Driving Tests

Colorado 2027 Driver's Ed Change (HB24-1021): Who Needs 30 Hours

informational·how to guide·Published March 30, 2026

Who needs the 30-hour driver education course in Colorado in 2027?

Starting January 1, 2027, Colorado applicants ages 15 through 17 must finish a 30-hour driver education course before they get an instruction permit. Ages 18 through 20 can choose the 30-hour course or a 4-hour driver awareness program that is held in person. For applications until December 31, 2026, only applicants under 16 need a course.

Where these Colorado rules come from

The age rules come from the Colorado DMV page on HB24-1021 and the DMV page on permits and first-time licenses. The law is section 42-2-106 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, in the 2024 edition of Title 42. Fees come from the DMV fee page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Colorado DMV (dmv.colorado.gov) before you drive.

What changes in Colorado on January 1, 2027?

House Bill 24-1021 changes the driver education rules for people under 21 who apply for an instruction permit or a motorcycle endorsement on and after January 1, 2027. An editor's note in the law says the same: the change applies to applications for permits and licenses submitted on or after that date. Applications before that date follow the old rules. The DMV gives more training for new drivers as the aim. It notes that teen fatalities fell 35%, from 103 in 2002 to 67 in 2025, since Colorado passed its graduated driver licensing laws in 2002.

Colorado driver education by age: before and after January 1, 2027

Colorado driver education by age: before and after January 1, 2027
Age at application	Until December 31, 2026	From January 1, 2027
15 to 15 and 6 months	30-hour driver education course	30-hour driver education course
15 and 6 months to 16	30-hour course or 4-hour driver awareness program	30-hour driver education course
16 through 17	No driver education required	30-hour driver education course
18 through 20	No driver education required	30-hour course or 4-hour driver awareness program (in person)
Motorcycle permit	No set safety course. Applicants under 18 take a basic rider course.	Applicants under 21 must finish a motorcycle safety training program approved by Colorado State Patrol

What if you apply for a permit in 2026?

The DMV permit page says that if you are under 16, you must finish a driver education or awareness course before you apply for a permit. At 15 to 15 and 6 months, that is the 30-hour course. At 15 and 6 months to 16, you can take the 4-hour driver awareness program or the 30-hour course. Teens who are 16 or 17 at the time of application need no course for a permit until January 1, 2027. The DMV permit page also shows a notice that the requirements change on that date.

Does the 2027 rule apply to you?

You already have your permit before January 1, 2027.

The DMV says the new requirements do not apply to you. The law applies them to applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027.

You apply for a new permit on or after January 1, 2027, after a surrender, cancellation, suspension or revocation.

You must meet the driver education rule for your age group. This can mean that you take, or retake, a course.

You hold an out-of-state permit and apply for a Colorado permit on or after January 1, 2027.

You must meet the new Colorado requirements: a 30-hour course for ages 15 to 17, or a 30-hour course or a 4-hour awareness program for ages 18 to 20.

You apply for a motorcycle permit and you are under 21.

From January 1, 2027, you must finish a motorcycle safety training program approved by Colorado State Patrol. This covers in-state applicants and out-of-state transfers.

How to get a Colorado instruction permit after January 1, 2027

1
Pre-register online
Pre-register before your appointment. You do not need to do this if you have had an ID, a permit or a driver license before.
2
Finish the required course
Ages 15 to 17 take a 30-hour driver education course. Ages 18 to 20 take the 30-hour course or the in-person 4-hour driver awareness program. Driver education is offered by private providers, and the DMV tells you to book directly with a school it approves. A class is valid for 6 months from the date you finish it.
3
Study and pass the written test
You can take the written test online, in person or through a third-party provider. You may take two tests per day at most. Each retest has a state fee of $11.50 (USD). Our free practice question on who may supervise a permit holder under 18 is one way to review.
4
Book your appointment
Schedule your appointment at the DMV. The current DMV permit page asks course takers to bring the completion confirmation page, printed or on a phone. The instruction permit costs $20.00 (USD).

What stays the same after you get the permit?

A learner under 18 must still hold the permit for at least 12 months before getting a driver's license. The law for applications from January 1, 2027 also keeps the log of at least 50 hours of driving, with at least 10 hours at night. Our guide to the 50-hour drive log and the behind-the-wheel exemption explains how the log works. A permit expires three years after it is issued, and the DMV adds that it ends at your 21st birthday if that comes first. You can review these rules with our free question on the permit holding period and logged practice.

Does the 2027 change apply to adults who are 18 to 20?

Yes. For applications on or after January 1, 2027, ages 18 through 20 must finish the 30-hour course or the 4-hour driver awareness program before they get a permit. Until December 31, 2026, this age group needs no course. A person who is 18 or older still has no minimum hold time for the permit. Our guide to the adult permit with no holding period gives the rest of the steps for that age group.

What else changes for driving schools?

All behind-the-wheel driving school instructors must now complete a fingerprint background check in place of a CBI background check. The DMV adds that its rules have always barred anyone with a felony or a moral turpitude offense from teaching minors, and the new law adds specific language about certain violent or sexual crimes.

Key Takeaways

Applications on or after January 1, 2027: ages 15 through 17 need a 30-hour course for a permit.
Ages 18 through 20 can choose the 30-hour course or a 4-hour driver awareness program held in person.
If you already have a permit before January 1, 2027, the new rules do not apply to you. From that date, a person who applies again after a surrender, cancellation, suspension or revocation, or who has an out-of-state permit, must meet them.
A driver education class is valid for 6 months from the date you finish it.
Next step: practice on the free Colorado practice test.

Colorado driver education 2027: common questions

My permit was suspended. Do I need a course when I apply again in 2027?

It can be necessary. If you apply for a new permit on or after January 1, 2027, after your license or permit was surrendered, cancelled, suspended or revoked, the DMV says you must meet the driver education rules for your age group. This can mean that you take, or retake, a course. Ages 15 through 17 need the 30-hour course. Ages 18 through 20 can choose the 30-hour course or the in-person 4-hour program.

Can I take driver's ed online in Colorado from 2027?

Yes, for the 30-hour course. For applications on or after January 1, 2027, the law says the 30-hour driver education course must be approved by the department and may be completed online. The 4-hour driver awareness program is open only to ages 18 through 20, and the DMV says it must be in person. Ages 15 through 17 must take the 30-hour course.

Do I need a course for a Colorado motorcycle permit?

From January 1, 2027, anyone under 21 must finish a motorcycle safety training program approved by Colorado State Patrol before the DMV issues a motorcycle instruction permit. This covers in-state applicants and out-of-state transfers. Before that date, no specific safety course is required, but applicants under 18 take a basic rider course.

I have an out-of-state permit. Do the new rules apply to me?

Yes, if you apply for a Colorado permit on or after January 1, 2027. You must then meet the new Colorado requirements: the 30-hour course for ages 15 to 17, or the 30-hour course or 4-hour awareness program for ages 18 to 20. Until December 31, 2026, the DMV says applicants 18 to 21 with a valid out-of-state permit buy a Colorado permit and need no driver education.