Failed the Ohio Driving Test at 21 or Older? The Abbreviated Adult Course
Who must take the abbreviated adult driver training course in Ohio?
You must take it if you are 21 or older, apply for your first Ohio driver license, fail your first try at the road or maneuverability part of the driving test, and finished no driver training course in the last 12 months. Finish it before your second try: a 4-hour class, then 4 hours with a licensed instructor or 24 hours of driving with a licensed driver 21 or older.
Where the Ohio abbreviated adult course facts come from
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, sets these rules. The facts in this guide come from the BMV page on driver license requirements for new drivers, Ohio Revised Code 4507.21 and the BMV 5789 Twenty-Four Hour Affidavit. The 2026 curriculum of the Ohio Department of Public Safety adds the course details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Ohio BMV (bmv.ohio.gov) before you drive.
When Ohio requires the abbreviated adult course
Under Ohio Revised Code 4507.21, you need the course only when all three of these are true:
1. You apply for an initial driver license and you are 21 or older.
2. You failed the road or maneuverability part of the driving test. A fail in either part counts.
3. You finished no driver training course in the 12 months before you apply.
If you finished a driver training course in the last 12 months, you skip the abbreviated course and show that course's certificate of completion. Applicants 18 to 20 take the full driver training course before their driving test, as the guide to Ohio driver's ed requirements under 21 explains.
The four options for the abbreviated adult course
| Class part (4 hours) | Driving part | Proof for the second try |
|---|---|---|
| In-person class | 4 hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor from a licensed abbreviated adult driver training school | The certificate of completion |
| State-approved online course | 4 hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor affiliated with a licensed abbreviated adult driver training school | The certificate of completion |
| In-person class | 24 hours of driving with a licensed driver 21 or older | Certificate of completion and a notarized BMV 5789 |
| State-approved online course | 24 hours of driving with a licensed driver 21 or older | Certificate of completion and a notarized BMV 5789 |
Instructor hours or 24 hours of practice
The first two options put a licensed instructor in the car for 4 hours. You then show the certificate of completion and need no form BMV 5789. The last two options replace those 4 hours with 24 hours of driving with a licensed driver 21 or older. You can drive at most four hours a day, so the 24 hours take at least six days.
For the 24-hour option, fill in form BMV 5789, the Twenty-Four Hour Affidavit. Log the hours on the form or in the RoadReady Ohio App, then swear to them before a notary. A false affidavit is punishable by a fine, jail time or both.
How to get ready for your second driving test
- 1Check that you must take the course
You are 21 or older, you failed the maneuverability or road part, and you finished no driver training course in the 12 months before you apply.
- 2Pick one of the four options
Choose an in-person or online class, then 4 hours with an instructor or 24 hours with a licensed driver 21 or older. Find a school on the BMV Approved Driving Schools list or with "Find A School" at drivertraining.ohio.gov.
- 3Finish the course
Finish the class part first, then the driving part. For the 24-hour option, complete form BMV 5789 and have it notarized.
- 4Collect your proof
Get your certificate of completion and, for the 24-hour option, the notarized BMV 5789. The list below shows all that you bring to the test.
- 5Schedule the test in BMV Online Services
Schedule your second driving test in BMV Online Services. The BMV does not schedule tests by email.
What the course covers and how long it takes
You finish the 4-hour class before the driving part. In the 4 hours with an instructor, up to 1 hour can be maneuverability practice, and the last 20 minutes should be a formal performance evaluation.
The class ends with a written final exam. This is the course exam, not a BMV test: you need 75% or better. Score lower and you get up to two more tries, each no sooner than the next day. Below 75% on all three means you retake the course.
Finish all class and driving hours within three months of signing the school contract. You can get at most six hours of training in one day.
What to do after your second driving test
What to bring to your second Ohio driving test
- Your TIPIC. Bring your temporary instruction permit identification card to the test.
- Your certificate of completion. It must show a driver training course finished within the last 12 months.
- Form BMV 5789, if you chose 24 hours of driving. It must be completed and notarized.
- A vehicle in good condition. It is inspected before the test begins.
Key takeaways
- You take the course only after you fail the first maneuverability or road test, and only if you are 21 or older and finished no driver training course in the last 12 months.
- There are four options: a 4-hour in-person or online class, then 4 hours with a licensed instructor or 24 hours with a licensed driver 21 or older.
- The 24-hour option needs a notarized BMV 5789, and you cannot drive more than four hours in one day.
- The course final exam needs 75%, and you finish all course hours within three months of signing the contract.
- After a second fail, you take no new course and wait at least two days.
- Next step: practice on the free Ohio temps (Class D knowledge) practice test. Its questions are in English only.
Ohio abbreviated adult course: common questions
Do I need the course before my first Ohio driving test?
No. The rule starts after you fail your first try at the maneuverability or road part. You must show proof before the second try. The free question on an adult retest after a failed drive shows how this rule appears in a practice question.
Can I take the abbreviated adult course online?
Partly. The 4-hour class can be a state-approved online course. The driving part is not online: it is 4 hours with a licensed instructor or 24 hours with a licensed driver 21 or older.
Who can ride with me for the 24 hours of driving?
A licensed driver who is 21 or older. You can drive at most four hours in one day. Record each drive in the log on form BMV 5789 or in the RoadReady Ohio App.
What happens if I fail the course final exam?
You get up to two more tries, each no sooner than the next day. If you score below 75% on all three exams, you retake the course. Remember that all course hours must end within three months of the signed contract.
Do I need BMV 5789 if I did 4 hours at a driving school?
No. With at least four hours of behind-the-wheel training at a licensed Ohio driver training school in the last 12 months, you do not need BMV 5789. You give a copy of the certificate of completion instead.
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