test at the DPS.

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Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education FAQs

What are the Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education courses?

The Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) courses allow teens to complete their driver education requirements for licensing with their parents (or other qualifying individuals) serving as their instructors. Both courses are approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).

Safe2Drive offers two Texas Parent-Taught courses:

  • The full Parent-Taught Driver Education course, which includes both the online classroom instruction and the behind-the-wheel training
  • The Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY course, which includes the behind-the-wheel training only

What is the difference between the full Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education course and the Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only course?

The full Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education course includes BOTH online classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training. Take this course to earn your learner license and qualify for your driver's license. The Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel ONLY course is for teens 15-17 years old who already have a learner license and need to complete their behind-the-wheel training to obtain a driver license.


How do I know which course to sign up for?

Take the full Parent-Taught Driver Education course if you are between the ages of 14-17 and need to complete both the classroom instruction and the behind-the-wheel training portion of driver education. You will qualify for your learner license after the first 6 hours of your online classroom instruction. If you are between 15-17 years old and already have a learner license, take the Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only course to complete the behind-the-wheel portion of driver education with your parent as your instructor.


How do I sign up for the Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education course or the Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only course?

Signing up is easy! Just click the orange "Register Now" button and we will guide you through the steps to set up your account.


How much does the course cost?

The full Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education online course is $59.95. The Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only course is $49.95.


How old do I need to be to take a course?

You must be at least 14 years old before starting the full Parent-Taught Driver Education course and 15 years old to obtain your learner license and take the Parent-Taught Behind-the-Wheel Only course.


Who is eligible to be my "parent" instructor?

A person must meet several requirements to serve as your instructor:

  • The instructor must be the student’s parent, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster parent or legal guardian appointed by a court. A power of attorney is not considered a legal guardian. Additionally, a parent, legal guardian, or a judge of a court with jurisdiction over the student can designate a person to instruct the course who:
    • is at least 25 years old;
    • does not charge a fee for conducting the course; and
    • has at least seven years of driving experience.
  • The instructor must possess a valid license for the preceding three years that has not been suspended, revoked, or forfeited in the past three years for an offense that involves the operation of a motor vehicle.
  • Instructors cannot have:
    • a conviction (including a probated sentence) of criminally negligent homicide;
    • a conviction (including a probated sentence) of driving while intoxicated in the last seven years; and
    • a conviction in the preceding three years of:
      1. three or more moving violations described by Section 542.304, Transportation Code, including violations that resulted in an accident; or
      2. two or more moving violations described by Section 542.304, Transportation Code, that resulted in an accident.

What do I need to start a course?

The Parent-Taught Driver Education Program Guide must be requested by filling out this online form and making payment. You have to have this Parent-Taught Driver Education Program Guide before starting either Parent-Taught course.

The PTDE Program Guide contains forms that your teen needs in order to get a learner license. The guide costs $20. After you purchase the guide, you will receive an email with a link to download the guide. Check your spam and junk folders if you do not see the email in your inbox.


What if I have more questions about one of the courses?

We have made every attempt to answer the most commonly asked Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education questions. Please call or email us if your question is not here.


Why Choose Safe2Drive?

At Safe2Drive, we understand that you're eager to get your driver license. We're just as excited to help you on your journey to get behind the wheel. That's why we make signing up for and taking your course a breeze. We believe a driver education course should be comprehensive and entertaining, and our Parent-Taught Driver Education courses deliver on those promises. Our awesome features, like the option to take your Knowledge Test online and our interactive course elements in the full Parent-Taught course, are what set us apart.

And if you ever need assistance with your course, we have a friendly Customer Care team available 7 days a week to help you out.

So what are you waiting for? Get started today and get on your way toward receiving a driver license!

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