Teens in Lancaster 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 Lancaster office at 721 W Ave L6, Lancaster, 1.3 to 5.2 miles in a straight line from Lancaster's public high schools.
Where do Lancaster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 721 W Ave L6, Lancaster 93535 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.2 mi |
| Newhall DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 24427 Newhall Avenue, Newhall 91321 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 30 mi |
| Glendale DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1335 W Glenoaks Boulevard, Glendale 91201 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 37 mi |
Public high schools in Lancaster
Lancaster has 10 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Lancaster mailing address (4 traditional, 3 charter, 2 alternative, 1 continuation) in 2 districts, with 14,655 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 14,655 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Antelope Valley Union High (opens in a new tab) | 8 | 11,718 |
| Acton-Agua Dulce Unified (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 2,937 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz Hill High (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Traditional | 3,032 | Lancaster (5.2 mi) |
| Lancaster High (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Traditional | 2,871 | Lancaster (3.6 mi) |
| Eastside High (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Traditional | 2,616 | Lancaster (4.7 mi) |
| Antelope Valley High (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Traditional | 1,378 | Lancaster (3.2 mi) |
| SOAR High (Students On Academic Rise) (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Alternative | 720 | Lancaster (2.9 mi) |
| Desert Sands Charter (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Charter | 604 | Lancaster (2.3 mi) |
| Desert Winds Continuation High (opens in a new tab) | Antelope Valley Union High | Continuation | 468 | Lancaster (3.5 mi) |
| Phoenix High Community Day | Antelope Valley Union High | Alternative | 29 | Lancaster (4.0 mi) |
| Assurance Learning Academy (opens in a new tab) | Acton-Agua Dulce Unified | Charter | 2,843 | Lancaster (1.3 mi) |
| Empower Generations (opens in a new tab) | Acton-Agua Dulce Unified | Charter | 94 | Lancaster (2.2 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Lancaster city limits or with a Lancaster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angels Driving School DBA Anytime Driving School | E4011 | 42630 10th St W Unit 3A, Lancaster | (661) 723-1242 |
| High Desert Driving School | E2087 | 829 W Ave J, Lancaster | (661) 940-8835 |
Learning to drive in Lancaster: new SR 14 ramps and proven roundabouts
State Route 14 is Lancaster's freeway, and the city is upgrading its interchanges. The city is working on five interchanges (opens in a new tab), at Avenues G, J, K, L and M. The goals are better access, repaired ramps and clearer signs. At Avenue J, the work added two new ramps and widened others, and the city announced it complete in February 2026 (opens in a new tab). New ramps can change an exit you thought you knew. Read the overhead signs early, pick your lane well before the exit, and signal before each move.
Lancaster has also redesigned dangerous intersections. Its Local Road Safety Plan page (opens in a new tab) credits road diets, all-way stops and roundabouts with large crash drops. At its first roundabout, Avenue L and Challenger Way, fatal crashes fell to zero and injuries dropped by 90%. By Amargosa Creek Middle School, a bike lane on Avenue J (opens in a new tab) becomes a queuing lane at drop-off times. Coming into a roundabout, ease off the gas, give way to cars already circling, and keep moving once inside.
The path to a license in Lancaster
- 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 Lancaster 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: Palmdale (8.2 mi) and Santa Clarita (29 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 Lancaster: SR 138 / SR 14 Corridor Improvements (opens in a new tab)
- City of Lancaster: Completion of Avenue J Interchange Improvements (SR-14) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Lancaster: Local Road Safety Plan and Vision Zero (opens in a new tab)
- City of Lancaster: Dynamic Lane Configuration Project (Avenue J) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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