Teens in Merced 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 Merced office at 1313 W 12th Street, Merced, 0.7 to 8.0 miles in a straight line from Merced's public high schools.
Where do Merced teens take the permit and drive tests?
The Los Banos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1313 W 12th Street, Merced 95340 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 0.9 mi |
| Turlock DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 825 E Monte Vista Avenue, Turlock 95382 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 25 mi |
| Los Banos DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 814 West L Street, Los Banos 93635 | Tue, Thu 8 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 27 mi |
Public high schools in Merced
Merced has 9 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Merced mailing address (4 traditional, 3 alternative, 1 charter, 1 continuation) in 2 districts, with 6,435 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 6,435 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Merced Union High (opens in a new tab) | 6 | 6,229 |
| Merced County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 3 | 206 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced High (opens in a new tab) | Merced Union High | Traditional | 1,975 | Merced (1.9 mi) |
| Golden Valley High (opens in a new tab) | Merced Union High | Traditional | 1,931 | Merced (2.8 mi) |
| El Capitan High (opens in a new tab) | Merced Union High | Traditional | 1,852 | Merced (4.9 mi) |
| Yosemite High (Continuation) (opens in a new tab) | Merced Union High | Continuation | 295 | Merced (1.3 mi) |
| Independence High (Alternative) (opens in a new tab) | Merced Union High | Alternative | 94 | Merced (1.3 mi) |
| Sequoia High (opens in a new tab) | Merced Union High | Alternative | 82 | Merced (1.4 mi) |
| Come Back Charter (opens in a new tab) | Merced County Office of Education | Charter | 105 | Merced (2.5 mi) |
| Valley Merced Community (opens in a new tab) | Merced County Office of Education | Traditional | 87 | Merced (0.7 mi) |
| Merced County Juvenile Court (opens in a new tab) | Merced County Office of Education | Alternative | 14 | Merced (8.0 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
One driving school holds an Active California DMV license at an address inside Merced city limits or with a Merced 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb Driving School LLC | E0704 | 1535 W 22nd St, Merced | (408) 230-7652 |
Learning to drive in Merced: a repaved SR 99 and a roundabout on SR 59
State Route 99 runs straight through Merced, and Caltrans set out to rebuild its worn concrete. Its Merced 99 rehabilitation page (opens in a new tab) covers the stretch from just south of Childs Avenue to south of the Franklin Road overcrossing. The old pavement was badly cracked and gave a rough ride. Construction was expected to wrap up in August 2023. On smooth new pavement, your speed can creep up without notice. Glance at your speedometer often and keep at least three seconds behind the car ahead.
On SR 59 at Gerard Avenue, only the side street has stop signs, and drivers there have failed to yield. Caltrans picked a single-lane roundabout (opens in a new tab) for this corner, with completion targeted for summer 2028. A separate SR 59 paving project (opens in a new tab) in town will update signals at 15th Street, 16th Street and Santa Fe Drive. In a single-lane roundabout, yield to cars already inside. Travel counterclockwise and signal right just before your exit.
The path to a license in Merced
- 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 Merced 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: Turlock (25 mi) and Madera (35 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 10: Merced 99 Pavement Rehabilitation (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 10: State Route 59 Intersection Control (Gerard Avenue) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 10: State Route 59 Capital Preventive Maintenance Project (Merced) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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