Teens in Carson 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 Torrance office at 1785 W 220th Street, Torrance, 2.1 to 4.0 miles in a straight line from Carson's public high schools.
Where do Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1785 W 220th Street, Torrance 90501 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.3 mi |
| Compton DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 2111 South Santa Fe Avenue, Compton 90221 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.5 mi |
| San Pedro DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1511 N Gaffey Street, San Pedro 90731 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 5.1 mi |
Public high schools in Carson
Carson has 5 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Carson mailing address (4 traditional, 1 continuation) in 2 districts, with 3,034 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. 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.
| District | High schools | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Unified (opens in a new tab) | 4 | 2,372 |
| Long Beach Unified (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 662 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson Senior High | Los Angeles Unified | Traditional | 1,412 | Torrance (2.2 mi) |
| Academies of Education and Empowerment at Carson High (opens in a new tab) | Los Angeles Unified | Traditional | 476 | Torrance (2.2 mi) |
| Academy of Medical Arts at Carson High (opens in a new tab) | Los Angeles Unified | Traditional | 466 | Torrance (2.2 mi) |
| Eagle Tree Continuation (opens in a new tab) | Los Angeles Unified | Continuation | 18 | Torrance (2.1 mi) |
| California Academy of Mathematics and Science | Long Beach Unified | Traditional | 662 | Compton (2.5 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
One driving school holds an Active California DMV license at an address inside Carson city limits or with a Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| E and M Economy Driving School | E2142 | 22120 S Main St, Carson | (310) 830-8520 |
Learning to drive in Carson: close I-405 ramps and a weaving study
Interstate 405 crosses Carson with interchanges at Wilmington Avenue, Carson Street and Avalon Boulevard. Caltrans and Metro are studying an I-405 improvement project (opens in a new tab) between Wilmington Avenue and Main Street. One option would add an auxiliary lane in each direction between ramps to ease weaving, merging and exiting. Weaving happens when drivers coming on and going off must cross paths in a short space. Pick your lane early, signal, and never cut across several lanes at once.
The same study looks at Complete Streets features so people walking and biking can get through the interchanges more easily. Caltrans planned to circulate the draft environmental document in summer 2026. Building comes after that review, so for now the ramps are unchanged and merging takes care. The California Driver's Handbook (opens in a new tab) says that on a highway you need a gap of about a full block, around 300 feet. Use the on-ramp to reach the speed of traffic, then move into a gap that size.
The path to a license in Carson
- 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 Torrance 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: Gardena (3.7 mi) and Torrance (4.0 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 7: I-405 from Wilmington Avenue to Main Street Improvements Project (EA 35940) (opens in a new tab)
- California Driver's Handbook: Navigating the Roads (merging and lane changes) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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