Texas Online Drivers Ed for Teens

Texas allows teens to begin driver’s education at 14 years of age, although they must be 15 to get a learner’s permit and begin driving. Teens have several options for drivers ed, including in-person classroom instruction or online programs.

Formal drivers ed isn’t just for young people, though. Anyone, at any age, can benefit from a driver education course!

Texas requires new drivers under the age of 25 to complete an approved drivers ed program. How many hours you need depends on your age. If you’re between 14-17, you’ll need 24 hours of drivers ed. New drivers aged 18-24 will complete a 6-hour adult course and meet different licensing requirements. Texas does not mandate driver education for anyone over 25, although it is strongly recommended. A Texas-specific program will cover state laws and prepare drivers for the final road test.

At NextDoorDriving.com, we offer Texas-approved teen and adult drivers ed courses. If you’re over 18, our Texas Adult Driver Education course is your path to driving success. This 6-hour driving course online is a convenient option for busy adults.

Yes, Texas allows teens and adults to take driver education online. Make sure the course is approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and meets current standards before signing up. As a leader in online drivers ed, Texas has a growing number of providers, but course quality can vary. Always look into a program before committing.

Yes! All of our online courses, including our Texas Teen drivers ed, are fully licensed by the state. Our courses meet all state standards for driver education, meaning you’ll receive accurate, complete, and current information. State approval guarantees that a drivers ed course from NextDoorDriving.com will fulfill all legal requirements for driver licensing.

Our teen drivers ed covers everything from basic vehicle maneuvers to driving in a sandstorm. You’ll start with the essentials—traffic laws, signs and signals, and general road safety—to get ready for the permit test. From there, you’ll learn how to operate a vehicle in different conditions and manage road risks. We’ll show you how to handle distractions, avoid driving impaired, and respond to emergencies. You’ll learn to navigate challenging situations like bad weather or unexpected hazards. We’ll also explain how to maintain a vehicle and keep it legally compliant. By the end of the course, you’ll have the fundamental knowledge and skills to start driving safely and confidently.

Texas requires teens to complete 24 hours of academic drivers ed instruction. With our online course, your progress is tracked to meet this requirement, but you don’t have to finish in exactly 24 hours. There’s no deadline, so you can move through lessons at your own pace and take the time you need to fully understand the material. This flexibility makes our program ideal for careful learners or busy teens, letting you fit driver’s ed comfortably into your schedule without feeling pressured or hurried.

The cost of driver’s ed depends on the type of course you choose. In-person programs at a driving school typically cost 2–3 times more than online courses. Online drivers ed is usually the most affordable option, with teen courses priced around $80.

A Texas drivers ed certificate of course completion does not expire.

Texans under 18 will take two main exams to get a license: the written permit test and the final road driving test. The permit test is multiple-choice and covers traffic laws, road signs and signals, and safe driving practices. You need to score at least 70% to pass and be issued a learner’s permit.

For full licensing, you’ll take a final road test that evaluates how well you drive. A DPS examiner will administer the test, which lasts around 20 minutes, and measure your ability to safely control the vehicle, follow traffic laws, and make good decisions in real traffic. Drivers who fail the road test are allowed to re-take it.

Our Texas Teen drivers ed online offers everything you’ll need to study for and take the permit test. You’ll take an approved permit test within our course, so you can skip the line at the DPS office. We offer convenient test re-takes, if you need them.

If you don’t need a drivers ed course but want to study for the permit test, at NextDoorDriving.com, we also offer quality practice tests that mirror the format of the real exam. Practice tests are a great way to reinforce knowledge and identify areas of concern before taking the official exam. Drivers who use practice tests build confidence and stand a better chance of passing the permit test on the first try.

In Texas, there are a few ways for teens to complete driver education, so students can pick the option that works best for them. One choice is the traditional in-person classroom format, offered through licensed driving schools. Some public schools offer driver education programs, though this varies by district. For students who need more flexibility, Texas allows online driver education through state-approved providers (like us!). After finishing the online classroom hours, students complete their behind-the-wheel training with a professional instructor. Another option is the Parent Taught Driver Education program, which lets eligible parents or guardians serve as the teen’s main driving instructor.

All course formats must meet the same basic requirements for classroom hours, driving hours, and testing. The best option depends on the student’s learning style and schedule. Traditional classes are good for those who need in-person learning, online courses are convenient for teens who want to work at their own pace, and the parent-taught program may suit those who feel more comfortable learning from someone familiar who can dedicate the time to lessons.

As an alternative to professional lessons, Texas allows qualified parents and guardians to serve as a teen’s primary driving instructor. As the only state to offer parent taught drivers ed, Texas leads the way in making adult mentors an active part of a teen’s driver development.

Teens who choose the parent taught option will conduct their 14 hours of behind-the-wheel training with their adult mentor. They still need to finish the required 24 hours of classroom coursework and 30 hours of supervised driving.

Parent taught drivers ed can be a good fit for teens who feel anxious about driving, or who would feel more comfortable learning from a familiar adult in the family car. It allows them to ease into driving with someone they trust while still meeting state requirements.

Teens ages 14–17 are eligible as long as they’re enrolled in school and meet the required attendance and grade standards. The driving instructor can be a parent, legal guardian, or another adult chosen by the parent or guardian—as long as that adult meets the state’s eligibility rules. To qualify, the adult trainer must live in Texas, have held a valid driver’s license for at least three years, and have no driving-related criminal convictions within the past seven years. This ensures that teens get hands-on instruction from someone experienced, responsible, and approved by the state.

The parent or guardian who steps into the role of driving trainer will guide the teen through the learning process, offering feedback, reinforcing safe habits, and making sure the student understands and follows traffic laws—just like a professional instructor would.

For interested teens, the parent taught driving course requires a separate enrollment process. First, confirm that the adult trainer meets all eligibility requirements. Then, the parent or student must request the Parent Taught Driver Education Packet (Form DL-92) from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The student will need this packet to begin drivers ed. Once the student completes the classroom portion of drivers ed and earns a learner’s permit, they can start in-car training with the parent instructor.

How long the parent taught process takes depends on how often the teen practices and how quickly they build skill. Teens must hold a learner’s permit for at least six months before they can take the driving test, so the practice period will last at least that long. Texas only allows one hour of driving practice to be counted per day on the official log, even if the student drives more, so the parent taught option isn’t necessarily a faster track.

A teen or adult driver education course can’t be used for ticket dismissal in Texas. However, our NextDoorDriving.com Defensive Driving certificate can help keep a traffic violation off your driving record. A Texas-approved defensive driving course focuses on improving driving skills and traffic safety. Completing this course will make you a more safety-conscious driver, and may qualify you for an insurance discount or ticket dismissal. Our Texas Defensive Driving course is also available in Spanish.

Currently, we offer our Texas Adult Driver Education and Defensive Driving courses in Spanish.

To complete the required behind-the-wheel instruction hours in Texas, you’ll need a local driving school. Make sure the driving school or program is approved by the TDLR so your lessons will meet state requirements.