Teens in Monrovia 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 Pasadena office at 49 S Rosemead Boulevard, Pasadena, 3.3 to 5.1 miles in a straight line from Monrovia's public high schools.
Where do Monrovia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 49 S Rosemead Boulevard, Pasadena 91107 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.2 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 | 5.1 mi |
| 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 | 7.0 mi |
Public high schools in Monrovia
Monrovia has 2 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Monrovia mailing address (1 continuation, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,387 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.
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monrovia High | Monrovia Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 1,355 | Pasadena (3.3 mi) |
| Canyon Oaks High | Monrovia Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 32 | Pasadena (5.1 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
The DMV license list (checked 2026-10-04) shows no driving school with an Active license at an address in Monrovia. 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).
Learning to drive in Monrovia: a canyon park road and Huntington Drive repairs
Monrovia Canyon Park is reached by an entrance road that climbs to an upper parking lot (Canyon Park (opens in a new tab)). Heavy equipment during the Bobcat Fire and later storms damaged that road, blocked culverts and left large potholes. The city repaired the road and raised parking in the park from 87 spaces to 111. Vehicle access closes at 6 p.m., though the park stays open until 9 p.m. Drive up slowly, give hikers room, and leave enough time to drive out before vehicle access ends.
Down in town, Monrovia repaired potholes on Huntington Drive from Magnolia Avenue to Shamrock Avenue (project and traffic updates (opens in a new tab)). That roadwork was completed in summer 2026, and the project also covers LED streetlights between Fifth Avenue and Mountain Avenue. Better lighting at some Foothill Transit stops is scheduled for October 2026. Crews are also inspecting sidewalks citywide from September through early December 2026. When a sidewalk closure pushes people toward the street, slow down and give them extra space.
The path to a license in Monrovia
- 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 Pasadena 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: Arcadia (2.4 mi) and Temple City (4.1 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 Monrovia: Canyon Park (opens in a new tab)
- City of Monrovia: Project and Traffic Updates (Work Around Town) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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