Teens in Bakersfield take the same 30-hour online driver education course as everywhere in California, then the permit test at a DMV office. The nearest DMV field office is the Bakersfield office at 3120 F Street, Bakersfield, 1.3 to 8.8 miles in a straight line from Bakersfield's public high schools.
Where do Bakersfield teens take the permit and drive tests?
The DMV lists the Bakersfield Southwest office as closed every day of the week (checked 2026-10-05), so it is not in this table. The Shafter office is open only part of the week, so check the days before you go. None of California's 162 permit-testing DMV offices lists weekend hours, so plan a school-day visit. Book an appointment on the DMV appointments page (opens in a new tab), and arrive well before 4:30 p.m.: knowledge tests are not given after that. What to bring is on our permit visit checklist.
| Office | Address | Hours | Phone | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 3120 F Street, Bakersfield 93301 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.6 mi |
| Arvin DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 317 Campus Dr, Arvin 93203 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 15 mi |
| Shafter DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 548 Walker Street, Shafter 93263 | Tue, Thu 8 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 17 mi |
Public high schools in Bakersfield
Bakersfield has 20 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Bakersfield mailing address (16 traditional, 3 continuation, 1 charter) in 1 district, with 37,878 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 37,878 high-school students for each DMV office in the city. Under California's kindergarten age rule (age 5 by September 1, Education Code 48000 (opens in a new tab)), most students reach 15½, the earliest permit age, between the spring of 9th grade and the spring of 10th grade. The permit application needs the DL 400C, so finish the online course before then.
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
5 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Bakersfield city limits or with a Bakersfield mailing address (DMV list checked 2026-10-04). The list is alphabetical; we do not rank schools. Confirm a license on the DMV lookup (opens in a new tab) before you pay.
| Driving school | DMV license | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akal Driving School Inc | E0240 | 4300 Wible Road Suite D, Bakersfield | (661) 444-4532 |
| Kern Driving and Traffic School | E0263 | 2416 F St, Bakersfield | (661) 325-2650 |
| Punjab Driving School | E0454 | 1514 Watts Dr, Bakersfield | (661) 616-7779 |
| Safeway Car Driving School | E0522 | 7844 Cox Ave, Bakersfield | (661) 331-0786 |
| Sangha Driving School | E0523 | 4112 Diorite Ct, Bakersfield | (661) 345-0882 |
Driving in Bakersfield: trucks on SR 99 and the Grapevine
State Route 99 through Bakersfield carries heavy freight. Caltrans says pavement from White Lane to California Avenue has severely deteriorated (opens in a new tab) from storm damage and the heavy amount of truck traffic. Its plan adds an auxiliary lane from California Avenue to the eastbound State Route 58 connector to relieve congestion. Give big rigs extra room on SR 99. If you cannot see the truck driver in their mirror, assume they cannot see you.
In Kern County, Interstate 5 crosses Tejon Pass, which Caltrans describes as a steep mountain pass (opens in a new tab) where heavy rain and mud flows have damaged the highway. Its winter driving tips (opens in a new tab) point Grapevine travelers to an Operation Snowflake brochure. They also say to always carry chains and to put them on when signs require it. Chain-control speed limits are 25 or 30 mph. Practice fitting chains in your driveway before any winter trip over the Grapevine.
The path to a license in Bakersfield
- Finish the online driver education course (30 hours, $49.95 with Traffic Tutors) and wait for the mailed DL 400C.
- At 15½, apply for the permit at the Bakersfield DMV office or any other, with the DL 400C and a parent's signature.
- Book the first behind-the-wheel lesson; the instructor validates the permit.
- Practice 50 hours with a licensed driver 25 or older, 10 at night, while finishing the 6 training hours.
- After 6 months with the permit and at 16 or older, take the drive test. Dates: age date tool.
Nearest other city guides: Los Angeles (98 mi) and Fresno (106 mi). Every county is listed on drivers ed by county.
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)
- California Education Code section 48000: kindergarten admission age (opens in a new tab)
- California Department of Education School Directory: district offices (checked 2026-10-04) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: Bakersfield 99 Rehabilitation II (South) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: I-5 Grapevine Culvert Repair (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: Winter Driving Tips (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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