Teens in Newark 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 Fremont office at 4287 Central Avenue, Fremont, 1.6 to 2.3 miles in a straight line from Newark's public high schools.
Where do Newark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 4287 Central Avenue, Fremont 94536 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 1.3 mi |
| Hayward DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 150 Jackson Street, Hayward 94544 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 8.9 mi |
| Redwood City DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 300 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City 94063 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 12 mi |
Public high schools in Newark
Newark has 3 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Newark mailing address (1 continuation, 1 alternative, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,376 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark Memorial High (opens in a new tab) | Newark Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 1,306 | Fremont (2.3 mi) |
| Bridgepoint High (opens in a new tab) | Newark Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 52 | Fremont (1.7 mi) |
| Crossroads High (Alternative) (opens in a new tab) | Newark Unified (opens in a new tab) | Alternative | 18 | Fremont (1.6 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Newark city limits or with a Newark 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 Plus Driving School/City Driving School | E3000 | 6170 Thornton Ave D 4, Newark | (510) 793-6999 |
| Apna Driving School Inc | E2223 | 6170 Thornton Ave Suite D7, Newark | (510) 458-8313 |
Learning to drive in Newark: freight rail crossings and a repaved I-880
Newark streets cross Union Pacific freight tracks at street level in many places. The city's capital projects page (opens in a new tab) lists crossings at Jarvis Avenue, Thornton Avenue, Cedar Boulevard, Cherry Street and Central Avenue, among others. Newark wants quiet zones there, where safety upgrades would let trains stop sounding horns. Final design was still underway, and no build date was set. Even a quiet crossing needs your full attention. Look and listen both ways, and never stop on the tracks in a line of cars.
Newark's freeway is I-880, and Caltrans scheduled about two years of resurfacing on it. The preventive maintenance job (opens in a new tab) covered 11.8 miles of freeway each way, between the Santa Clara County line and Fremont Boulevard. Crews worked mostly at night, closing one or more lanes until 5 a.m. The project also called for flashing beacons at uncontrolled crossings and new guardrail. Its schedule listed fall 2025 as the finish. Learn freeway merges in daylight first, and treat night cones as a cue to slow down and pick a lane early.
The path to a license in Newark
- 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 Fremont 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: Fremont (2.7 mi) and Union City (3.5 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 Newark: Capital Projects (Quiet Zones, Old Town Streetscape) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 4: Alameda County I-880 Capital Preventive Maintenance (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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