Parent Taught Drivers Ed Texas: The Complete PTDE Guide

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

Parent taught drivers ed Texas (PTDE) lets an eligible parent or other approved adult teach a teen the state driver education course, using curriculum bought from a TDLR-licensed provider. The course has 24 classroom hours and 44 in-car hours, and the parent must first apply to TDLR to become the instructor. When the teen finishes, the provider issues the DE-964 certificate, and the license steps at DPS are the same as for a driving school student.

Key Facts

Who runs it: TDLR oversees driver education, and Texas DPS issues the licenses. See who does what.
Who teaches: a parent, stepparent, grandparent, foster parent, legal guardian or approved designee who passes TDLR’s checks. See who can teach.
First step: a $20 online application to TDLR for each child. The Program Guide then arrives by email. See getting authorized.
Hours: 24 classroom hours plus 44 in-car hours, with at least 10 practice hours at night. See course hours.
Licenses: a learner license at 15, then a provisional license at 16 after six months. See the license path.
Certificate: the DE-964, issued by the course provider in two portions. See the certificate.

Parent Taught Drivers Ed Texas at a Glance

PTDE is one of four driver education options on the DPS Choosing a Driver Education Course page. The other three are a classroom course at a driving school, an online course from a driving school, and public school driver education. DPS says a teen can start the classroom phase at 14.

In PTDE, the parent instructor takes the place of a driving school instructor. The parent teaches from a course bought from a licensed provider. TDLR’s getting started page says that provider must hold the parent-taught endorsement.

The hour rules match every other teen course. 16 TAC 84.500 sets a minimum of 24 classroom hours. That rule took effect on December 1, 2024, so older pages may still show a higher number.

Who PTDE Is For

PTDE serves students under 18 who are working toward a first Texas license. DPS says adults 18 through 24 take a six-hour adult driver education course instead. Adults 25 and older do not have to take driver education.

Students also have a school rule to meet. TDLR’s Become an Instructor page says a student under 18 without a diploma or equivalent must have been in school for at least the past 80 days. A student in a high school equivalency program must have been enrolled for at least the past 45 days.

Who Does What in PTDE

Four groups share the work. Knowing who handles each part tells you where to go with a question.

Group	Its job in PTDE	Where to check
TDLR	Approves the parent instructor and licenses course providers	tdlr.texas.gov
Course provider	Sells the curriculum and issues the DE-964	TDLR provider search
Parent instructor	Teaches the lessons and goes to DPS with the student twice	The Program Guide
Texas DPS	Issues the learner and provisional licenses and gives the driving test	dps.texas.gov

TDLR is the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. DPS is the Texas Department of Public Safety, which issues driver licenses in Texas.

Who Can Teach PTDE

The instructor must have the right relationship to the student. TDLR’s eligibility page lists a parent or stepparent, grandparent or step-grandparent, foster parent, or legal guardian. A parent, legal guardian or judge can also name a designee, who must meet the same rules.

The instructor must also pass age, license and record checks. The headline rules are an age of at least 25 and a license held for at least seven years. A license with the B restriction rules a person out, and instructors may not charge a fee.

DPS checks the instructor’s record at both license visits. TDLR says a record that disqualifies the instructor can lead DPS to deny the license and throw out hours logged after that point. Our instructor requirements guide lists every check.

Getting Authorized by TDLR

No lessons start until TDLR confirms the instructor. The classroom page says parent-taught instruction begins after you get that confirmation and the course materials.

The application has a few firm rules:

Online only. TDLR does not accept paper applications.
$20 fee. The fee is non-refundable.
One per child. Each student needs a separate application.
Exact name. The student’s name must match the birth certificate.

After you apply, TDLR sends an email. The Program Guide arrives by email and stays in the Parent Instructor Portal for download. Our Program Guide article explains the application in detail.

Course Hours and Phases

PTDE has a classroom phase and an in-car phase. The classroom phase is at least 24 hours. Students also need the Texas Driver Handbook, which TDLR says is now online only.

The in-car phase is 44 hours under 16 TAC 84.50. It has 14 hours of instruction: 7 hours of in-car observation and 7 hours behind the wheel. It also has 30 hours of supervised practice, with at least 10 at night.

Some limits apply to the in-car phase:

License first. Behind-the-wheel instruction and practice start only after the learner license is issued.
Daily cap. Instruction is limited to six hours a day, with no more than two hours behind the wheel.
Minimum span. The in-car course cannot be finished in fewer than 15 calendar days.

The 30 practice hours go in a special log. See our PTDE driving log guide for how to keep it.

Concurrent or Block

Families choose one of two ways to order the classroom hours. The concurrent method lets a teen apply for the learner license after the first 6 hours.

The block method finishes all 24 hours first. Our concurrent vs block guide compares them.

The DE-964 Certificate

The DE-964 is the Texas Driver Education Certificate of Completion. Under 16 TAC 84.43, the provider issues a learner license portion after Module One and a driver license portion after the full course.

The parent does not print or sign this form. It comes from the provider. Read our DE-964 certificate guide for what each portion is used for.

Summary card of Texas PTDE numbers: 24 classroom hours, 14 hours of in-car instruction, 30 practice hours, instructor age 25 and a six-month learner license hold

From Learner License to Provisional License

The teen applies for a learner license at a DPS office at 15 or older. The DPS learner license page lists the documents.

For PTDE, TDLR adds that the parent instructor on record must come along. The fee for a teen is $16.

