Teens in La Mirada 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 Fullerton office at 909 W Valencia Drive, Fullerton, 3.6 to 4.6 miles in a straight line from La Mirada's public high schools.
Where do La Mirada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullerton DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 909 W Valencia Drive, Fullerton 92832 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.1 mi |
| Whittier DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 9338 S Painter Avenue, Whittier 90605 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.4 mi |
| Bellflower DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 9520 Artesia Blvd, Bellflower 90706 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 8.0 mi |
Public high schools in La Mirada
La Mirada has 2 active public high schools inside city limits or with a La Mirada mailing address (1 continuation, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,923 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. 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.
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Mirada High (opens in a new tab) | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 1,689 | Whittier (3.9 mi) |
| El Camino High (Continuation) (opens in a new tab) | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 234 | Fullerton (3.6 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 La Mirada. 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 La Mirada: sheriff traffic units and curb-to-curb vans
La Mirada pays the county Sheriff's Department to police its streets, and that includes traffic enforcement (city sheriff page (opens in a new tab)). Sheriff's traffic units go after moving violations such as speeding, ignoring traffic signs and not wearing seat belts. The city says these units are key to cutting injury crashes. City Public Safety Officers also write reports for crashes where no one was hurt (Public Safety Team (opens in a new tab)). Buckle up before you shift into drive, and stop completely behind the limit line.
La Mirada Transit gives curb-to-curb shared rides to anyone whose trip starts in the city (La Mirada Transit (opens in a new tab)). Its vehicles also serve the Westridge mall at Beach Boulevard and Imperial Highway in La Habra. Riders can book a trip now, a day ahead or on a set schedule. So small transit vans often pull to the curb to drop off seniors, students and people with disabilities. Give a stopped van room, and watch for riders stepping out before you go around it.
The path to a license in La Mirada
- 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 Fullerton 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: Buena Park (3.3 mi) and La Habra (3.7 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 La Mirada: Sheriff (opens in a new tab)
- City of La Mirada: La Mirada Public Safety Team (opens in a new tab)
- City of La Mirada: Transit (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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