Teens in Fontana 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 Fontana office at 8026 Hemlock Ave, Fontana, 2.3 to 4.1 miles in a straight line from Fontana's public high schools.
Where do Fontana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontana DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 8026 Hemlock Ave, Fontana 92336 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.0 mi |
| Rancho Cucamonga DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 8629 Hellman Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga 91730 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 8.6 mi |
| Riverside DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 6280 Brockton Avenue, Riverside 92506 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 9.6 mi |
Public high schools in Fontana
Fontana has 8 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Fontana mailing address (5 traditional, 2 charter, 1 continuation) in 3 districts, with 13,243 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 13,243 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fontana Unified (opens in a new tab) | 6 | 10,765 |
| Acton-Agua Dulce Unified (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 2,085 |
| San Bernardino County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 393 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summit High (opens in a new tab) | Fontana Unified | Traditional | 2,703 | Fontana (2.9 mi) |
| Fontana High (opens in a new tab) | Fontana Unified | Traditional | 2,452 | Fontana (2.3 mi) |
| Fontana A. B. Miller High (opens in a new tab) | Fontana Unified | Traditional | 1,887 | Fontana (2.3 mi) |
| Jurupa Hills High (opens in a new tab) | Fontana Unified | Traditional | 1,701 | Fontana (3.7 mi) |
| Henry J. Kaiser High (opens in a new tab) | Fontana Unified | Traditional | 1,553 | Fontana (4.0 mi) |
| Eric Birch High (Continuation) (opens in a new tab) | Fontana Unified | Continuation | 469 | Fontana (3.9 mi) |
| Options for Youth-Acton (opens in a new tab) | Acton-Agua Dulce Unified | Charter | 2,085 | Fontana (4.1 mi) |
| Entrepreneur High Fontana (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino County Office of Education | Charter | 393 | Fontana (2.4 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Fontana city limits or with a Fontana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaf Driving/Traffic School | E4415 | 9030 Sierra Ave Ste K And L, Fontana | (909) 355-3214 |
| E G Driving School | E3540 | 9389 Sierra Ave Suite A, Fontana | (323) 221-4772 |
Learning to drive in Fontana: new I-10 lanes and Sierra Avenue
Interstate 10 crosses Fontana, and new lanes are coming. In June 2025, the state transportation commission approved $88 million for a piece of the I-10 freight and managed lane project (opens in a new tab). It builds one lane each way from I-15 in Ontario to Sierra Avenue in Fontana. It also adds an eastbound auxiliary lane between Cherry Avenue and Citrus Avenue. Auxiliary lanes link one ramp to the next, so cars will be merging in and out. Signal early, match traffic speed, and check your blind spot before you move.
On city streets, Sierra Avenue stands out. In outreach for Fontana's roadway safety plan (opens in a new tab), residents picked Sierra Avenue most often as the most dangerous corridor for walkers and riders. They named Sierra Avenue at Valley Boulevard and Arrow Boulevard at Oleander Avenue as the worst plan intersections. High speeds and heavy traffic were top worries. The survey also asked about flashing yellow arrows and flashing crosswalk beacons. On Sierra, hold to the limit and stay ready to stop.
The path to a license in Fontana
- 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 Fontana 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: Rialto (4.5 mi) and Jurupa Valley (5.6 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: Nearly $5 Billion Invested (June 2025 CTC allocations: I-10 in Ontario and Fontana, SR-39 in Huntington Beach) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Fontana: Local Roadway Safety Plan Stakeholder Outreach Summary (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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