Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Texas teens must complete 30 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel practice, at least 10 of them at night, before they can get a provisional license. The hours are recorded on TDLR’s “Driver Education 30 Hour Behind the Wheel Log” (form DES150N). The supervising adult must be 21 or over, hold a license for the vehicle and have at least one year of driving experience. Use this checklist for who can supervise, how to fill in the log and what DPS expects.
Key facts
- Hours: 30 in total, with at least 20 in daytime and at least 10 at night.
- Form: TDLR form DES150N, revised December 2024.
- Daily cap: only 2 hours a day count toward the 30, however long you drive.
- Who signs: a parent or guardian certifies the log. A student who is 18 or over signs it themselves.
- When it is used: you bring it to DPS when you apply for the provisional license.
Who can supervise a Texas learner driver?
Under Transportation Code section 521.222(d), the person in the front passenger seat must:
- hold a license for that type of vehicle
- be 21 or over
- have at least one year of driving experience
It does not have to be a parent. TDLR says any adult who meets these rules can supervise the practice hours, but a parent or guardian certifies them. A supervisor commits an offense if they sleep, are intoxicated or are doing something that stops them watching and responding to the driver.
What counts as night?
TDLR’s 30-hour guide defines nighttime as the period from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise. Daytime is the rest.
The 30-hour plan on the TDLR log
The log splits the 30 hours into lessons. Follow the order: each lesson builds on the one before.
| Lesson | Hours |
|---|---|
| Getting ready, starting, placing the vehicle in motion, and stopping | 2 |
| Moving, stopping, steering, knowing where you are | 3 |
| Backing | 1 |
| Turning, lane position and visual skills | 4 |
| Searching the intended path of travel | 3 |
| Parking | 1 |
| Turnabouts | 2 |
| Multiple lane roadways | 4 |
| City driving | 5 |
| Expressway and freeway driving | 5 |
| Total | 30 (20 day minimum, 10 night minimum) |
The free TDLR “Texas 30-Hour Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Guide” explains what to practice in each lesson. For example, the second lesson starts in a large, empty, level parking lot, circling at 10 and 15 mph.
How to fill in the log correctly
- Write the student’s name and driver license (learner license) number at the top.
- For each session, record the date, the time (a.m. or p.m.) and whether the hours were day or night.
- The supervising adult signs each entry and adds their driver license number.
- Count no more than 2 hours for any one day.
- At the end, a parent or guardian (or the student, if 18 or over) signs the certification that the 30 hours, including at least 10 at night, are true and correct.
DPS may ask to see this log. Fill it in after every drive, not from memory at the end.
Checklist before you take the log to DPS
- All 30 hours entered, with at least 10 at night
- Every entry signed with the supervisor’s license number
- Final certification signed and dated
- DE-964 driver education completion certificate
- Printed ITTD certificate dated within 90 days
- Learner license held for at least six months
How the 30 hours fit into Texas driver ed
For under 18s, the in-car phase of Texas driver education is 44 hours:
- 7 hours of in-car observation
- 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
- the 30 hours of logged practice
The 14 hours of instruction are usually not logged by a parent-taught instructor. The 30 practice hours always are. See parent-taught driver education.
Common questions
Can I count 4 hours from a long road trip?
No. Only 2 hours a day count toward the 30 on the current DES150N log.
Can my older sister supervise?
Yes, if she is 21 or over, holds a license for the car and has at least one year of driving experience. A parent or guardian still certifies the log.
Do hours driven in another state count?
TDLR says out-of-state driver education hours do not transfer to Texas. Ask TDLR before relying on practice logged elsewhere.
Can I drive on the freeway with my learner license?
Yes, with a qualifying supervisor. The log sets aside 5 hours for expressway and freeway driving. See freeway driving for new drivers.
Where do I get the log?
Download the log and the instruction guide from the TDLR driver education pages. Parent-taught courses may include their own copy.
Related guides
- How to get a driver’s license in Texas
- Texas provisional license rules
- Supervised driving hours by state
Sources
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Driver Education 30 Hour Behind the Wheel Log (DES150N, rev. December 2024)” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Texas 30-Hour Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Guide” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Behind the Wheel Instruction” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Getting Started with Parent-Taught Driver Education” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Getting a Provisional Driver’s License” (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”, section 521.222 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)