Teens in Riverbank 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 Modesto office at 124 Burney Street, Modesto, 7.4 to 7.6 miles in a straight line from Riverbank's public high schools.
Where do Riverbank 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 124 Burney Street, Modesto 95354 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 7.5 mi |
| Turlock DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 825 E Monte Vista Avenue, Turlock 95382 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 15 mi |
| Manteca DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 955 Davis Street, Manteca 95336 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 17 mi |
Public high schools in Riverbank
Riverbank has 2 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Riverbank mailing address (1 continuation, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 859 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbank High | Riverbank Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 826 | Modesto (7.4 mi) |
| Adelante High | Riverbank Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 33 | Modesto (7.6 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 Riverbank. 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 Riverbank: Claus Road at Highway 108 and year-round roadwork
Caltrans found repeated side-impact crashes where Claus Road meets State Route 108, caused by drivers not yielding. Its Claus Road project (opens in a new tab) would add traffic signals at this T-intersection. It would also widen the road for dedicated turn lanes. Retaining walls and new guardrail would go on the south side of the highway. Until signals go in, stop fully and look both ways more than once. Turn only when the gap is clearly long enough.
Riverbank says road construction happens year-round (opens in a new tab), and work zones are 25 miles per hour unless posted otherwise. Current city projects (opens in a new tab) include new sidewalks on Roselle Avenue over the MID canal and on Palmer Avenue. A micro-surfacing job on city streets is planned for fall 2026. The city also reminds drivers to use low beams in fog. Check that your taillights are on in fog, because daytime running lights may not light them.
The path to a license in Riverbank
- 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 Modesto 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: Modesto (5.7 mi) and Ceres (10 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 10: Claus Road Intersection Control Improvement Project (opens in a new tab)
- City of Riverbank: Road Closures (opens in a new tab)
- City of Riverbank: Projects Under Construction (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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