Driving Tests

Parent-Taught Driver Ed in Texas: Steps, Hours and Who Can Teach

informational·how to guide·Published July 17, 2026

Can I teach my teen to drive in Texas?

Yes. Texas has a parent-taught driver education program. A parent, guardian or designee applies to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) for authorization ($20), buys a course from an approved provider and teaches it. The course has 24 hours of classroom, 7 hours of observation, 7 hours behind the wheel with you and 30 more practice hours, at least 10 of them at night.

Where the Texas parent-taught rules come from

Texas driver education is regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). This guide uses the TDLR parent-taught program page, the TDLR instructor page and Texas Education Code section 1001.112. The other TDLR parent-taught pages, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) teen, ITD and fee pages, and Transportation Code sections 521.1655 and 521.222 add details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Texas Department of Public Safety (dps.texas.gov) and TDLR (tdlr.texas.gov) before you drive.

What is parent-taught driver education in Texas?

The parent-taught program is a driver education course that the parent, guardian or designee teaches. The instructor may teach the classroom part, the behind-the-wheel part, or both, with course materials from a parent-taught provider. The program needs at least 7 weeks of daily instruction, and you go with your teen to a DPS driver license office two times.

Who can teach a Texas parent-taught course?

Texas law allows a parent, stepparent, foster parent, legal guardian, grandparent or step-grandparent of the student.
Another person can teach if a parent, guardian or judge names that person. This person must be at least 25, have at least 7 years of driving experience and charge no fee.
The instructor must have held a valid license for the past 3 years. It must not have been suspended, revoked or forfeited in that time for an offense that involves operating a motor vehicle.
The instructor must not have a conviction for criminally negligent homicide, or for driving while intoxicated in the past 7 years.
In the past 3 years, the instructor must not have been convicted of 3 or more moving violations, or of 2 or more moving violations that caused a collision.
TDLR says a driver license with the B restriction does not qualify a person as an instructor.

Which students can use the program?

A student under 18 who has no high school diploma or equivalent must have been enrolled in public school, home school or private school for at least the past 80 days. Another route is enrollment in a high school equivalency preparation program for at least the past 45 days. The student proves this with a completed Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form at DPS. The form is valid for 30 days, or 90 days from June to August.

Steps to teach your teen to drive in Texas

1
Check that you and your teen qualify
Check the instructor rules above and the school enrollment rule for your teen.
2
Apply to TDLR online
The application fee is $20 (U.S. dollars) and it is not refundable. The application must be done online; TDLR does not accept paper applications. One application lets one parent teach one student, so each child needs a separate application. If you choose an alternate instructor, add that person on the same form.
3
Buy an approved course
Buy the curriculum from a licensed driver education provider that has the parent-taught endorsement. Start instruction after TDLR confirms you as instructor and the course materials arrive.
4
Teach the classroom part
Your teen needs the certificate of completion (DE-964) from the course provider. Most providers issue it after Module One; some after all 24 classroom hours.
5
Go to DPS for the learner license
Make an appointment at a DPS driver license office and go with your teen. Bring the DE-964, the VOE form and the receipt of your TDLR instructor designation with the other documents.
6
Start the in-car hours
No in-car instruction or practice is allowed until your teen has the learner license. Then do the 7 hours of observation, the 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and the 30 practice hours.
7
Hold the learner license 6 months and do the ITTD video
Your teen must hold the learner license for at least six months before applying for the provisional license. After the in-car hours, your teen completes the free two-hour Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) video, within 90 days before the driving test.
8
Take the driving test and get the provisional license
Go to DPS with your teen again, with the completed 30-hour driving log and the ITTD certificate. Your teen must be 16 or 17. The driving test is at a DPS office or with a third-party provider. The Texas driving test guide covers what to bring and how it is scored.

How many hours does a parent-taught course need?

How many hours does a parent-taught course need?
Part of the course	Hours	Notes
Classroom instruction	24	You teach it with the course materials from the provider.
Observation	7	Your teen sits beside you in the car and watches you demonstrate each point.
Behind-the-wheel instruction with the instructor	7	With 7 hours of observation, TDLR counts 14 hours of in-car instruction.
Behind-the-wheel practice	30	At least 10 hours at night. Record them in a special log.
Total in the car	44	14 hours of instruction plus 30 hours of practice.

Rules for the in-car hours

In-car instruction and supervised practice are each limited to two hours per day, and the in-car part takes at least 15 calendar days. Any person 21 or older who has been licensed for at least a year may supervise the 30 practice hours, if a parent or guardian certifies that person. On every drive, Texas law requires a person in the front passenger seat who is 21 or older, holds a license for that vehicle and has at least one year of driving experience. The practice question on who may supervise a learner license driver tests this rule.

Where does my teen take the knowledge test?

The course provider may give the written exam as part of instruction; a parent-taught provider licensed under Education Code Chapter 1001 may give the highway sign and traffic law parts. If the provider does not give it, your teen takes it at DPS when applying for the learner license. Your teen must be at least 15, have enough classroom instruction and have the DE-964. A test passed during the course is waived at the provisional license step. The guide to the Texas learner license test gives the pass score. Our free Texas practice tests are in English only.

Learner and provisional license limits for your teen

The learner license expires on your teen's 18th birthday.
A suspension adds its days to the six-month holding period, as the question on the Phase One holding period shows.
The provisional license lets your teen drive without a supervising adult, with no more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member.
With a provisional license, no driving from midnight to 5 a.m., except for work, a school activity or a medical emergency.
With either license, no phone use, even hands-free, except in an emergency.
The provisional license also expires on the 18th birthday.

Key takeaways

A parent, guardian or designee can teach after TDLR authorization. The online application costs $20 and is not refundable.
The course has 24 classroom hours, 7 hours of observation, 7 hours behind the wheel with you and 30 practice hours, 10 at night.
An alternate instructor whom a parent, guardian or judge names must be 25 or older, have 7 years of driving experience and charge no fee.
Your teen takes the knowledge test with the course provider, or at DPS if the provider does not give it.
Next step: practice on the free Texas Class C learner license practice test.

Texas parent-taught driver ed: common questions

How much does parent-taught driver ed cost in Texas?

You pay three parts. TDLR charges a $20 application fee, which is not refundable, for each child. The course provider sets its own price, and course prices vary. DPS charges $16 for a learner license under 18 and $16 for a new license under 18, such as the provisional license, as of 2026.

Can a grandparent teach parent-taught driver ed in Texas?

Yes. Texas law lets a grandparent or step-grandparent teach, along with a parent, stepparent, foster parent or legal guardian. The same instructor rules apply, such as the driving record checks.

Can a friend or relative teach my teen if I cannot?

Yes, if a parent, legal guardian or judge names that person as an alternate instructor on the TDLR application. This person must be at least 25, have at least 7 years of driving experience and charge no fee. The same driving record and conviction rules apply as for a parent.

Does DPS check the instructor's driving record?

Yes. DPS checks it two times: at the learner license and at the provisional license. If the record disqualifies you, DPS denies your teen's application and cancels the hours you taught after you became ineligible. If you had a moving violation or a crash in the past 3 years, get a copy of your record before you apply.

Can I change the instructor in the middle of the course?

Yes. Contact TDLR customer service with your teen's full name and date of birth, the name of the new instructor and the receipt number of your parent-taught instructor application. The new instructor must meet the same eligibility rules as you.