Photo: Roseohioresident, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you are 21 or older, failed your first Ohio driving test and have not taken driver training in the last 12 months, you must finish an abbreviated adult driver training course before you try again. This guide covers the two versions of the course, the 24-hour affidavit and what to bring to your retest.
Key facts
- Who: Ohio license applicants aged 21 or older who fail the driving test and have had no driver training in the past 12 months (Ohio Traffic Safety Office leaflet DTO 0224, 7/25).
- When: after the failed attempt and before the next one. The test has two parts, maneuverability and driving, and failing either part counts.
- What: a 4-hour class (online or in person), then either 4 hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor or 24 hours of driving with a licensed driver aged 21 or older.
- Paperwork for the 24-hour route: the notarized Twenty-Four Hour Affidavit, BMV 5789.
- Under 21? Different rules apply. See Ohio driver training for under 21s.
The two versions of Ohio’s abbreviated adult course
| Option A: instructor | Option B: 24 hours practice | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | 4 hours, online or in person | 4 hours, online or in person |
| Driving | 4 hours behind the wheel with a licensed instructor | 24 hours with a licensed driver aged 21 or older |
| Daily limit | Set by the school | No more than 4 hours of driving per day |
| Proof for the BMV | Certificate of completion from the school | BMV 5789 affidavit, signed in front of a notary |
| Best for | Faster finish; a professional pinpoints why you failed | Lower cost if you have a willing licensed driver |
Both versions start with the 4-hour class at a licensed Ohio driver training school. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office lists licensed schools on its “Find A School” page at drivertraining.ohio.gov.
How to complete the BMV 5789 Twenty-Four Hour Affidavit
- Log every session. The form’s second page is a log: date, supervising driver’s name, their license number and state, start and end times (with a.m. or p.m.) and total time per session. You can use the RoadReady Ohio app instead of the paper log.
- Keep to 4 hours a day. The affidavit says you completed 24 hours without driving more than 4 hours on any day. Plan on at least six separate days.
- Fill in your details. Name, temporary instruction permit (TIPIC) number, address and an email or phone number.
- Sign in front of a notary. You, the permit holder, swear to the hours. The notary completes and seals the form.
- Bring it to your retest. The form is submitted to the BMV before your second or later attempt.
Falsifying the affidavit is punishable by a fine, imprisonment or both under Ohio Revised Code 2921.11, as the form states.
When you don’t need the course or the affidavit
- If you completed driver training within the last 12 months, the requirement does not apply (DTO 0224).
- If you completed at least 4 hours behind the wheel with a licensed Ohio driver training school in the last 12 months, BMV 5789 says you can give a copy of your certificate of completion instead of the affidavit.
Use the course to fix what failed you
- Failed the cones? Spend practice time on the Ohio maneuverability test: forward through the box, around the point cone, then reverse back through. Points come off for stopping to check, restarting, bumping cones and not finishing parallel. Running over or knocking down a cone is an automatic fail.
- Failed on the road? Ask your supervisor or instructor to drive the kind of roads near your exam station and call out the faults you make. See Ohio driving test: route, scoring and vehicle check.
- Language: the Ohio skills test is given only in English, and translators are not allowed (Ohio Traffic Safety Office resource sheet, 10/24). Practice following spoken directions in English.
Is Ohio changing the adult course? (H.B. 463)
A bill in the Ohio General Assembly, House Bill 463, would write the abbreviated adult course into law and expand it, mainly by adding behind-the-wheel hours. As of November 2026 it had not been confirmed as enacted. Until a change takes effect, the 4 + 4 or 4 + 24 versions above apply. Check the Ohio Traffic Safety Office before you book a course in case the rules have changed.
Common questions
I failed my Ohio driving test at 22. Do I have to take a course?
Yes, unless you completed driver training within the last 12 months. Finish one of the two course versions before your next attempt.
Can I take the 4-hour class online?
Yes. DTO 0224 says the class can be online or in person. Pick a licensed Ohio driver training school.
Who can supervise my 24 hours?
A licensed driver aged 21 or older. The log asks for their license number and state.
Can I do all 24 hours over one weekend?
No. You cannot drive more than 4 hours a day, so 24 hours takes at least six days.
Can I log the 24 hours on my phone?
Yes. BMV 5789 accepts the RoadReady Ohio app as well as the paper log.
Do I need the course again if I fail a second time?
Check with the Ohio BMV or your driver training school before you rebook. Ask about the waiting period between attempts at the same time.
Does the requirement apply if I failed only the maneuverability part?
Yes. Failing either part of the test counts as a failed attempt.
Back to the full Ohio learner driver guide.
Sources
- Ohio Traffic Safety Office, “Are you over 21? (DTO 0224, 7/25)” (dam.assets.ohio.gov)
- Ohio Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Twenty-Four Hour Affidavit (BMV 5789, 9/25)” (dam.assets.ohio.gov)
- Ohio Traffic Safety Office, “Curriculum Resource Sheet: TIPIC, Ohio Driver License and Maneuverability Skills Test (10/24)” (dam.assets.ohio.gov)
- Ohio Legislative Service Commission, “H.B. 463 analysis, June 2026” (legislature.ohio.gov), search-result extract only