No.
“Your instruction permit is not valid until you begin driver training. Your instructor will sign the permit to validate it.” – CA DMV Instruction Permit Restrictions.
So make sure to enroll and schedule that first appointment!

1. DRIVER EDUCATION CLASS

Complete Driver Education class at Roadrunner Driving School and receive a Driver Education Completion Certificate. You may also complete an online Driver Education course. The only course we recommend is Cal-Driver-Ed.com (we are not affiliated with them, nor receive any money for recommending them, it is simply the best online course we have found.)

2. LEARNER’S PERMIT 

When you are at least 15 1/2 years old, you may go to the DMV and take the written test. The test is 46 multiple choice questions, and you can miss 8 and still pass. An appointment is recommended, but you may walk in without one.  They will not give the test if you arrive after 4:00 pm.   To schedule an appointment, call the DMV at 800.777.0133, or schedule online at dmv.ca.gov.

FOR THE DMV WRITTEN TEST, YOU MUST PROVIDE:

• 1.  $45.00 application fee.
• 2.  Confirmation code you receive after completing the application (DL44) online at dmv.ca.gov.
• 3.  Birth Certificate or passport – NO photocopies
• 4.  Social Security card – NO photocopies
• 5.  Two (2) legal presence documents – photo copies are accepted (See dmv.ca.gov for examples)
• 6.  Driver Ed Completion Certificate (blue for class room, pink for online)
• 7.  If you are a minor, Parent/Guardian signature required on DL44.

CALL (707)546-3238 TO SCHEDULE YOUR FIRST DRIVING LESSON.

State law requires that drivers license applicants under the age of 18 have at least 6 hours(three 2 hour sessions) of Driver Training with a DMV certified instructor.  After your first lesson, your instructor will sign your permit to validate it, allowing you to practice driving with a legal coach.

3. PRACTICE DRIVING BETWEEN LESSONS

Minors must practice driving between lessons with a California licensed driver over the age of 25 years. This person must be seated next to you, awake and not under the influence of drugs and or alcohol. Supervised practice must include no less than 50 hours of drive time, including 10 hours at night. It does not include the 6 hours with licensed instructor.  Keep the written log we provide during your first lesson of your driving hours and bring it to each lesson.

Do not just drive to school and back and in familiar areas over and over again. New drivers need exposure to new situations to help them develop their visual search pattern, timing and judgment, and ability to anticipate other roadway users. Driving takes practice, just like math, sports, music, art or any other skill. The 50 hours practice are critical for new drivers to develop their driving skills.  After your third driving lesson, you will receive a Driver Training Completion Certificate (gold).

4. DRIVER’S LICENSE

When you have completed six hours of Driver Training and at least 50 hours of practice,  have had your permit for at least 6 months and you are at least 16 years old, you are eligible to take the DMV driving test. You should be able to schedule the test up to 90 days prior to the date you want to test.  That time varies with the DMV.

FOR THE DMV DRIVING TEST YOU MUST PROVIDE:

• Your Permit – second page signed by instructor and parent/guardian
• Driver Training Completion Certificate (gold)
• Proof of Insurance for the car being used for the driving test
• Current Registration for the car being used for the test

5. Restrictions on your license for 1 year or until you turn 18

Provisional licensees cannot drive between 11pm and 5am and cannot drive with passengers under the age of 20. Both of these restrictions do not apply when you have a 25 year old CA licensed driver in the front right seat (just like was required for your permit practice hours).

Yes, but you will be covering a lot of material during this course. Most students prefer to take the class close to when they take the DMV written exam, so the information is fresh in their mind. At the end of class, you will keep your study materials and books, so you will be able to review.

Yes. You must take at least one Driver Training Behind-the-Wheel lesson in order to get you permit signed and validated. Any driving practice you do before you turn 18 must still follow all minor driving restrictions. You are not required to take the second and third lessons if you will be testing for your license as an adult.

Go to the DMV with a parent (if you’re still a minor). A new permit will be printed out for you so you can continue to drive. The next time you have a lesson, your instructor will sign it. Or you can arrange to stop by the office to have it re-signed, if it will be a significant amount of time until your next lesson.

Of course! Lucky you. Learning to drive in the rain may seem scary, but what a great opportunity to develop your skills and confidence. Your instructor is there to teach, guide and reassure you. Remember, instructors have a brake on their side to assist the learning driver. Safety of the student and other roadway users is a tremendous responsibility and an inherent part of the instructor’s job. In light or heavy traffic, rain or shine, night or day, anything can happen. Anything that occurs during a driving lesson can become part of the learning experience.

A good start for parents and teens is to read the free pamphlet “PARENT TEEN TRAINING GUIDE” from the DMV (available online dmv.ca.gov) so you have an idea what and how to teach.

Choose a great driving school like Roadrunner. If you are in Windsor, you can contact Take Me Driving. If you are in Petaluma, you can contact Cheryl’s Driving School. They are both quality schools.

After your teen’s first lesson, when we know what their strengths and challenges are, we will give you helpful advice and recommendations on how to work with them.  Most students develop quickly working with a knowledgeable instructor who cares.  It really helps that we have a brake on our side.  It is much easier for the atmosphere in the training vehicle to remain calm, and for the student to develop skills and gain confidence.  If a student is still struggling with basic car control skills after the first lesson, the instructor will suggest you schedule a second lesson sooner rather than the usual recommended 6 to 8 weeks.

Try driving with your teen in familiar areas.  Do NOT begin by backing the car out of the garage.  Get the car on level ground in a position where they can begin going forward.  Be sure you discuss proper seat, steering wheel and mirror adjustment as instructed during the lesson.  Drive in very familiar areas to begin with.  If your teen freaks you out, or if you freak them out, call us for that next lesson.

If you are facing unknowns, call us.  We may be able to offer simple advice over the phone to help you deal with the situation. We are your partners in putting great drivers on the road.

If taking the DMV drive test has you in knots, you might not be ready to get a license and drive unsupervised. Do not schedule your drive test until you are bored with driving. Our definition of bored is “nothing should make you scared or nervous on the road.”

After your second lesson we recommend new drivers make a list of everything that still makes them nervous or scared. You can add items to the list that make you parents/guardians scared or nervous about your driving. This becomes your work list of thing you will practice and hone before you go for your test and get your license.

Our driving instructors assess your abilities and help you with skills that need improvement during each lesson. In addition, you will use the log we provide to write down the hours you practice driving with your parent/guardian/coach and the type of skills practiced. This will help you track your progress.

If you feel more nervous than enthusiastic about learning to drive, don’t worry. We’re here to help you develop your skills and confidence. We want Roadrunner students to feel as comfortable as possible even when they make mistakes and have questions to ask. We look forward to working with you.