Roadrunner Driving School

  • If I want to learn to drive and be eligible to get a driver license before I turn 18, what do I have to do?

License Procedure Information

1. Complete Driver Education class and receive a Driver Education Completion Certificate. You can take Driver Education Class at Roadrunner Driving School, or online at mycaliforniapermit.com. Preregistration required for both.

  • There is a fee for replacement of DMV certificates we issue to you. Do not lose them.

2. Go to the DMV for the written test to get your permit. After you have your permit, call Roadrunner Driving School to schedule your first driving lesson.

  • Driver Training appointments will only be scheduled after you have a permit. If you must schedule a driving lesson before you have a permit, advanced payment is required. This payment is not refundable. If you do not get your permit in time for the lesson, there will a $60 cancellation fee. The rest of the payment will be applied toward the first lesson when you do get your permit.

3. If you are at least 15 1/2 years old, you may go to the DMV and take the written test. The test is 46 multiple choice questions, and you can miss 8 and still pass. An appointment is not required to take the written test, but if you prefer to have one, call the DMV at 800.777.0133, or schedule online at dmv.ca.gov. The DMV is closed the first 3 Fridays of the month and on weekends.

  • When you go to the DMV for the written test, you must take the following:
  • $31.00 application fee.
  • California Drivers’ License Application Form(DL44). You can get this form at Roadrunner Driving School, or at any DMV office. You will need signatures from both parents, if applicable.
  • Birth Certificate or Certified Copy. The DMV can not accept photocopies, or hospital issued birth announcements. If you were born in Sonoma County and cannot find your birth certificate, call the County Recorder at 707.565.2645. If you were born in another country, you will need to provide appropriate documentation to show you are a legal resident of the U.S.
  • Social Security Number. The card is not required, just the number written on the DL44.
  • Driver Education Completion Certificate (blue)
4. After you have your permit, you may schedule your first Driver Training lesson. State laws require that you take 6 hours (offered in three 2 hour sessions) of Driver Training with a licensed instructor. You must practice driving between lessons with a California licensed driver over the age of 25 years. This person must be seated next to you, awake and not under the influence of drugs and or alcohol. By law, practice must include no less than 50 hours of drive time, including 10 hours at night. Keep a written log of your driving hours. Note the date, amount of time and type of driving done, such as, downtown, rural, freeway, rain, fog, nighttime. Do not just drive to school and back and in familiar areas over and over again. New drivers need constant exposure to new situations to help them develop their timing and judgment and ability to anticipate other roadway users. Driving takes practice, just like math,sports, music, art or any other skill. The 50 hours are critical for new drivers to develop their ability to drive safely. After your third driving lesson, you will receive a gold, Driver Training Completion Certificate. * There is a fee for replacement of DMV certificates we issue to you. Do not lose them.

5. Once you have completed your 3 lessons and your 50 hours of practice, and have had your permit for at least 6 months, and you are at least 16 years old, you are eligible to take the DMV driving test. You may schedule the test up to 30 days prior to the date you want to test. The DMV is usually booked three to four weeks in advance, so call ahead of time! – When you go to the DMV for the drive test, remember to take: – Your Permit, signed by your parent/guardian. – Driver Training Completion Certificate (gold). – Proof of Insurance for the car being used for the driving test. – Current Registration for the car being used for the test.

Good luck!

  • I’m 17 1/2 years old. Do I have to take Driver Education and Driver Training?
No, but it wouldn’t hurt. You can go to the DMV without the Driver Ed Completion Certificate and take the written test. If you pass, you will receive a permit and can practice driving with a California licensed driver over the age of 25. You don’t have to take Driver Training either, but it wouldn’t hurt. AAANNNDDD…you still must have your permit for 6 months, so you’ll be 18 before you’ll be eligible to take the DMV drive test.
  • What if I’ve lost my permit, or it was destroyed in the wash?
Go to the DMV with a parent. A new permit will be printed out for you. The next time you have a lesson, your instructor will sign it for you again.
  • My first driving lesson is today after school and it just started raining. Will I still have a lesson?
Of course! Lucky you. Learning to drive in the rain may seem scary, but what a great opportunity to develop your skills and confidence. Your instructor is there to teach, guide and reassure you. Remember, instructors have a brake on their side to assist the learning driver. Safety of the student and other roadway users is a tremendous responsibility and an inherent part of the instructor’s job. Conscientious and professional driving instructors are keenly aware that their careers, their reputation, and the reputation of the school they represent depends on their ability to avoid crashes and traumatic situations that could be a huge setback for a learning driver. In light or heavy traffic, rain or shine, night or day, anything can happen. Anything that occurs during a driving lesson can become part of the learning experience.
  • I’m going to be teaching my son/daughter to drive. I don’t have a brake on my side. Where do I start?

Coming soon suggestions and answers to questions commonly asked by freaked out parents.

Last updated May 27, 2010.

©2006 Roadrunner Driving School.