Parent Taught Driver Education
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Parent Taught Driver Education is an alternative to driver education in public schools or commercial driving schools. Parent Taught Driver Education is regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
By signing up for the Parent Taught Driver Education program, the parent instructor takes charge of driver education for the teen driver by working with three separate entities:
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- A course provider, approved by TDLR to offer a parent-taught driver education course
Getting Started
To participate in the Parent Taught Driver Education program, you must complete these steps:
- Determine if you are eligible to be an instructor.
- Parents are responsible for checking whether their criminal and/or driver records prevent them from teaching the Parent Taught Course.
- Purchase the Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application from TDLR.
- The application costs $20. After you purchase the application, you will receive an email with a download link. Check your spam and junk folders if you do not see the email in your inbox.
- Purchase a TDLR-approved Parent Taught Driver Education Course.
- Locate an approved course provider and purchase a course
Steps to Getting a Driver's License
Review the requirements to be a parent instructor. If the parent has any issues that may possibly disqualify them, they must contact DPS to determine their eligibility.
Read the program requirements and purchase the Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application
Choose and purchase a TDLR-approved course and start teaching
Assist your student in obtaining a learner license at a DPS facility
Complete classroom and behind-the-wheel course with your student
Assist your student in obtaining a provisional license at a DPS facility
Roles and Responsibilities
The following section explains what each entity, as well as the parent-instructor, are 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 course providers
- approves driver education course materials
A TDLR-approved course 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
A parent, legal guardian, or designee
- checks whether he or she is eligible to be a parent instructor
- purchases a Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application 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
Things You Need to Know
You must purchase the Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application from TDLR ($20) and a Parent Taught Driver Education course from a course provider (course providers charge their own additional fee; contact the course providers or visit their websites for their current fees).
- Enter the student’s legal name carefully onto the order form . Correcting the student name later requires a written request.
- TDLR does not approve or deny parent instructors based on their driving record, only DPS can do this. Please review the instructor requirements for more information.
- When you go to DPS:
- For your Learner License, bring the receipt from your Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application .
- For your Provisional License, bring the receipt from your Request for Parent Taught Driver Education Instructor Designation Service Application and the 30-hour driving log.
If DPS says you need another form (for example, forms DL-90A, DL-90B, or DL-91A), please email TPSTprogram@dps.texas.gov with the full name of your child, the DPS location and the issue you are having. These forms have been phased out. Please note: TDLR cannot resolve issues with your local DPS office.
This is not a comprehensive list. Please review the Parent Taught Driver Education Program Requirements to be sure you are eligible to participate in the Parent Taught Driver Education program.
Help and Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Please see the Parent Taught Driver Education Frequently Asked Questions page for further information.
Contact Customer Service
For additional assistance, please contact our customer service department by email. For urgent requests, please call us at (512) 463-6599, however hold times may be excessive, and we recommend email where possible.