Teens in Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest office at 540A Perdew Avenue, Ridgecrest, 0.8 to 1.4 miles in a straight line from Ridgecrest's public high schools.
Where do Ridgecrest teens take the permit and drive tests?
The Ridgecrest office and the Lake Isabella office are open only part of the week, so check the days before you go. None of California's 162 permit-testing DMV offices lists weekend hours, so plan a school-day visit. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgecrest DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 540A Perdew Avenue, Ridgecrest 93555 | Mon, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 0.9 mi |
| Lake Isabella DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 5520 Lake Isabella Road G-1, Lake Isabella 93240 | Tue, Thu 8 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 45 mi |
| Barstow DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 528 E Virginia Way, Barstow 92311 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 63 mi |
Public high schools in Ridgecrest
Ridgecrest has 4 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Ridgecrest mailing address (1 alternative, 1 continuation, 1 charter, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,872 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 1,872 high-school students for each DMV office in the city. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman E. Burroughs High (opens in a new tab) | Sierra Sands Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 1,411 | Ridgecrest (1.4 mi) |
| Opportunities for Learning - Ridgecrest (opens in a new tab) | Sierra Sands Unified (opens in a new tab) | Charter | 241 | Ridgecrest (0.8 mi) |
| High Desert (opens in a new tab) | Sierra Sands Unified (opens in a new tab) | Alternative | 114 | Ridgecrest (0.8 mi) |
| Mesquite Continuation High (opens in a new tab) | Sierra Sands Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 106 | Ridgecrest (0.8 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 Ridgecrest. 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 Ridgecrest: State Route 178 repaving and city street upkeep
State Route 178 runs through Ridgecrest, and Caltrans plans a long repaving job on it. The Ridgecrest/Inyokern Pavement Project (opens in a new tab) covers about 24 lane miles of the highway. It starts just east of the State Route 14 junction and ends at the San Bernardino County border. It could also add Class II bike lanes, new guardrail and new lighting. Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2030. Until then, expect rough patches, so ease off the gas early and steer smoothly over them.
Ridgecrest's Street Maintenance Division (opens in a new tab) cares for 262 lane miles of city streets. Its work includes crack sealing, pothole patching, striping, sign repair and resurfacing. The division posts a five-year street plan that marks finished work in blue, plus a street sweeper schedule. Together they show where crews have worked and when sweepers will pass. Pass a work crew or sweeper slowly, and change lanes early when it is safe.
The path to a license in Ridgecrest
- 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 Ridgecrest 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: Lancaster (71 mi) and Palmdale (77 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 9: Ridgecrest-Inyokern Pavement Project (opens in a new tab)
- City of Ridgecrest: Street Maintenance Division (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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