Teens in Fairfield 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 Fairfield office at 160 Serrano Drive, Fairfield, 0.6 to 6.5 miles in a straight line from Fairfield's public high schools.
Where do Fairfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 160 Serrano Drive, Fairfield 94533 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.5 mi |
| Vacaville DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 621 Orange Drive, Vacaville 95687 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 9.3 mi |
| Napa DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 2550 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Napa 94558 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 13 mi |
Public high schools in Fairfield
Fairfield has 8 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Fairfield mailing address (5 traditional, 2 continuation, 1 alternative) in 3 districts, with 7,468 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 7,468 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.
| District | High schools | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfield-Suisun Unified (opens in a new tab) | 4 | 5,778 |
| Travis Unified (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 1,619 |
| Solano County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 71 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angelo Rodriguez High (opens in a new tab) | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | Traditional | 2,109 | Fairfield (5.1 mi) |
| Armijo High (opens in a new tab) | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | Traditional | 1,747 | Fairfield (1.9 mi) |
| Fairfield High (opens in a new tab) | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | Traditional | 1,620 | Fairfield (3.0 mi) |
| Sem Yeto Continuation High (opens in a new tab) | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | Continuation | 302 | Fairfield (3.0 mi) |
| Vanden High (opens in a new tab) | Travis Unified | Traditional | 1,553 | Fairfield (6.5 mi) |
| Travis Education Center (opens in a new tab) | Travis Unified | Continuation | 66 | Fairfield (6.5 mi) |
| Solano County Community (opens in a new tab) | Solano County Office of Education | Traditional | 51 | Fairfield (4.1 mi) |
| Solano County Juvenile Detention Facility - Evergreen Academy (opens in a new tab) | Solano County Office of Education | Alternative | 20 | Fairfield (0.6 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Fairfield city limits or with a Fairfield 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 Z Driving/Traffic School | E3631 | 219 West Texas Street B, Fairfield | (707) 642-3832 |
| MV Driving School | E2004 | 728 Texas Street Suite 6, Fairfield | (408) 477-0086 |
Learning to drive in Fairfield: where I-80, I-680 and SR 12 meet
Three state routes meet in Fairfield, and their interchange is being rebuilt in stages. The Solano Transportation Authority (opens in a new tab) describes a multi-phase project near the Green Valley and Cordelia neighborhoods. Plans realign I-680, improve the link between I-80 and Highway 12, and add new ramps and overcrossings. One goal is less cut-through traffic on local streets. Before driving it, trace your route on a map with a parent. Then choose your lane early and skip last-second swerves.
One stage tackled a tricky weave. Package 2A (opens in a new tab) was designed to replace the single-lane connector from eastbound SR 12 to eastbound I-80 with two lanes. A new braided ramp would split I-80 traffic headed for Green Valley Road or southbound I-680. The authority expected that stage to finish by fall 2022, after Package 1 opened in 2017. In a weave, merging and exiting cars share one short stretch. Signal early, match speeds, and let merging drivers in.
The path to a license in Fairfield
- 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 Fairfield 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: Vacaville (7.0 mi) and Vallejo (15 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)
- Solano Transportation Authority: I-80/I-680/SR 12 Interchange (opens in a new tab)
- Solano Transportation Authority: I-80/I-680/SR 12 Interchange Package 2A (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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