1. Purchase our approved Parent-Taught Course.

Click on the green Purchase Course button to begin!

2. Choose your instructor by ordering the TDLR PTDE Packet.

For Parent Taught the instructor must meet all of the following requirements:

• The instructor must be the student’s parent, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster parent or legal guardian appointed by a court. Having a power of attorney with the student does not qualify. However, a parent, legal guardian, or a judge with jurisdiction over the student can designate a person to be an instructor.
• be at least 25 years old;
• can not charge a fee for conducting the course;
• have at least seven years of driving experience.
• The instructor must have a valid driver’s license for the past three years. If you held an instrout-of-state license during the past three years, you will be required to provide a copy of your driving record showing your three years of licensed driving history.

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;
• had their driver license suspended, revoked or forfeited for traffic related violations in the past three years; or
• six or more points against your driving record.

*Additionally-Criminal and Driving Records

• Instructors are responsible for checking their criminal and driving records prior to requesting the Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) Program Guide. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will verify the instructor’s record when it processes the student’s learner’s license (permit) and again when it processes the student’s provisional driver’s license.
• If DPS determines the instructor does not meet the requirements, DPS will deny the learner’s license or the provisional driver’s license along with any prior classroom instruction or instruction given in the car provided by the ineligible instructor. WE DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO YOU!
• To verify your eligibility as an instructor before ordering the PTDE Program Guide, please use the DPS Online Driver Record Request System at: https://txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/txldrcdr/TXDPSLicenseeManager

*Potential Instructor with Less Than Three Years in Texas:
If the parent instructor has had a Texas license for less than the preceding three years, they are responsible for ordering a certified driving record from the state or country where they last had a license. The driver record should go back at least three years and the DPS will need to see the record when the student gets their permit. We recommend doing a quick Google search to find out from which government entity you order your driver record.
Example: “Name of previous state or country where you last had a license + driver record.”

If you do not qualify as an instructor then please take a look at our Instructor-Led Course where a student may do the driving lessons with an approved State of Texas driving school.

Mandatory!!!!! Order, Fill Out, and Return the PTDE packet
Choosing Parent Taught requires the completion and submission of the “Parent-Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Request” and payment of the fee before starting to teach a parent-taught course. (Click here to order the packet: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/ParentTaught/PTSelect.aspx.) Once the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) processes the request, they will email a parent-taught program guide to the email address listed on the request form. If preferred TDLR will mail a physical copy to the address listed on the request form. The purpose of the guide is to educate the instructor on the parent-taught program process.
Drivers Education of America will need the FULL NAME OF THE INSTRUCTOR, THE RECEIPT NUMBER AND DATE found on the first page of the packet in order to issue any certificates to the student.
The Parent Taught Drivers Ed (PTDE) packet contains the forms to fill out and submit to your local DPS office once the student is ready to get the learner’s permit and license. The DPS will also ask to see the PTDE program guide receipt. This receipt is very, very, very important! The student’s permit or license will not be issued without the program guide and receipt, so it’s very important to order the packet and receive it from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) as soon as you can. Super important! So please place this order.

3. Begin the course and finish Module 1

At the end of Module 1 there is a test known as the Learner’s License test (Knowledge Test). This test eliminates taking the written test at the DPS. Hooray! Upon passing the test, call Drivers Education of America to verify your basic information. Then download and print your Learners License certificate also known as a PT DE-964.

4. Get your Learner’s License at the TX DPS

Congratulations! Now, if you are 15 years old or older, take your PT DE-964 certificate, the PTDE Program Guide Receipt Page (1st page of your program guide) and other required documents to the DPS. Once there expect a vision test. Upon passing the vision test and submitting all of the correct documents a learner’s permit will be yours! Make sure your parents or legal guardian go to the DPS with you. No parent or guardian, no learner’s permit.

Documents from us to take to DPS (along with your Parent):

• PT DE-964 Learner’s License Certificate (from Drivers Education of America)

Forms From the PTDE Program Guide Packet:

• PTDE Program Guide Receipt Page – it’s just the first page of your program guide from TDLR

Others important things to bring:

• If your parent is not an eligible instructor then a Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Form will be required.
• Two (2) Proofs of Texas residency (Parent Instructor must bring two forms of proof): deed, mortgage statement, valid and unexpired Texas voter registration card, utility bills, etc
• Two (2) Proofs of Identification and/or legal U.S. residency if applicable: Within this requirement there are primary and secondary forms of proof. The primary form is the Social Security card. Secondary forms are a valid US passport, birth certificate or US certificate of citizenship or naturalization Social Security Card.
• Verification of Enrollment (V.O.E. from public high school or home school): This paperwork proves that you are currently attending school and your grades and attendance are in good standing. You need to fill it out and get it signed by somebody at your school’s administrative office. If you are not in high school but are getting your GED instead, you’ll need to bring the form to your GED program’s office and get them to sign as the administrator. If you get your VOE during the last week of the school year, it is good until the start of the fall semester. During the summer, you can head to your school district’s administrative office and have them sign your VOE form. If you are home-schooled, Write “Home School” or the name of your home school on the top left corner of the form and your county on the top right corner of the form.

5. Complete the Drivers Education of America’s online course and your driving lessons

Finish the rest of the online course and the driving lesson hours with your parent instructor (44 hours of driving with your instructor).

6. Take the ITTD (IMPACT TEXAS TEEN COURSE)

Take the FREE 2-hour Impact Texas Teen Drivers course on the DPS website within 90 days of your driving test.

7. TEST TIME! Get your drivers license!

Take your certificate and other required items to the DPS to take your driving test. You must have held your valid learner license for at least 6 months, unless you have reached 18 years of age. You must also be at least 16 years old to get your Texas drivers license. Want to know what to bring to your driving test? Here are the essentials to bring with you:

Documents from us to take to DPS (along with your Parent):

• PT DE-964 Drivers License Certificate of Completion (from Drivers Education of America)

Forms From the PTDE Program Guide Packet:

• PTDE Program Guide Receipt Page – it’s just the first page of your program guide from TDLR

Others important things to bring:

• Your permit (must be held for at least 6 months)
• ITTD program certificate of completion (expires after 90 days)
• Proof of insurance – Your name does not need to be on the car insurance
• Current registration and inspection sticker (on the windshield of your car)
• Two license plates (front and back)
• Verification of Enrollment (V.O.E. from public high school or home school): This paperwork proves that you are currently attending school and your grades and attendance are in good standing. You need to fill it out and get it signed by somebody at your school’s administrative office. If you are not in high school but are getting your GED instead, you’ll need to bring the form to your GED program’s office and get them to sign as the administrator. If you get your VOE during the last week of the school year, it is good until the start of the fall semester. During the summer, you can head to your school district’s administrative office and have them sign your VOE form. If you are home-schooled, Write “Home School” or the name of your home school on the top left corner of the form and your county on the top right corner of the form.