Teens in Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne office at 3700 W El Segundo Boulevard, Hawthorne, 0.7 to 2.4 miles in a straight line from Hawthorne's public high schools.
Where do Hawthorne teens take the permit and drive tests?
The DMV lists the Inglewood office as closed every day of the week (checked 2026-10-05), so it is not in this table. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 3700 W El Segundo Boulevard, Hawthorne 90250 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 1.0 mi |
| 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 | 6.3 mi |
| Culver City DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 11400 W Washington Blvd, Culver City 90066 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 7.2 mi |
Public high schools in Hawthorne
Hawthorne has 6 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Hawthorne mailing address (3 charter, 3 traditional) in 4 districts, with 2,974 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 2,974 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Centinela Valley Union High (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 2,128 |
| Hawthorne (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 573 |
| Los Angeles County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 263 |
| Wiseburn Unified (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 10 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne High (opens in a new tab) | Centinela Valley Union High | Traditional | 1,549 | Hawthorne (1.5 mi) |
| Family First Charter | Centinela Valley Union High | Charter | 579 | Hawthorne (1.1 mi) |
| Hawthorne Math and Science Academy (opens in a new tab) | Hawthorne | Charter | 573 | Hawthorne (1.0 mi) |
| Da Vinci RISE High (opens in a new tab) | Los Angeles County Office of Education | Charter | 141 | Hawthorne (0.7 mi) |
| Renaissance County Community (opens in a new tab) | Los Angeles County Office of Education | Traditional | 122 | Hawthorne (1.2 mi) |
| Success Learning Center (opens in a new tab) | Wiseburn Unified | Traditional | 10 | Hawthorne (2.4 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
One driving school holds an Active California DMV license at an address inside Hawthorne city limits or with a Hawthorne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne Driving School | E3607 | 11942 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne | (310) 973-2980 |
Learning to drive in Hawthorne: a citywide safety plan and busy freeway ramps
Hawthorne adopted a citywide Safety Action Plan (opens in a new tab) on April 22, 2025. A $200,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant paid for it. The plan follows the Safe System Approach, which starts from the idea that people make mistakes and are easily hurt. It calls for lower vehicle speeds and safer streets for walkers and bike riders. Residents could also comment on study sites through an online map in early 2025. Build in your own room for error: slow down near crosswalks and keep space ahead.
The city's capital projects list (opens in a new tab) targets turning traffic on El Segundo Boulevard between the I-405 ramps. Signals there are more than 20 years old and hard to coordinate, so new timing is planned. Another project would add a southbound right-turn lane on Hawthorne Boulevard at Imperial Highway. It would also give Imperial a second eastbound left-turn lane at Freeman Avenue toward the I-105 on-ramp. In a double left-turn lane, keep to your lane from the start of the turn to the end.
The path to a license in Hawthorne
- 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 Hawthorne 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: Inglewood (3.0 mi) and Gardena (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)
- City of Hawthorne: Safe Streets For All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan (opens in a new tab)
- City of Hawthorne: Capital Improvement Projects (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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