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Texas Parent Taught Driver Education

Teen Info

What is Texas Parent Taught Driver Education?

The Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) course provides your parent or legal guardian the opportunity to become your driver education instructor. Additionally, your parent, legal guardian, or a judge of a court with jurisdiction over you can also designate a person to instruct the course if he/she is at least 25 years of age, does not charge for the course, and has at least 7 years of driving experience. PTDE requires both online classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel driver training.

IMPORTANT: You MUST have your PTDE Program Guide before starting the course. As per DPS rules, if you begin the course without the guide, none of that instruction time will count toward your requirement, and you will have to start the course over.

Don't waste your time! Please only start the course if you have your guide.

Approved Course

Safe2Drive's online Parent Taught Driver Education course is approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). It allows a parent or legal guardian to become an instructor for their teen's driver education.

Benefits for Teens

  • Take our TDLR-approved Texas Parent Taught Driver Education Course entirely ONLINE
  • Qualify for your learner license in six hours
  • Take your Knowledge Test from home! We offer a convenient online option for students.
  • Enjoy our FUN games and animations while learning how to drive
  • Provides you with practical and EASY behind-the-wheel driving exercises
  • Assists you in obtaining your driver license

Eligibility Requirements for Teens

  • Must be at least 14 years old before starting the online Texas Driver's Ed course
  • Must be at least 15 years old in order to take the learner license exam

IMPORTANT: There are eligibility requirements for your parent to be your instructor, too. Please ensure that he or she meets these requirements. If your instructor is found to be ineligible, you will be required to start the process over again, which means you must:

  • Find a new instructor who is eligible.
  • Change instructor on the Program Guide with TDLR by sending an email to: cs.driver.education.safety@tdlr.texas.gov with the following information:
    1. The receipt number or the student's full name and date of birth;
    2. The new instructor's name; and
    3. How you would like to receive the new guide (mail or email).
  • Start the course over from the beginning.
  • Pay a $10 fee, if you have already completed the first 6 hours.

Knowledge Test Tips

To help you prepare for the knowledge test, we have compiled some helpful stories/tips from students who have already taken it. You may also share your own story/tips for other students.

Steps for Teens

Getting Started

It takes three easy steps to get started:

  1. Register for our Texas Parent Taught Driver Education course with your parent.
  2. Have your parent request the Parent Taught Driver Education Program Guide from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) before you start the course. The PTDE Program Guide contains forms that you will need in order to get a learner license! All your parent has to do is fill out the online request form and make payment. The guide costs $20. After your parent purchases the guide, your parent will receive an email with a link to download the guide. You can check the status of your guide order online here and even download the guide there if you have been approved!
  3. Start the course.

Course Procedures

  1. Complete the first six hours of TX Parent Taught online instruction.
  2. Receive your Six-Hour Completion Certificate if you opt to take the Knowledge Test at the DPS. If you take the test online with us, you will receive your Six-Hour Completion Certificate after passing the Knowledge Test.
  3. Study the Texas Driver Handbook to prepare for the Knowledge Test if you still need to take it at the DPS.
  4. Prepare and submit your application for a learner license and other required documents (including your Six-Hour Completion Certificate) to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
  5. Pass a written knowledge test at the DPS Driver License Office (unless you took the test online with us) in addition to a vision test and obtain your learner license.
  6. Complete the remaining 26 hours of online instruction.
  7. Follow the instructions in the PTDE Program Guide with your parent for the behind-the wheel training.
  8. Complete the course and get your Certificate of Completion.
  9. Prepare and submit your application and other required documents for a driver license to the DPS.
  10. Take the driving exam at the Driver License Office.

Don't worry. We will guide you through all of these steps as you progress through the online Texas Parent Taught Driver Education course.

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Safe2Drive, 401 E. Sonterra Blvd, Suite 375, San Antonio, TX 78258, (800) 763-1297

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