San Benito County has 1 DMV field office and 6 active public high schools serving 3,717 students. Teens anywhere in the county can take California's 30-hour online driver education course, then the permit test at any DMV office.
DMV offices in San Benito County
San Benito County averages about 3,717 high-school students per DMV office. The Hollister office is open only part of the week. No DMV office in San Benito County lists weekend hours. Book on the DMV appointments page (opens in a new tab); what to bring is on our permit visit checklist.
| Office | Address | Hours | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 80 N Sally Street, Hollister 95023 | Tue, Thu 8 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 |
Cities in San Benito County: nearest DMV and high schools
Each incorporated city with its 2026 population, the number of public high schools inside it or with its mailing address, and the nearest DMV office to them. Families in unincorporated San Benito County use the office nearest home.
| City | Population (2026) | High schools | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister | 44,233 | 5 | Hollister (0.2 mi) |
| San Juan Bautista | 2,081 | 1 | Gilroy (8.4 mi) |
Licensed driving schools in San Benito County
The DMV license list (checked 2026-10-04) shows no driving school with an Active license at an address in San Benito County. 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).
Driving in San Benito County: a new SR 156 expressway and wildlife on US 101
State Route 156 links Hollister and San Juan Bautista and carries traffic between the Central Coast and the Central Valley. Caltrans built about 5 miles of new four-lane expressway (opens in a new tab) between The Alameda in San Juan Bautista and Business Route 156 near Hollister. The project also added a roundabout at Bixby Road, and Caltrans reports construction wrapped up in 2025. The old route is being prepared for handover to San Benito County. Practice turning onto the new road from a side street. Wait for a long gap, build speed in the right lane, and check your mirror and blind spot before moving left.
Near Aromas, US 101 cuts across a wildlife corridor between the Gabilán Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Caltrans says the four-lane divided highway blocks animal movement and raises the risk of animal-vehicle crashes (opens in a new tab). It plans an overcrossing for species such as mountain lions and mule deer, with construction scheduled from winter 2030 to winter 2033. A separate pavement and drainage project (opens in a new tab) on the county's 7.55 miles of US 101 is listed for summer 2030 to winter 2033-2034. Scan the shoulders at dawn and dusk. If an animal appears, brake firmly in a straight line instead of swerving.
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)
- Caltrans District 5: San Benito Route 156 Project (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 5: San Benito Wildlife Crossing (US 101) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 5: San Benito US 101 Pavement Rehabilitation Project (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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