Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE)

To begin the Parent Taught Driver Education program, you must:

1. Determine whether you qualify as an instructor.
2. Submit an application for each teen along with a $20.00 non-refundable fee. (check or money order only)
3. Obtain/purchase approved PTDE course materials.

To obtain a Learner’s or Provisional License, you must:

1. Meet the requirements of an original applicant.
2. Complete the first 6 hours of classroom instruction of any PTDE course. (Learner’s license only)
3. Student and Instructor must bring the required documents to the driver license office.  These include the Parental Driver Education Affidavit (DL-90A) and Classroom Instruction and Behind-the-Wheel Record (DL-91A and DL-91B) for PTDE.
4. Pass the mandatory driving test. NOTE: For customer convenience, some locations are pre-scheduling the driving exam.  Contact your local Driver License office to see if appointments are offered.

Requesting a Packet
An additional Request Form and $20.00 non--refundable fee are required for each student who will be participating in the Parent Taught Driver Education Program. Please allow 2 - 3 weeks for delivery.  The Parent Taught Driver Education packet will be mailed to the INSTRUCTOR’S address.

The Request Form MUST be completely filled out with original signatures or the process will be delayed.

NOTE: No classroom instruction is permitted prior to signing up with DPS and requesting the Parent Taught Driver Education packet. Any instruction prior to that time will not be accepted toward the required instruction time.

Instructor information
To teach parent taught driver education, the instructor must be:

1. the future driver’s: parent, step-grandparent, step-parent, foster parent, grandparent, or legal guardian. A legal guardian is defined as a guardian who has been legally appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction. Power of Attorney is not legally sufficient.

If you are not one of the above-mentioned people, you are NOT eligible to teach parent taught driver ed., i.e. a spouse may not teach PTDE to his/her wife/husband.

2. Have a responsible driving history as defined by law:

1. The instructor must have held a valid driver license for the past three years.
2. With no suspensions or revocations for traffic related violations.
3. With less than 6 points on his driving record prior to the beginning of instruction.  (If you have paid a surcharge for points in the past year, you are probably not eligible to instruct Parent Taught Drivers Education).
4. The instructor must NEVER have been convicted (or received a probated sentence) for: Driving While Intoxicated/Driving Under the Influence (in another state), or Criminally Negligent Homicide.
5. Plus, the instructor may not be disabled due to mental illness. Questions as to mental stability will be forwarded to the Medical Advisory Board for determination.

Check your record before signing up
It is the responsibility of the instructor to check both his criminal and driver records prior to signing up for PTDE and requesting the DPS packet.  If part of the past 3 years of your driver history is out of state, you must bring your out of state driver history record to the driver license office.  The Department will not confirm the instructor's eligibility until issuance of the student’s learner license or provisional driver license. If, at the driver license office, it is determined that the instructor was not eligible to teach parent taught driver education (i.e. has a prohibited conviction, suspension, revocation or points), the learner license or provisional driver license will be denied and all prior classroom and behind the wheel/in car instruction credit is invalid.

For instructors with out of state driver license history during the past 3 years, the instructor must bring a complete driver history called a “certified abstract” from their former state(s) to the driver license office when the student applies for issuance of the learner license or provisional driver license.  

Concurrent method
Almost all students complete driver education under the concurrent method.  Under the concurrent method, prior to taking the written examination and applying for an learner license, the student, at minimum, must complete the first 6 hours of classroom instructions of any approved Parent Taught Driver Education course. 

NOTE: PTDE Course 110 is the only course approved to be taught under both the Block and Concurrent method. It is the only PTDE course approved for the Block Method.

Prior to beginning any driving (i.e. any behind the wheel driving or in-car observation), the student must obtain a Texas learner license from the Texas Department of Public Safety (to apply the student is at least 15 years of age and meets all other eligibility requirements).

Under the concurrent method, after completion of the first 6 hours of the classroom instruction and obtaining a Texas learner license from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the instructor and student must complete the remaining 26 hours of classroom instruction simultaneously with the 7 hours of in-car observation, 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, and 20 hours of behind-the-wheel practice (10 hours which must be conducted at night) prior to applying for a driver license. 

Block Method
The student completes all 32 hours of classroom instruction of the program as prescribed under one of the Texas Department of Public Safety approved PTDE courses ( Course 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 and 111).  The student is then eligible to test for a Texas Learner License.  Prior to advancing to the 34 hours of behind-the-wheel and in-car practice, the student must be at least 15 years of age and meet all other eligibility requirements to obtain a Texas Learner License.

If a student selects the block method but wishes to transfer to or from the Parent Taught Driver Education Program or a TEA approved driver training school, all 32 hours of classroom instruction must be completed prior to transferring to a TEA approved driver training school.  No hours of instruction (classroom or behind-the-wheel) may be transferred between the Parent Taught Driver Education Program and a TEA approved driver training program.

Failure to complete remaining hours
If the student is issued an learner license after completing the first six (6) hours of classroom instruction but then fails to complete the remainder of the 32 hours of classroom instruction, the instructor MUST notify the Department of Public Safety that the student has failed to complete the Concurrent Driver Education Program by submitting the Parent Taught Driver Education Cancellation Form (Form DL-93). Upon receipt of this form, the Department will cancel the Texas learner license that was issued to the student who failed to complete the CONCURRENT driver education program. The fees previously paid (both for the PTDE packet and the Texas learner license) will be forfeited. After cancellation, ALL previous driver education training hours (classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel instruction, and in-car instruction) are forfeited and must be repeated. After cancellation, the applicant will have to make a new application and pass all required exams again to obtain another Texas learner license or Texas Driver License.

No transfering to or from parent taught
A student may choose to use parent taught for either classroom instruction or behind the wheel or both.  The student must then complete the instruction under the chosen method or start anew. No hours of instruction (classroom or behind-the-wheel) may be transferred between a Parent Taught Program and a TEA approved driver training school.

Obtaining the learner’s or provisional license
At least one of the instructors must accompany the student when applying for the Texas learner license or Class C Driver License.  If there is more than one instructor teaching this course, a separate Classroom Instruction-Driver Education Affidavit (a DL-90A) and a separate Behind the Wheel Instruction-Driver Education Affidavit is required for each instructor (a DL-90B).  The affidavit for the absent instructor will need to be notarized before coming to the Driver License Office.

No behind-the-wheel instruction or in-car practice may be permitted until the child has been issued a Texas learner license. Driving without a license or permit on a public street or highway is a violation of state law. Any behind-the wheel instruction prior to issuance of the learner license will not be accepted toward the required instruction or practice time.
 
Classroom and Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Log Records should be completed by the instructor daily.   You may be required to present this form as proof you have completed all objectives outlined in the Parent Taught Education Program.