Teens in Redondo Beach 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 Torrance office at 1785 W 220th Street, Torrance, 4.2 to 4.4 miles in a straight line from Redondo Beach's public high schools.
Where do Redondo Beach 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1785 W 220th Street, Torrance 90501 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.3 mi |
| Hawthorne DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 3700 W El Segundo Boulevard, Hawthorne 90250 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 5.4 mi |
| San Pedro DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1511 N Gaffey Street, San Pedro 90731 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 8.0 mi |
Public high schools in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach has 3 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Redondo Beach mailing address (1 continuation, 1 alternative, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 2,937 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. 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.
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redondo Union High (opens in a new tab) | Redondo Beach Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 2,895 | Torrance (4.4 mi) |
| Patricia Dreizler Continuation High | Redondo Beach Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 39 | Torrance (4.2 mi) |
| Redondo Beach Learning Academy (opens in a new tab) | Redondo Beach Unified (opens in a new tab) | Alternative | 3 | Torrance (4.2 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 Redondo Beach. 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 Redondo Beach: golf carts on side streets and PCH night work
In Redondo Beach you may share side streets with golf carts, e-bikes and scooters. The city's Local Travel Network (opens in a new tab), adopted in 2025, marks lower-speed streets for these small vehicles with sharrows and wayfinding signs. Those routes cross major streets at traffic signals or stop signs. The city notes that in the South Bay, 70% of trips cover 3 miles or less. Pass a slow cart only when you can give it plenty of room.
Caltrans is also repaving Pacific Coast Highway (opens in a new tab) through Redondo Beach and other South Bay cities on the way to Santa Monica. The $52 million job runs from summer 2024 through summer 2029. It adds bike lanes, sidewalks and bus pads, plus new signal poles and crosswalk upgrades. Most of the work happens at night, with signs posted. After dark on PCH, slow down at the cones, follow the shifted lanes and watch for crews.
The path to a license in Redondo Beach
- 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 Torrance 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: Torrance (2.6 mi) and Gardena (4.4 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 Redondo Beach: Biking & Micromobility (South Bay Local Travel Network) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 7: Pacific Coast Highway South Bay to Santa Monica Pavement Rehabilitation (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
See something wrong or out of date? Report a mistake on this page. We read every report and fix confirmed mistakes.