Teens in La Puente 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 West Covina office at 800 So Glendora Avenue, West Covina, 2.4 to 4.3 miles in a straight line from La Puente's public high schools.
Where do La Puente 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Covina DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 800 So Glendora Avenue, West Covina 91790 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.2 mi |
| El Monte DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 4000 Arden Drive, El Monte 91731 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 7.0 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 | 8.1 mi |
Public high schools in La Puente
La Puente has 5 active public high schools inside city limits or with a La Puente mailing address (3 traditional, 2 continuation) in 3 districts, with 3,048 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.
| District | High schools | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Rowland Unified (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 1,547 |
| Hacienda la Puente Unified (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 753 |
| Bassett Unified (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 748 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nogales High | Rowland Unified | Traditional | 1,468 | West Covina (4.3 mi) |
| Santana High (Continuation) | Rowland Unified | Continuation | 79 | West Covina (3.8 mi) |
| La Puente High (opens in a new tab) | Hacienda la Puente Unified | Traditional | 753 | West Covina (2.8 mi) |
| Bassett Senior High (opens in a new tab) | Bassett Unified | Traditional | 703 | West Covina (2.7 mi) |
| Nueva Vista Continuation High (opens in a new tab) | Bassett Unified | Continuation | 45 | West Covina (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 La Puente city limits or with a La Puente 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Center Drivingschool | E4299 | 13947 E Amar Rd Unit C, La Puente | (626) 201-9215 |
Learning to drive in La Puente: school-route crashes and the Puente Creek bike path
La Puente's Safe Routes to School Plan (opens in a new tab) reviewed six years of crash data, from 2014 to 2019. It found 51 crashes involving people on foot, including one death on Orange Avenue. Most injury crashes with walkers happened on Amar Road, Glendora Avenue and Hacienda Boulevard. More than a third took place between 6 and 10 p.m. Families in the plan's survey named unsafe intersections and speeding as top worries. After dark on these roads, slow down and scan both curbs for people stepping out.
The same study counted 43 crashes that hurt bike riders, many of them on Temple, Sunset, Amar and Hacienda. In 2023, the state funded a bike path (opens in a new tab) about two miles long beside Puente Creek. It also set aside money for safety lessons at nearby schools. The county's bikeway project list (opens in a new tab) runs the path from Hacienda Boulevard to Rimgrove Drive. It expects construction to wrap up in summer 2030. Where a path or bike route meets the street, look for riders before you turn.
The path to a license in La Puente
- 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 West Covina 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: West Covina (2.6 mi) and Baldwin Park (4.0 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 Puente: Safe Routes to School Plan (January 2023, PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 7: State Transportation Funding Allocations (March 2023, Puente Creek bike path) (opens in a new tab)
- LA County Public Works: Bikeway Projects (Puente Creek Bikeway) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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