If you or your teen needs to sign up for drivers ed in Texas, it can be a bit overwhelming. Texas has a couple main ways that teens can complete their drivers ed requirements. Those two main ways a teen can obtain a Texas drivers license are known as:
- The ITDE (Instructor Taught Drivers Ed) Method – The first way a teen can complete their drivers ed requirements is to take a traditional driving course with a certified driving instructor. Once your “bookwork” is finished, you go out on the road with a certified instructor until you are ready to obtain your drivers license.
- The PTDE (Parent Taught Drivers Ed) Method – In the state of Texas, a parent or guardian can sign up to be the driving instructor for their teen. Once the “bookwork” portion of their drivers ed requirements are finished, students can complete all of their driving requirements with their parent or guardian.
Is ITDE or PTDE Better In Texas?
Now that you understand the differences between ITDE and PTDE in Texas, let’s dive a bit deeper and explore the different processes for each method. Based on the information
I’m about to give, you can make an informed decision as to whether ITDE or PTDE is better for your personal situation. There really is no “better” way to go as it all comes down to personal preference.
With that said, most Texas parents and teens seem to be going with the PTDE or parent taught drivers ed program.
Differences Between ITDE and PTDE
When looking at this quick info below, remember that ITDE stands for Instructor Taught Drivers Ed and PTDE stands for Parent Taught Drivers Ed.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Driving Permit?
ITDE: At the end of a 36hr instructor taught course.
PTDE: After 6hrs of online training from a certified PTDE course provider.
Who Teaches Behind The Wheel?
ITDE: A certified driving instructor through a licensed driving school.
PTDE: A parent or guardian who has received permission from the state of Texas to be their child’s driving instructor (I’ll get into how to get permission a bit later).
Total Cost Breakdown
ITDE: Approximately $300 to $400.
PTDE: Approximately $100 to $200.
So, with these things all being considered, the main difference is that PTDE will provide a faster and more cost effective way for a driving student to obtain a drivers license.
It is also good for those who require a flexible schedule and can’t always travel to and from a driver training facility.
On the other hand, many parents prefer to send their students to an ITDE program at a traditional driving school in order to ensure their teen is receiving training from a licensed driving instructor.
So, if you do not feel safe teaching your teen how to drive, an ITDE course is probably the best option.
How To Sign Up For An ITDE Course In Texas
If you think an instructor taught drivers ed course is the best option, the process is relatively simple. All you need to do is find a local driving school and they will walk you through the entire process.
After signing up at a local driving school, you’ll most likely be given the option to take either an online training course or take your coursework in a classroom based setting.
While there is no right or wrong way to complete your training, if you are having trouble deciding whether to go with an online or classroom based training option, check out my article about 6 ways online drivers ed is better than a classroom.
In almost all cases, I recommend online training over traditional classrooms. However, some students do better in a classroom so this is an individual decision that needs to be made.
Keep in mind that classroom based training options tend to be a bit more expensive as well. If you do decide to sign up for an online driving school, I very highly recommend this one.
You’ll need to complete the entire 36hrs of training before you can apply for your permit while the PTDE option allows you to obtain your permit after 6hrs of the online training (the additional 30 hours can be completed after you obtain your permit).
Once your classroom or online training is completed the fun part can begin! You’ll be required to complete a minimum of 30hrs of behind the wheel driving with at least 10 of those being completed at night.
Remember, these are MINIMUM time requirements and there is no rush to go get that license. When you feel like you’re ready, you will need to schedule a driving test at your local licensing facility and get checked out. That’s it!
How To Sign Up For A PTDE Course In Texas
Signing up for a parent taught drivers ed course in Texas is relatively simple, but there is a small process to go through. To make things simple, I’ve put the process into steps below:
Step 1: First, you’ll need to sign up for a Texas approved online driver training course. They will verify your eligibility and allow you to get started while mom or dad completes the next step.
Step 2: Fill out and send in Texas Form DL-92 which is the request for a Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed certification. Any parent who enrolls their teen into a PTDE program must essentially become a certified driving instructor. Don’t worry, all that needs to be done in order to be certified is to fill out and send in this form. It may take a few weeks to get a response, so make sure you send in this request form ASAP.
Step 3: You can now complete the first level of the course which consists of about 6 hours. Once the first part of the course is completed, you can usually take your permit exam directly in the online course. After passing the permit exam, you’ll then need to fill out form DE-964 to obtain your driving permit.
Step 4: At this point, you can finally go to the DPS and get your permit! You’ll be given a checklist of things to bring with you to the DPS office and you will also need to complete a vision exam.
Step 5: As you drive on your permit, you will complete the remainder of your online course (at this point, you should have approximately 30hrs of online training left). You will likely finish the online training before your behind the wheel training is completed.
Step 6: With the parent taught drivers ed program, you will need to complete a total of 44hrs of behind the wheel training over a period of at least 6 months. Many PTDE programs, such as this one, will provide resources for both parents and teens during this training phase.
Step 7: You’re done! Go to the DPS to get your provisional license and start driving solo!
Aceable PTDE Drivers Ed Course
More than 1 million parents trust Aceable’s Parent Tools to track student progress and see student scores on exams and practice tests. They also have friendly, local customer service agents available 7 days a week.
This course is a TDLR Approved Course with License #116.
Enrolling in their course means saving up an average of $300-900 on instructor fees by learning from a parent or guardian. It also saves around $55 on your course when you become an Allstate Roadside Member.
Taking their state-approved driver’s ed course means that you can take the Department of Public Safety written exam online or in-app. When you pass, they will automatically begin to process your completion certificate! You won’t need to visit the DPS office to take the test and process your papers.
Meanwhile, you can check this guide on how to fill out Parent Taught Drivers Ed forms if you’re facing some difficulties figuring out what to do with the forms.
You can also get a copy of the Texas Driver Handbook to prepare for the driving test. It has all the information you need on what to expect and what you’ll be tested on.
If you can execute all of the maneuvers in the Driver Safety Checklist then you’re ready to take the skills exam.
Aceable’s Online Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed received a 4.8 out of 5 from Feefo, a reviews platform that gives consumers the chance to share honest feedback to businesses to create exceptional customer experiences.
To give you an idea, former Aceable students find their TDLR course a very interesting way to learn. They find its content easier to learn from the book.
Save 10% On The Aceable PTDE Drivers Ed Course Here!
Signing Up For The Best Online Training Course
Whether you decide to go with the ITDE or PTDE option, most of you will want to sign up for an online training course instead of doing the bookwork in a lecture / classroom type environment.
The only question is, which one is best? At this time, I believe the absolute best online drivers ed course is this one.
However, if you want to check out all of the best options available to you, check out all of my Texas online drivers ed reviews.
I hope this helps and good luck as you enter the wonderful world of driving! 🙂