Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you are 18 to 24 and getting your first Texas driver’s license, you must complete driver education. Most adults choose the 6-hour adult driver education course. Before the driving test you must also complete an Impact Texas Drivers program: the free one-hour Impact Texas Adult Drivers (ITAD) video, or the teen version. This guide sets out the adult route step by step, including what changes at 25.
Key facts for Texas adult learners
- Driver education is required under 25, unless you hold a valid license from another state.
- Options at 18 to 24: a 6-hour adult course, the 24-hour minor course, or parent-taught driver education.
- ITAD: free, about one hour, three modules, with a certificate valid for 90 days.
- At 25 and over, driver education is not required, but an Impact Texas Drivers program is still needed before the driving test.
Which driver ed option should an adult choose?
| Option | Good for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 6-hour adult driver education course (licensed provider) | Most 18 to 24 year olds who want the shortest route | You get an ADE-1317 certificate. Expect to take the knowledge tests at DPS |
| 24-hour minor driver education course | Adults who want more structured teaching | TDLR says some testing may be done with the provider instead of at DPS |
| Parent-taught driver education | Adults with an eligible parent or guardian to teach them | See parent-taught steps |
If you started a teen course and turned 18, those classroom hours do not count toward the 6-hour adult course. You either finish the full teen program or take the full adult course.
Step by step: the adult route (18 to 24)
- Complete a TDLR-approved driver education course and get your certificate.
- Apply at a DPS driver license office and pass the vision, highway sign and traffic law tests (unless your course provider gave them). See the Texas knowledge test.
- Get driving practice. The six-month learner holding rule applies only to under 18s. Ask Texas DPS which permit you need before you practice on public roads.
- Complete ITAD (or ITTD) after your course, and no more than 90 days before your driving test.
- Print the certificate and pass the driving test at DPS or at an authorized driving school.
ITAD in detail
- Who must take it: anyone who took the 6-hour adult course and received an ADE-1317 certificate. More broadly, DPS says applicants 18 and over must complete an Impact Texas Drivers program before the skills test, and may choose ITAD or ITTD.
- Length: about one hour, in three modules. You can stop between modules, but each module must be watched in full.
- Cost: free.
- Certificate: emailed to you and available to reprint from your account. Bring a printed copy; electronic copies are not accepted.
- Expiry: 90 days. If you have not passed the driving test within 90 days of the certificate date, you must restart ITAD.
- ITAD is separate from the 6 hours of driver education and does not count toward them.
What if you are 25 or older?
You do not need a driver education course. You still apply at DPS, pass the required tests and complete an Impact Texas Drivers program before the driving test.
Moving to Texas with a license
The driver education rule does not apply if you hold a valid license from another state. See moving to Texas with an out-of-state or foreign license.
Common questions
Can I take the 6-hour adult course online?
TDLR licenses both in-person and online driver education providers. Check the provider is licensed using TDLR’s provider search.
Do I need ITAD if I took the 24-hour course?
At 18 or over you need an Impact Texas Drivers program either way. DPS lets adults choose ITAD or ITTD.
How long is the adult driver ed certificate valid?
Ask your provider or Texas DPS how long the certificate is valid before you book.
I am 24. Should I just wait until 25?
You can, since driver education is not required from 25. But a short adult course teaches the Texas rules the knowledge test is built on.
Can someone help me pay for driver ed?
The Texas Workforce Commission can pay driver education and licensing fees for some young people, including those who were in foster care and homeless youth under 26. TDLR also mentions help for victims or children of relationship violence. Ask TWC about its Driver Education Funding Program.
Related Texas guides
Sources
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Impact Texas Adult Drivers: FAQs” (impacttexasdrivers.dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Impact Texas Teen Drivers: FAQs” (impacttexasdrivers.dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Do I Need to Take Driver Education in Texas?” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Frequently Asked Questions for Students” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Legislature, “Transportation Code Chapter 521, Driver’s Licenses and Certificates”, sections 521.1601, 521.1655, 521.168 and 521.204 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)