With a learner license, a licensed adult 21 or older must sit in the front passenger seat. All phone use is banned, even hands-free, except in an emergency. The teen must hold the learner license for at least six months.

The provisional license comes at 16 or 17. The TDLR provisional license page lists these needs:

The full DE-964 from the provider.
Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) completed within 90 days of the driving test.
A passed driving test, at DPS or with a third-party provider.
The parent instructor on record at the office.

For every step in order, see how Texas PTDE works online.

What PTDE Costs

The state fees are short to list. TDLR charges $20 for the instructor application.

The DPS fees page lists $16 for the learner license and $16 for an under-18 license. ITTD is free.

The course itself has no state price. Each provider sets its own. Our PTDE cost guide breaks down the official fees.

How Long PTDE Takes

Age sets the outer limits. Classroom can start at 14, the learner license comes at 15, and the provisional license comes at 16 at the earliest.

TDLR’s Become an Instructor page says to plan for at least 7 weeks of daily instruction. The six-month learner license hold comes on top of that. Our PTDE timeline guide shows how the pieces line up.

PTDE vs a Driving School

Both routes use the same hours and lead to the same DPS steps. DPS lists the DE-964 for certified driving schools and parent-taught courses. The big difference is who teaches the 14 hours of in-car instruction.

There is also a mixed option. TDLR says the classroom part can come from a driver education provider or a public school, with the parent teaching the in-car part.

Read teen driver education vs PTDE for how a school course works. To weigh the two for your family, see PTDE vs commercial drivers ed.

Choosing a Course

Start with TDLR’s parent-taught provider search. TDLR says it cannot recommend specific courses. It also says it will not text or email you to point you to a provider.

Every licensed course must meet the same state hour rules. Our guide on how to choose a PTDE course online gives a checklist.

What We Found on the TDLR Pages

On the TDLR parent-taught pages we checked on October 26, 2026, the getting-started page split the program into five stages. They were eligibility and authorization, a classroom course, the learner license, a behind-the-wheel course, and the provisional license.

The Become an Instructor page said instructors must go with the student to a DPS office on two occasions. One TDLR learner license page still showed an older, higher classroom hour count for the block method. The current rule in 16 TAC 84.500 and the DPS course page both say 24 hours.

Five PTDE stages named by TDLR, from instructor authorization to the provisional license

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each of these comes from a TDLR or DPS rule:

Teaching before approval. Lessons begin after TDLR confirms the instructor designation.
Buying the wrong course. The provider needs the parent-taught endorsement.
Driving too early. Behind-the-wheel hours count only after the learner license is issued.
Switching programs mid-phase. Under 16 TAC 84.50, moving between parent-taught, a driving school and a public school before a phase ends means repeating earlier hours.
Going to DPS alone. The parent instructor on record must attend both license visits.
Letting ITTD lapse. The certificate must be dated within 90 days of the driving test.

Texas PTDE Guides in This Series

Each guide below covers one part of PTDE in depth:

How PTDE works online: every step in order.
The Program Guide: the $20 TDLR application and what comes next.
Instructor requirements: who can teach.
Concurrent vs block: the two classroom methods.
Teen driver education vs PTDE: how driving school courses work.
PTDE vs commercial drivers ed: a family decision guide.
PTDE costs: the official fees.
The driving log: tracking the 30 practice hours.
The DE-964 certificate: both portions explained.
How long PTDE takes: the timeline by age.
Choosing a course: what to look for online.

How Requirements Can Vary

Texas driver education rules come from TDLR, and driver license rules come from Texas DPS. They apply statewide, but what you need depends on the student’s age, the course method, and whether the classroom part comes from a parent-taught course, a driving school, or a public school.

Fees, forms, and office procedures can change. Check the TDLR parent-taught pages and the DPS driver license pages before each step, and follow the instructions from your course provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is parent taught drivers ed in Texas?

It is a teen driver education course taught by an eligible parent or approved adult instead of a driving school. The parent uses curriculum from a TDLR-licensed provider with the parent-taught endorsement. The hours and DPS steps are the same as other teen courses.

How many hours is PTDE?

The course has at least 24 classroom hours and 44 in-car hours. The in-car hours are 14 hours of instruction and 30 hours of supervised practice, with at least 10 at night.

Can a grandparent teach PTDE?

Yes, if they meet TDLR’s rules. TDLR lists grandparents and step-grandparents as eligible, along with the age, license and record checks.

What does it cost to start PTDE?

TDLR charges $20 to apply for the instructor designation, and the fee is non-refundable. The course price is set by the provider, and DPS charges $16 for the learner license.

At what age can my teen start?

DPS says a teen can start the classroom phase at 14. The learner license comes at 15 at the earliest, and the provisional license at 16.

Does PTDE give the same certificate as a driving school?

Yes. DPS lists the DE-964 for both certified driving schools and parent-taught courses. The provider issues it, not the parent.

Does my teen still need Impact Texas Teen Drivers?

Yes. ITTD is a free, two-hour DPS video program on distracted driving. The teen finishes it within 90 days before the driving test and brings the printed certificate.

Conclusion

PTDE lets an eligible parent teach the full Texas teen course, as long as TDLR approves the instructor first. The teen still needs 24 classroom hours, 44 in-car hours, the DE-964 and the same DPS license steps.

Driving Logic’s Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed course is coming soon. Until then, find licensed parent-taught providers with TDLR’s provider search.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Texas and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Texas driver education and licensing rules are set by TDLR, Texas DPS, and Texas law, and can change. Check the official TDLR and DPS websites for current requirements.