Driver education is the 30-hour course on rules and safety, taken before the permit. Driver training is at least 6 hours behind the wheel with a professional instructor, and supervised practice is 50 hours (10 at night) with a parent or other licensed adult. A California teen under 18 needs all three before the drive test.
What is the difference between the three?
Each requirement has its own provider and its own proof. The table puts them side by side, with the certificate names from the DMV's own order form for driving schools.
| Driver education | Driver training | Supervised practice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Traffic laws, road safety, driver responsibilities and avoiding accidents | At least 6 hours behind the wheel, practicing in real-world situations | At least 50 hours of driving, 10 of them at night |
| Who provides it | A high school or a state-licensed driving school, in a classroom or by home study or internet | A professional instructor at a licensed driving school or a high school | A parent, guardian or California-licensed driver who is 25 or older |
| When | Before the permit | After the permit; the first lesson validates it | After the permit is validated, during the 6-month hold |
| Proof | DL 400C (non-classroom, such as online) or DL 400B (classroom) | DL 400D, Certificate of Completion of Behind-The-Wheel Training | The parent's signature on the permit |
| Bring it to | The permit visit | The drive test | The drive test, on the permit |
In what order do they happen?
Driver education comes first, then the permit, then training and practice side by side. The Vehicle Code says a student "may not take driver training instruction, unless the student has successfully completed driver education." The exception is an approved integrated program that mixes the two.
- Finish driver education and get the certificate. For an online course that is the DL 400C, mailed by the provider.
- Apply for the permit at 15½ or older. Bring the certificate; a parent or guardian signs the application.
- Take the first training lesson. The DMV says the permit "will be valid after being signed by your professional driving instructor, once you have completed at least one hour of behind-the-wheel training."
- Practice and finish training. Log the 50 hours with a parent, and complete the 6 training hours to get the DL 400D.
- Take the drive test at 16 or older, after holding the permit at least 6 months, with the DL 400D and the signed permit.
What are the DL 400B, DL 400C and DL 400D?
They are the completion certificates the DMV supplies to licensed driving schools. The DMV's order form for schools lists each one by name.
- DL 400B: "Certificate of Completion of Driver Education" (classroom).
- DL 400C: "Certificate of Completion of Non-Classroom Driver Education" (online or home study).
- DL 400D: "Certificate of Completion of Behind-The-Wheel Training."
The education certificate goes to the permit visit; the DMV says "you must bring it when you apply for your permit." The training certificate goes to the drive test. With our course, the paper DL 400C is mailed to you by USPS, and delivery time varies. See the DL 400C certificate page for details.
Can driver education be done online?
Yes, driver education can be an internet course, but driver training cannot. The DMV says education must be "30 hours or 2 1/2 semester periods" of classroom instruction "or a home study or internet training program" that meets the same requirements. Training has to happen in a car with a professional instructor.
Our 30-hour online course is DMV-approved, course license E0159, and costs $49.95, paid once, from Stallion School of Driving (E0271). You can check any school's license on the DMV's Occupational License Lookup; our DMV approval page shows how.
What changes at 17½ and 18?
A teen over 17½ can get a permit without the education and training certificates. The catch is the drive test: the DMV will not give it to that teen before age 18. At 18, the handbook's extra steps for applicants under 18, including the course, training and 50 hours, no longer apply.
Quick answers
Sources
- California DMV: Driver training schools (opens in a new tab)
- California DMV: Driving school certificate order form (OL 400) listing DL 400B, DL 400C and DL 400D (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- California Driver's Handbook, Section 2: Getting an instruction permit and driver's license (opens in a new tab)
- California DMV: Learner's permits (opens in a new tab)
- California DMV: Supervised Driving Log (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- California Vehicle Code section 12814.6: Provisional licensing program (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 17, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
See something wrong or out of date? Report a mistake on this page. We read every report and fix confirmed mistakes.