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Parent-taught driver education lets a parent or guardian teach the course a teen would otherwise take at a school. Only a handful of US states have a formal program for it, and each works differently. This guide compares Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Idaho and Connecticut, and explains the states where parents end up doing most of the teaching anyway.
Key facts
- Full parent-taught programs: Texas (TDLR) and Iowa (Iowa DOT). Oklahoma lists a certified parent-taught course as one approved driver education option.
- Partial programs: Idaho lets parents teach the in-car part only, and only in rural districts or districts with no driver ed. Connecticut allows home training, with an 8-hour course still taken at a school.
- Parent-run alternatives: Georgia’s Parent/Teen Driving Guide can replace the instructor hours under Joshua’s Law. Nebraska lets teens log 50 supervised hours instead of taking a driver safety course.
- Everywhere else: if your state does not require driver education for your age, a parent already does the practical teaching through the supervised-hours log.
Which states allow parent-taught driver’s ed?
| State | What the parent can teach | Who can use it | Main rule to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | The whole course: 24 classroom hours, plus 7 hours in-car observation, 7 hours behind-the-wheel instruction and 30 hours practice (10 at night) | Teens; TDLR also lists it for 18 to 24 year olds | Apply to TDLR first ($20 per student, as of November 2026) and buy a course from a provider with the parent-taught endorsement |
| Iowa | The whole course, including 30 hours of street or highway driving (3 at night) | Students 14 to 20 in the teaching parent’s custody | Course must be on the Iowa DOT approved list; the student must pass an Iowa DOT driving test |
| Oklahoma | A Service Oklahoma-certified parent-taught course is one approved driver education route | Teens who want a learner permit at 15 | A parent-taught course cannot waive the written permit test |
| Idaho | The in-car part only: 6 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours observation. The 30 classroom hours come from an approved online course | Students in a rural district or a district with no driver ed course | The school district must confirm eligibility first |
| Connecticut | 22 hours of classroom-type study and 40 hours of practice driving | 16 and 17 year olds with a qualified home trainer | The 8-hour Safe Driving Practices course must be taken at a school, and the permit hold rises to 180 days |
Texas parent-taught driver education (PTDE)
Texas has the best-known program, run by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The parent, guardian or an approved designee teaches the full course. TDLR says the in-car phase totals 44 hours.
- Check that you and your teen are eligible, then apply to TDLR for authorization before you start teaching.
- Buy the curriculum from a licensed provider with the parent-taught endorsement.
- Your teen applies for the learner license at DPS once enough classroom hours are done.
- Under 18s must hold the learner license for at least six months before the provisional license.
The paperwork at each stage is in Texas parent-taught driver education step by step.
Iowa parent-taught driver education
Under Iowa Code section 321.178A, a parent, guardian or legal custodian can teach driver education using an Iowa DOT approved course.
- The teaching parent needs a valid license that allows unaccompanied driving and a clear driving record for the previous two years.
- The course includes 30 hours of street or highway driving, 3 of them at night.
- 20 of those 30 hours can count toward the 20 supervised hours needed for the intermediate license.
- Unlike most school-course students, a parent-taught student has to pass the Iowa DOT driving test.
Details: Iowa parent-taught driver education explained.
Oklahoma parent-taught driver education
Service Oklahoma lets teens get a learner permit at 15 if they are enrolled in approved driver education, and a certified parent-taught course is one of the approved options. Two points catch families out:
- A school driver ed certificate can waive the written test. A parent-taught course cannot, so the teen takes the written test like everyone else.
- Parent-taught students under 16 bring the Parent-Taught Affidavit approval number and proof that the course was bought.
The rest of the process is in learning to drive in Oklahoma.
Idaho parent-led on-road training
Idaho’s Parent-Student On-Road Driver Training program (Idaho Code 49-307) is narrower. It is only for students who live in a rural school district or a district that does not offer driver education.
- The teen takes 30 classroom hours through an approved online course.
- A preapproved parent or guardian gives 6 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours of in-car observation, logged on the official log.
- The teen then completes the usual Supervised Instruction Permit period: 50 hours over at least 6 months, 10 at night.
