Alpine County has no DMV office that takes permit applications; the nearest is the South Lake Tahoe office in El Dorado County, about 15 miles away. It has 1 active public high school serving 5 students. Teens anywhere in the county can take California's 30-hour online driver education course, then the permit test at any DMV office.
DMV offices in Alpine County
No DMV office in Alpine County takes permit applications, so families drive to one of the offices below. Book on the DMV appointments page (opens in a new tab); what to bring is on our permit visit checklist.
| Office | Address | Hours | Phone | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lake Tahoe DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 3344 B Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe 96150 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 15 mi |
| Truckee DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 11357 Donner Pass Road Suite I, Truckee 96162 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 44 mi |
| Placerville DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 2919 Cold Springs Road, Placerville 95667 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 55 mi |
Communities in Alpine County
Alpine County has no incorporated cities; every community is unincorporated. Its 1 active public high school and the DMV offices above are the places to plan around, and families use the office nearest home.
Licensed driving schools in Alpine County
The DMV license list (checked 2026-10-04) shows no driving school with an Active license at an address in Alpine County. Schools in nearby cities often pick students up across the area; check each school's service area and license on the DMV lookup (opens in a new tab).
Driving in Alpine County: mountain passes that close for winter
Alpine County is high mountain country, and some of its passes close for months each winter. Caltrans keeps a mountain pass closure table (opens in a new tab) that includes Ebbetts Pass on SR 4 and Monitor Pass on SR 89. For the 2024/2025 season, it lists Ebbetts closed from December 16 to May 8. Monitor was closed from February 18 to April 7. Dates shift every year, so a road that was open last month may be shut now. Before any trip, check Caltrans QuickMap or call 800-427-7623, and plan a backup route.
State Route 88 stays a key route, and Caltrans keeps a maintenance station at Caples Lake along it. The Caples Lake project (opens in a new tab) would rebuild the crew dormitory and sand shed there, with completion listed for fall 2028. When snow falls, chain controls (opens in a new tab) can start with little warning. Under level R-2, every vehicle needs chains or traction devices. The exception is four-wheel or all-wheel drive with snow tires on all four wheels. Learn which wheels drive your car, carry chains, and stay at least four car lengths behind snowplows.
Quick answers
Sources
- California DMV field office list (fetched 2026-10-05) (opens in a new tab)
- California Department of Education: public schools directory, 2025-26 (fetched 2026-10-05) (opens in a new tab)
- California Department of Finance: E-1 population estimates, January 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- California DMV: Teen drivers (opens in a new tab)
- California DMV Occupational License Lookup: driving schools (checked 2026-10-04) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: Winter Driving Tips (mountain pass closure dates, SR 4 and SR 89) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 10: Caples Lake Maintenance Station Rehabilitation (SR 88) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: Chain Controls / Chain Installation (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 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.