Driving Tests

Louisiana Driver's Ed: The 38-Hour Course and the TIP Explained

informational·how to guide·Published September 21, 2026

Do I need driver's ed in Louisiana?

Yes. Almost every first-time applicant for a Louisiana driver's license must finish a driver education course. For students under 18, it is 38 hours: 30 hours in a classroom and 8 hours behind the wheel. The classroom part can start 90 days before your 15th birthday, and driving lessons start at 15. First, get a Temporary Instructional Permit (TIP) from the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV).

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the Louisiana driver education law, R.S. 32:402.1, the OMV Student/Parent Information page and OMV Policy 6.01, Driver Education Requirements, as of 2026. Other facts come from OMV Policy 1.00, the OMV New Licenses and Permits pages, the OMV Lagniappe page for driving schools, the OMV list of driving schools in other languages and the Class D & E Driver's Guide. Confirm the rules with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (expresslane.org) before you drive.

Who needs the Louisiana driver education course

Under 18: you must finish the 38-hour driver education course, with 30 classroom hours and 8 driving hours.
18 or older: you can take the 38-hour course or the shorter 14-hour adult pre-licensing course.
A few groups are exempt, for example some holders of a foreign license. An international driver's license never replaces the course.
OMV-licensed driving schools and some secondary schools teach the course.
Not sure? DouxWe, the OMV driver education advisor, helps you find out if you need a course.

What is a Temporary Instructional Permit (TIP) in Louisiana?

A TIP is a Class E permit from the OMV for students in a driver education course. The law makes you get it before the knowledge test and before your first driving lesson. With a TIP, you may drive on public roads only with a driver education instructor, during a lesson or a skills test. Carry it each time you drive, and show it when a police officer or the OMV asks for it. Some schools want you to have the TIP before the first class. Test yourself on our free question about what a TIP allows.

TIP vs. learner's permit in Louisiana

TIP vs. learner's permit in Louisiana
Question	Temporary Instructional Permit (TIP)	Learner's permit
Who can ride with you?	A driver education instructor only	A licensed parent, guardian, adult 21 or older, or licensed sibling 18 or older
When do you get it?	Before the knowledge test and the driving lessons	After the course and all required tests, at age 15 or older
What does it cost?	The same fee as a Class E license	No charge when you change a valid TIP

When you can start driver's ed in Louisiana

You are in grade 8 or higher, and your 15th birthday is 90 days away or less, or has passed

You can start the 30 classroom hours.

You are below grade 8, or your 15th birthday is more than 90 days away

You cannot start the classroom part yet.

You are younger than 15

You cannot enroll in or take the driving lessons.

You are 15 or older and have your TIP

You can take the 8 hours of driving lessons with your instructor.

How long is the Louisiana driver's ed course?

The course for students under 18 is 38 hours: 30 hours of classroom and 8 hours of driving with an instructor. A student may not get more than 4 hours of driving instruction on one calendar day, so the 8 hours take at least 2 days. After the last classroom day, the school has 120 days to finish your 8 driving hours. By law, the course also teaches trailer safety, the cost of littering, accessible parking and what to do when a police officer stops you.

Online driver's ed in Louisiana: the classroom rule

If you are under 18, you cannot take any of the 30 classroom hours online. The law says that no part of those hours may use a method that does not put students in a traditional classroom. Before you pay a school, make sure that it teaches the classroom hours in person.

How to complete Louisiana driver's ed, step by step

1
Choose a school
Pick an OMV-licensed driving school or a secondary school that offers the course. You usually sign a contract with the school, so read its cost, attendance, refund and cancellation terms first.
2
Get your TIP at the OMV
Bring proof of identity, proof of residency, Social Security number verification and one more form of ID, such as a photo work ID or an insurance card. If you are 17 or younger, a custodial parent or legal guardian must sign.
3
Finish the 30 classroom hours and the knowledge test
Most students take the OMV knowledge test at the school when the classroom part ends. You need 80% or higher to pass. Before the test, try our free question on the minimum driver education hours.
4
Finish the 8 driving hours
From age 15, drive with your instructor. Bring your TIP to each lesson.
5
Get the sealed envelope
The school puts your knowledge tests (passed and failed) and your certificate of completion in a sealed envelope. Do not open it. Only OMV or Public Tag Agent staff may open it.
6
Change your TIP to a learner's permit
At 15 or older, take the sealed envelope to the OMV and give up your TIP. The learner's permit costs nothing extra. The learner's permit rules explain the next stage.

How long is a Louisiana driver's ed certificate valid?

Your certificate of completion expires 5 years after the course completion date. If you lose it, ask your school or provider for a duplicate copy. The OMV accepts the duplicate in place of the original when the owner, manager or director of the school signs it to show that it is a duplicate.

Driver's ed in Spanish, French, German, Arabic or Vietnamese

The OMV keeps a list of driving schools that teach in Spanish, French, German, Arabic and Vietnamese. For example, one school in Slidell offers Arabic and Vietnamese classes, and one school in Lafayette lists Spanish and French. Two schools on the list teach only the 14-hour adult class in Spanish, so ask which course the school teaches in your language before you pay. Our free practice tests and question pages are in English only.

Key takeaways

Almost every first-time applicant needs driver's ed. Under 18, it is the 38-hour course: 30 classroom hours and 8 driving hours.
Get your TIP at the OMV before the knowledge test and the driving lessons. With a TIP, you drive only with an instructor.
The classroom part can start 90 days before your 15th birthday (grade 8 or higher). Driving lessons start at 15, with no more than 4 hours a day.
Your certificate of completion is valid for 5 years.
Next step: practice on the free Louisiana Class E practice test.

Louisiana driver's ed: common questions

How much does driver's ed cost in Louisiana?

Each school sets its own price, so contact a few schools and compare. The school must give you a cost breakdown of the classroom and driving training, and a receipt. You also pay the OMV for the TIP. It costs the same as a Class E license: a $32.25 basic fee, plus a service fee of up to $8.00 at some offices.

Can adults take Louisiana driver's ed online?

Partly. If you are 18 or older and take the 14-hour pre-licensing course, the law lets a licensed school give all or part of its 6 classroom hours outside a traditional classroom. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections must approve the method. The 8 driving hours are always in a car with an instructor.

When do I take the road test after driver's ed?

If you are under 18, not right at the end of the course. The law puts the road skills test after the required supervised driving practice. When you finish that practice, a licensed third-party tester can give you the test.

Do I need driver's ed if I have a foreign license?

Usually yes. Louisiana asks first-time applicants with a foreign license for proof of driver education too. Two groups are exempt: holders of a license from a country with a reciprocal agreement with the OMV, and foreign nationals on an H-2A visa with a valid foreign license. An international driver's license does not replace the course.

Can my parents teach me to drive with a TIP?

No. A TIP lets you drive only with a driver education instructor, during your lessons or a skills test. Practice with family starts after you change the TIP to a learner's permit at 15 or older. Then a licensed parent, guardian, adult 21 or older, or licensed sibling 18 or older can ride with you.