Modoc County has 1 DMV field office and 3 active public high schools serving 304 students. Teens anywhere in the county can take California's 30-hour online driver education course, then the permit test at any DMV office.
DMV offices in Modoc County
Modoc County averages about 304 high-school students per DMV office. The Alturas office is open only part of the week. No DMV office in Modoc County lists weekend hours. Book on the DMV appointments page (opens in a new tab); what to bring is on our permit visit checklist.
| Office | Address | Hours | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alturas DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 903 W C St, Alturas 96101 | Tue, Thu 8 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 |
Cities in Modoc County: nearest DMV and high schools
Each incorporated city with its 2026 population, the number of public high schools inside it or with its mailing address, and the nearest DMV office to them. Families in unincorporated Modoc County use the office nearest home.
| City | Population (2026) | High schools | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alturas | 2,769 | 2 | Alturas (0.5 mi) |
Licensed driving schools in Modoc County
The DMV license list (checked 2026-10-04) shows no driving school with an Active license at an address in Modoc County. 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).
Driving in Modoc County: U.S. 395 and winter black ice
U.S. 395 is the backbone of travel in Modoc County. Caltrans calls it the main route linking California and Oregon (opens in a new tab) for many communities in the state's northeast corner. In 2024, Caltrans scheduled repaving near Davis Creek after back-to-back winters of heavy rain and snow wore down the pavement. That job planned one-way traffic control with waits of up to 10 minutes. Plan each trip before you leave. Fill the tank, tell someone your route, and pack water, warm clothes and chains.
Winter brings snow, ice and freezing fog. The Modoc County Road Department (opens in a new tab) plows and sands county roads. Still, Caltrans warns that back roads used as detours may not be cleared in storms. When beacons flash on highway advisory signs, Caltrans asks Modoc drivers to tune to 97.9 FM for road updates (opens in a new tab). The weather service notes that freezing fog can coat roads with black ice (opens in a new tab) that is hard to spot. Slow down on bridges and shady spots, and brake gently.
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)
- Caltrans District 2: U.S. 395 Paving Project in Modoc County (US 395) (opens in a new tab)
- County of Modoc: Road Department (county roads and snow removal) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 2: Preparations for Wet Weather/Winter Driving (winter travel) (opens in a new tab)
- National Weather Service: Freezing fog (black ice) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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