The Best Driving Schools in California

We’ve reviewed and ranked top California driving schools to help you find the right fit based on price, reputation, and lesson options. Compare your choices and book your spot today!

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6 best driving schools in California

Coastline academy
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Coastline Academy is a modern driving school offering convenient, high-quality education across multiple states with professional instructors.
San Francisco Driving School
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San Francisco Driving School founder has 29 years of experience teaching drivers education and drivers training. Our goals are to teach defensive driving techniques and many things so there will be more safer drivers on the road! E-mail: manager@sfdriving.com
Traffic School
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TrafficSchool.com is a licensed traffic school that helps you clear traffic tickets and maintain a clean driving record. They have been providing DMV licensed traffic school for over two decades. They offer a 100% online course that is mobile-friendly, original and engaging. They also provide live support, free certificate processing, and unlimited attempts to pass the course. Their final exam is open-book, and a free study guide is available.
Beach City Driving Schools
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We are a Family owned business and our main focus is You! We offer Behind the wheel driving lessons for all ages. We specialize on newly permitted Teen drivers, new Adult drivers and International Students. We also offer online Teen permit study and test courses required by the DMV prior to Teens applying for the Driving Permit. Our professional instructors are all background checked and verified by the State of California and have backgrounds in the Driving industry. We proudly service the great Orange County, San Diego County and neighboring Counties. All of our lessons are one-on-one and include FREE pick up and drop off at your door. Lastly, we pride ourselves in being knowledgeable, reliable and honest, No Hidden Fees!
Academy of Motorcycle Operation
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We offer 16 hours of CHP & DMV approved training in just 2 days to get your license-waiver certificate. Our coaches are certified professionals, and we use user-friendly bikes, helmets, and gloves. Our alumni can ride different bike types. The cost is $350 ($295 for those under 21). No license or permit is required to enroll, any valid ID is accepted. AMO Grads can get insurance discounts that "return" their training fee.
Drivers Ed Direct
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Get the best driving school services in California with Drivers Ed Direct. Our lessons are available 7 days a week from 7am to 11pm. Use code TEEN20 to save $20 on our Online Drivers Ed Course or any driving lesson. Our online course is DMV-approved and comes with free unlimited practice tests. We offer basic & advanced defensive driving, DMV test lessons, canyon & freeway driving lessons, and more. We boast training in a Hybrid Lexus RX SUV or a Toyota Prius. Our services extend to numerous locations in California like Santa Monica, West Hills, Valencia, and more.

California Driving Lesson Requirements

  • Under 18 (Ages 15–18)

    You need a permit to practice driving, which you get by passing a written knowledge test. When you have your permit, you can start driving under supervision.

    Teens must then complete the following:

    • 6 hours of professional in-car driving lessons with a licensed instructor from a DMV-approved school.
    • 50 hours of supervised driving practice with a parent or guardian (including 10 hours at night). Note: Any additional professional driving lessons beyond the 6-hour minimum can count toward the 50 required practice hours.
    Once you meet the requirements and have held your permit for at least 6 months, you can schedule your road test and get your license (which allows you to drive unsupervised).
  • Ages 18+

    • Professional driving lessons are not legally required for adults in California. You do not have mandated practice hours either.
    • You will, however, need an instruction permit to practice driving, which you get by passing the permit test. When you feel ready for the road test, you can schedule it to get your full license.
    Note: Even though professional driving lessons aren’t a strict requirement, they are highly recommended to help you learn safe, confident driving skills. They can also qualify you for possible insurance discounts or course credits.

Schedule Your California Driving Lessons with our Partners Near You

  • Up to 2x higher first-time driving test pass rate (based on internal survey)
  • Home pickup and drop-off available in most of California
  • Certified, licensed, and background-checked instructors
  • Modern cars with dual controls, safety cameras, and GPS tracking
  • Easy online booking and progress tracking
  • California DMV-licensed driving school

How It Works

1. Choose time, location, & date
Enter your ZIP code to see available driving lessons in your area.
2. Reserve lessons that work for you
Once you’ve found a good time & date for your lessons, you can reserve them immediately. You’ll receive a confirmation email and text message, along with other lesson instructions.
3. Start behind-the-wheel training
Learn everything from basic controls to safe, defensive driving with certified California instructors. Each instructor has completed an intensive training course adhering to state standards (and beyond).
4. Get your driver’s license
Once you’ve completed the required hours, you’ll be prepared for the DMV road test. Once you pass, you’ll get your license.

Learn Key Skills

Rest assured, all necessary key driving skills are covered

Freeway Driving
Parking
Intersections
Changing Lanes
Passing
Nighttime Driving
Defensive Driving

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