Eligibility and the checklist: Idaho parent-led on-road driver training.
Connecticut home training
Connecticut does not call it parent-taught, but the effect is similar. A qualified trainer, usually a parent, grandparent or guardian, supervises 22 hours of classroom-type study and 40 hours of practice. The teen still takes the 8-hour Safe Driving Practices course at a school, and one parent must attend the 2-hour parent class. Home-trained teens wait 180 days from the permit before the road test, compared with 120 days on the school route. See Connecticut home training and the 2-hour parent class.
States with a parent-run alternative
- Georgia: Joshua’s Law pairs a 30-hour classroom or online course with in-car training. The free DDS Parent/Teen Driving Guide can replace the 6 instructor hours.
- Nebraska: for the provisional permit, a teen either completes a DMV-approved driver safety course or logs 50 supervised hours (10 at night) on the DMV’s 50-hour certification form.
What if my state is not on the list?
Many states only require driver education for younger teens, or not at all. If your teen is not required to take a course, there is nothing to replace. You teach through the supervised driving hours your state sets, and the road test checks the result. If a course is required and your state has no parent-taught option, a home-made course will not count. Only state-approved courses are accepted.
Is parent-taught right for your family?
- Time: TDLR tells Texas parents to plan for at least 7 weeks of daily instruction. Other states are similar once the logged hours are counted.
- Your record: Texas, Iowa, Idaho and Connecticut all check the teaching adult’s driving record. A recent suspension or a crash conviction can rule you out.
- Paperwork: logs, affidavits and certificates must be on the state’s forms. A missing log can mean repeating hours.
- Testing: in Iowa and Oklahoma, parent-taught students sit tests that school students may be excused from.
Common questions
Can I teach my teen driver’s ed if we homeschool?
Homeschooling and parent-taught driver education are separate. Your state has to allow parent-taught driver ed for it to count. Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma do. In Idaho, homeschoolers qualify only through the district they live in.
Can a grandparent be the instructor?
In Texas, yes, if a parent, guardian or judge designates them and they meet the same rules. Connecticut lists grandparents as qualified trainers. Iowa limits teaching to a parent, guardian or legal custodian.
Do insurance discounts apply to parent-taught courses?
That is up to each insurer. Ask before you choose a course if the discount matters to you.
Can I switch from parent-taught to a driving school partway?
Texas offers a hybrid route, where a school does the classroom part and transfers the hours to the parent. For other changes, ask the state agency before you switch so the completed hours are not lost.
Does parent-taught driver ed waive the road test?
Not in Iowa, where parent-taught students must pass the Iowa DOT driving test. In Texas, teens take the driving test at DPS or with an approved third-party tester.
Is online driver’s ed the same as parent-taught?
No. Online courses come from licensed schools. Parent-taught means the parent is the instructor of record. Idaho combines the two: an online classroom course with parent-led driving.
Back to the main guide: learning to drive in the USA.
Sources
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Parent Taught Driver Education” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Getting Started with Parent-Taught Driver Education” and “How to Become a Parent-Taught Driver Education Instructor” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Hybrid Parent-Taught Driver Education” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Iowa Legislature, “Iowa Code 2026, Section 321.178A: Driver education, teaching parent” and “Section 321.180B: Graduated driver’s licenses” (legis.iowa.gov)
- Iowa Department of Transportation, “Teach Driver’s Education to my Child” (iowadot.gov)
- Service Oklahoma, “Learner Permit” and “Written Knowledge Test” (oklahoma.gov)
- Idaho Transportation Department, “Parent-Student On-Road Driver’s Training” (itd.idaho.gov)
- Idaho Department of Education, “Idaho Code 49-307 Parent-Student On-Road Driver Training FAQ” (sde.idaho.gov)
- Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, “Driving school requirements for teenagers in CT” and “State of Connecticut Driver’s Manual” (portal.ct.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Joshua’s Law Requirements” and “40-Hour Parent/Teen Driving Guide 2024-2025” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Nebraska DMV, “50 Hour Certification” form (dmv.nebraska.gov)