Teens in Modesto 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 Modesto office at 124 Burney Street, Modesto, 0.4 to 6.9 miles in a straight line from Modesto's public high schools.
Where do Modesto 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 124 Burney Street, Modesto 95354 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.1 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 | 13 mi |
| Manteca DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 955 Davis Street, Manteca 95336 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 16 mi |
Public high schools in Modesto
Modesto has 10 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Modesto mailing address (7 traditional, 1 continuation, 1 charter, 1 alternative) in 2 districts, with 15,734 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 15,734 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Modesto City High (opens in a new tab) | 8 | 15,108 |
| Stanislaus County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 626 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph A. Gregori High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 2,392 | Modesto (6.9 mi) |
| James C. Enochs High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 2,332 | Modesto (4.7 mi) |
| Modesto High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 2,205 | Modesto (1.1 mi) |
| Thomas Downey High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 2,180 | Modesto (1.5 mi) |
| Grace M. Davis High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 1,966 | Modesto (3.2 mi) |
| Peter Johansen High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 1,938 | Modesto (3.9 mi) |
| Fred C. Beyer High (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Traditional | 1,650 | Modesto (3.8 mi) |
| Robert Elliott Alternative Education Center (opens in a new tab) | Modesto City High | Continuation | 445 | Modesto (1.9 mi) |
| Stanislaus Alternative Charter (opens in a new tab) | Stanislaus County Office of Education | Charter | 565 | Modesto (0.4 mi) |
| Stanislaus County West Campus (opens in a new tab) | Stanislaus County Office of Education | Alternative | 61 | Modesto (3.4 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
6 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Modesto city limits or with a Modesto 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A VIP Driving School LLC | E0327 | 3600 Sisk Rd Ste 5A, Modesto | (209) 660-5111 |
| Code 4 Driving School LLC | E4423 | 1317 Cape Cod Dr, Modesto | (209) 521-6800 |
| Fast Learning Driving School | E0616 | 901 Mchenry Avenue Suite Q, Modesto | (209) 600-1190 |
| Join 2 Drive | E0537 | 3600 Sisk Rd, Modesto | |
| Reed Driving School LLC | E4744 | 4017 Keepsake Drive, Modesto | (209) 602-9293 |
| Safe & Quick Driving School | E0928 | 3931 Coffee Rd Ste E4, Modesto |
Learning to drive in Modesto: a city of roundabouts and Yosemite Boulevard
Modesto is adding roundabouts all over town. The city's roundabout update (opens in a new tab) lists three under construction on 9th Street, at Carver Road, Tully Road and Needham Street. Claus Road and Merle Avenue was set to start in spring 2026. Paradise Road at Tuolumne Boulevard and College Avenue at Bowen Avenue are in design. College and Bowen is expected in 2027, and the rest by the end of 2026. Slow down on the curved approach, yield to circling traffic, and signal before you exit.
State Route 132 runs through Modesto as Yosemite Boulevard. Caltrans plans curb ramp, signal and bike lane work (opens in a new tab) on SR 132 at McClure Road, with completion listed for summer 2028. A larger SR 132 pavement project (opens in a new tab) adds crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes, with completion listed for winter 2032. Fog adds a seasonal test, and Caltrans advises drivers to roll down a window and listen (opens in a new tab) for traffic they cannot see. Keep fog trips short at first, and use low beams.
The path to a license in Modesto
- 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 Modesto 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: Stockton (27 mi) and Antioch (49 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 Modesto: Roundabouts, Proven Strategies for Safer Streets (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: State Route 132 Curb Ramps (Yosemite Boulevard, Modesto) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: State Route 132 Modesto Pavement Anchor Project (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 3: Safe Driving Tips for Foggy Conditions (2023) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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