Teens in Pacifica 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 Daly City office at 1500 Sullivan Avenue, Daly City, 3.6 to 6.5 miles in a straight line from Pacifica's public high schools.
Where do Pacifica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daly City DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1500 Sullivan Avenue, Daly City 94015 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 5.0 mi |
| San Mateo DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 425 N Amphlett Boulevard, San Mateo 94401 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 9.0 mi |
| San Francisco DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1377 Fell Street, San Francisco 94117 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 11 mi |
Public high schools in Pacifica
Pacifica has 2 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Pacifica mailing address (1 alternative, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,163 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terra Nova High (opens in a new tab) | Jefferson Union High (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 713 | Daly City (6.5 mi) |
| Oceana High (opens in a new tab) | Jefferson Union High (opens in a new tab) | Alternative | 450 | Daly City (3.6 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 Pacifica. 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 Pacifica: the Tom Lantos Tunnels on Highway 1
Just south of Pacifica, Highway 1 runs through the Tom Lantos Tunnels, also known as the Devil's Slide tunnels. Caltrans checks them every year, and the 2026 safety inspections (opens in a new tab) closed lanes at night from July 6 to 9. During that work, both directions shared one tunnel under one-way traffic control. Drivers were told to expect short delays. Inside a tunnel, keep your headlights on, hold a steady speed, and stay in your lane.
Sometimes both tunnels close at once, and then the way around is long. During a full overnight closure (opens in a new tab) on August 15 and 16, 2026, southbound drivers went up Sharp Park Road to Skyline Boulevard. From there they took I-280 south, then State Route 92 west to Half Moon Bay. Northbound drivers made the same loop in reverse. Before a late trip down the coast, check Caltrans QuickMap, and add extra time if the tunnels are shut.
The path to a license in Pacifica
- 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 Daly City 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: South San Francisco (3.7 mi) and San Bruno (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)
- Caltrans District 4: State Route 1 Tom Lantos (Devil's Slide) Tunnels Annual Safety Inspections (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 4: State Route 1 Tom Lantos (Devil's Slide) Tunnels Full Overnight Closure (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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