Teens in Brea 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 Fullerton office at 909 W Valencia Drive, Fullerton, 5.7 to 5.8 miles in a straight line from Brea's public high schools.
Where do Brea teens take the permit and drive tests?
These offices are closed on weekends and open at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullerton DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 909 W Valencia Drive, Fullerton 92832 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 5.8 mi |
| West Covina DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 800 So Glendora Avenue, West Covina 91790 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 9.5 mi |
| Whittier DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 9338 S Painter Avenue, Whittier 90605 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 9.7 mi |
Public high schools in Brea
Brea has 2 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Brea mailing address (1 continuation, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,695 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. Most teens reach 15½, the earliest permit age, in 9th or 10th grade (Education Code 48000 (opens in a new tab) sets the school entry age). Finish the online course before then: the permit application needs the DL 400C.
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brea Olinda High (opens in a new tab) | Brea-Olinda Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 1,664 | Fullerton (5.8 mi) |
| Brea Canyon High (Continuation) (opens in a new tab) | Brea-Olinda Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 31 | Fullerton (5.7 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Brea city limits or with a Brea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Teen Driving Academy | E3064 | 2771 E Saturn St Unit E, Brea | (714) 744-1464 |
| Teen Auto Club Inc | E0214 | 2781 Saturn St Ste A, Brea | (909) 588-7020 |
Learning to drive in Brea: the SR-57 Lambert Road interchange and a trail detour
Caltrans and the City of Brea teamed up to rebuild the SR-57 interchange at Lambert Road (Caltrans project page (opens in a new tab)). Caltrans described heavy congestion there in the morning and evening peaks. Trucks made up 12% of traffic at the peak hour and 17% at midday. The plan added a loop on-ramp and lowered Lambert Road for a standard 15-foot clearance under the freeway. Construction was scheduled from July 2019 to fall 2023. On ramps shared with trucks, leave a long gap and never cut in front of one.
Brea's police Traffic Division includes two motorcycle officers (Traffic Division (opens in a new tab)). It runs short selective enforcement details, DUI checkpoints and distracted-driving operations, and it publishes areas of special concern. A trail extension also closed part of the Tracks at Brea bike trail (project status (opens in a new tab)). Its detour uses Kraemer Boulevard, Imperial Highway and Valencia Avenue. The detour was planned to run from August 18, 2025, until early fall 2026. Where trail users cross busy streets, slow down and yield at the crosswalk.
The path to a license in Brea
- 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 Fullerton 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: La Habra (3.7 mi) and Placentia (3.8 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 District 12: SR-57 Lambert Road Interchange Improvements (opens in a new tab)
- Brea Police Department: Traffic (opens in a new tab)
- City of Brea: Construction Project Status (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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