Teens in Hanford 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 Hanford office at 701 W Hanford Armona Road (corner of W Armona), Hanford, 0.9 to 3.0 miles in a straight line from Hanford's public high schools.
Where do Hanford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 701 W Hanford Armona Road (corner of W Armona), Hanford 93230 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 1.7 mi |
| Tulare DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 274 E Cross Avenue, Tulare 93274 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 19 mi |
| Reedley DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1890 E Dinuba Avenue, Reedley 93654 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 21 mi |
Public high schools in Hanford
Hanford has 8 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Hanford mailing address (3 traditional, 2 alternative, 2 charter, 1 continuation) in 3 districts, with 5,146 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 5,146 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hanford Joint Union High (opens in a new tab) | 6 | 4,252 |
| Kit Carson Union Elementary (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 874 |
| Kings County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 20 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford High | Hanford Joint Union High | Traditional | 1,522 | Hanford (2.1 mi) |
| Hanford West High | Hanford Joint Union High | Traditional | 1,271 | Hanford (1.5 mi) |
| Sierra Pacific High (opens in a new tab) | Hanford Joint Union High | Traditional | 1,196 | Hanford (3.0 mi) |
| Hanford Online Charter (opens in a new tab) | Hanford Joint Union High | Charter | 172 | Hanford (1.2 mi) |
| Earl F. Johnson High (Continuation) | Hanford Joint Union High | Continuation | 56 | Hanford (1.7 mi) |
| Hanford Community Day | Hanford Joint Union High | Alternative | 35 | Hanford (2.2 mi) |
| Kings Valley Academy II (opens in a new tab) | Kit Carson Union Elementary | Charter | 874 | Hanford (0.9 mi) |
| J. C. Montgomery (opens in a new tab) | Kings County Office of Education | Alternative | 20 | Hanford (1.7 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Hanford city limits or with a Hanford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe Driving/Trafficschool | E3490 | 520 W Lacey Blvd Ste 4, Hanford | (559) 582-7792 |
| Uncle Jazz Driving School | E0506 | 101 North Irwin St Suite 201 C, Hanford | (559) 670-3145 |
Learning to drive in Hanford: downtown Douty Street and a calmer East Lacey Boulevard
Downtown Hanford's corner of 7th and Douty Streets almost changed in 2024. The City Council first chose a one-lane roundabout there, then switched to an all-way stop, the Downtown Improvements Project page (opens in a new tab) explains. Both construction bids came in far above the budget, so staff recommended rejecting them in December. The leftover federal relief money was moved to other uses. Downtown streets mix parked cars, walkers and drivers hunting for spaces. Drive slowly, watch for opening car doors, and stop for people at every crosswalk.
East Lacey Boulevard is next in line. The city's East Lacey Corridor plan (opens in a new tab) shifted to a Complete Streets design with one travel lane each way and narrower lanes. It adds raised landscaped medians, protected bike lanes and transit stops. Federal earmark money of $7.3 million was awarded in 2024, and design work goes on. Narrow lanes leave little room for error. Keep your car centered, scan for bikes and buses, and give a stopping bus extra space.
The path to a license in Hanford
- 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 Hanford 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: Visalia (19 mi) and Tulare (20 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)
- City of Hanford: Downtown Improvements Project (opens in a new tab)
- City of Hanford: East Lacey Corridor Improvement Project (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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