Teens in Hollister 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 Hollister office at 80 N Sally Street, Hollister, 0.3 to 1.8 miles in a straight line from Hollister's public high schools.
Where do Hollister teens take the permit and drive tests?
The Hollister office is open only part of the week, so check the days before you go. None of California's 162 permit-testing DMV offices lists weekend hours, so plan a school-day visit. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 80 N Sally Street, Hollister 95023 | Tue, Thu 8 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 0.2 mi |
| Gilroy DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 6984 Automall Parkway Suite A, Gilroy 95020 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 13 mi |
| Salinas DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 260 E Laurel Drive, Salinas 93906 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 17 mi |
Public high schools in Hollister
Hollister has 5 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Hollister mailing address (2 traditional, 1 charter, 1 continuation, 1 alternative) in 2 districts, with 3,457 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 3,457 high-school students for each DMV office in the city. Most teens reach 15½, the earliest permit age, in 9th or 10th grade (Education Code 48000 (opens in a new tab) sets the school entry age). Finish the online course before then: the permit application needs the DL 400C.
| District | High schools | Students |
|---|---|---|
| San Benito High (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 3,405 |
| San Benito County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 3 | 52 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister High (opens in a new tab) | San Benito High | Traditional | 3,330 | Hollister (1.2 mi) |
| San Andreas Continuation High | San Benito High | Continuation | 75 | Hollister (0.3 mi) |
| Polytechnic Academy (opens in a new tab) | San Benito County Office of Education | Charter | 39 | Hollister (0.4 mi) |
| Pinnacles Community (opens in a new tab) | San Benito County Office of Education | Traditional | 7 | Hollister (0.3 mi) |
| San Benito County Juvenile Hall Court (opens in a new tab) | San Benito County Office of Education | Alternative | 6 | Hollister (1.8 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
The DMV license list (checked 2026-10-04) shows no driving school with an Active license at an address in Hollister. Schools in nearby cities often pick students up across the area; check each school's service area and license on the DMV lookup (opens in a new tab).
Learning to drive in Hollister: one-way traffic on Highway 156 and resurfaced city streets
Highway 156 passes through Hollister, and crews sometimes squeeze it down to one lane. On September 3, 2026, Caltrans set one-way reversing traffic control (opens in a new tab) on eastbound Highway 156 for tree work. It ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Fairview Road and Barnheisel Road. Drivers in each direction took turns using the open lane. Delays of 10 to 15 minutes were expected. At a flagger, stop where you are told, and go only when the sign turns to SLOW.
City streets get regular resurfacing too. In the city's 2024 roadway project (opens in a new tab), dozens of streets got crack seal and slurry seal, San Benito Street among them. Later that year, crews ground and repaved parts of 3rd, 4th and 5th streets, West Street and Monterey Street. Residents got about 72 hours' notice by door hangers and signs to move their cars. Obey temporary no-parking signs, and drive slowly across fresh seal so you do not spray loose material.
The path to a license in Hollister
- 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 Hollister 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: Gilroy (14 mi) and Salinas (17 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 5: Daytime One-Way Reversing Traffic Control Along Highway 156 in Hollister (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Hollister: 2024 City Wide Roadway Improvement Project (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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