Roles and Responsibilities
On this Page:
This page explains what each entity in the Parent-Taught Driver Education Program is responsible for
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- provides an Online Driver Record Request System to allow a parent to verify whether the parent is eligible to teach a student based on the parent’s criminal and driver records
- verifies the parent instructor’s driving record when it processes the student’s learner license and provisional license
- recognizes TDLR’s Parent Taught Driver Education Program as an alternative to conventional driver education that will satisfy training requirements for obtaining a driver permit or license
- issues driver permits and driver licenses
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- operates the Parent Taught Driver Education Program
- sells the Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application
- licenses and regulates driver education providers
TDLR-Approved Provider
- creates and sells course materials for use by a parent instructor to teach the student
- issues a Texas Driver Education Certificate of Completion, which must be provided to DPS for a student to get a learner license and a provisional license
Parent, Legal Guardian, or Designee
- verifies that they are eligible to be a parent instructor
- applies for a Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation from TDLR
- chooses a TDLR-approved Parent Taught Driver Education course provider
- purchases a Parent Taught Driver Education course directly from a course provider
- completes the classroom and behind-the-wheel course of instruction for the student
- ensures the student passes the written exam at a DPS facility
- assists the student in obtaining a learner license at a DPS facility
- assists the student in obtaining a provisional license at a DPS facility