Teens in San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino office at 1310 N Waterman Avenue, San Bernardino, 0.6 to 4.9 miles in a straight line from San Bernardino's public high schools.
Where do San Bernardino 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1310 N Waterman Avenue, San Bernardino 92404 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 0.4 mi |
| Redlands DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1659 W Lugonia Avenue, Redlands 92374 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 5.3 mi |
| Fontana DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 8026 Hemlock Ave, Fontana 92336 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 11 mi |
Public high schools in San Bernardino
San Bernardino has 13 active public high schools inside city limits or with a San Bernardino mailing address (8 traditional, 2 continuation, 2 alternative, 1 charter) in 3 districts, with 16,473 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 16,473 high-school students for each DMV office in the city. 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.
| District | High schools | Students |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino City Unified (opens in a new tab) | 11 | 13,758 |
| Rialto Unified (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 2,596 |
| San Bernardino County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 1 | 119 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cajon High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 2,791 | San Bernardino (4.0 mi) |
| Arroyo Valley High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 2,589 | San Bernardino (2.8 mi) |
| Indian Springs High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 1,779 | San Bernardino (1.6 mi) |
| San Gorgonio High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 1,517 | San Bernardino (2.4 mi) |
| San Bernardino High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 1,360 | San Bernardino (1.1 mi) |
| Pacific High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 1,345 | San Bernardino (0.9 mi) |
| Options for Youth-San Bernardino (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Charter | 1,241 | San Bernardino (2.9 mi) |
| Sierra High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Continuation | 447 | San Bernardino (0.6 mi) |
| San Andreas High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Continuation | 337 | San Bernardino (3.6 mi) |
| Middle College High (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Alternative | 277 | San Bernardino (2.9 mi) |
| Anderson (opens in a new tab) | San Bernardino City Unified | Traditional | 75 | San Bernardino (1.2 mi) |
| Rialto High | Rialto Unified | Traditional | 2,596 | San Bernardino (4.9 mi) |
| San Bernardino County Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center | San Bernardino County Office of Education | Alternative | 119 | San Bernardino (0.8 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
3 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside San Bernardino city limits or with a San Bernardino mailing address (DMV list checked 2026-10-04). The list is alphabetical; we do not rank schools. Confirm a license on the DMV lookup (opens in a new tab) before you pay.
| Driving school | DMV license | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Plus Driving School | E0210 | 1264 S Waterman Ave, San Bernardino | (909) 907-3195 |
| Ab Driving School | E4302 | 1863 North E St, San Bernardino | (909) 881-3232 |
| Sanctified Driving School | E0775 | 1264 S Waterman Ave Ste 55, San Bernardino | (909) 742-2512 |
Learning to drive in San Bernardino: the Waterman off-ramp and a new Mt. Vernon bridge
State Route 210 crosses San Bernardino, and one of its exits is being rebuilt. Caltrans started a $7.2 million project (opens in a new tab) at the eastbound Waterman Avenue off-ramp in April and lists completion for winter 2026. The aim is smoother flow and safer exits from the freeway. Most work happens at night. The off-ramp and the eastbound H Street and E Street on-ramps may close when needed. Read the detour signs early, and have a second exit in mind.
Linking the city's west and central sides, the Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge (opens in a new tab) reopened in August 2025 after a $244 million rebuild. The old bridge dated to 1934, and the new one adds access for walkers and bike riders. Caltrans has also proposed rehabilitating State Route 66 (opens in a new tab), known as Foothill Boulevard and 5th Street, from Pepper Avenue to H Street. That plan includes better sidewalks for people on foot and transit riders. On both streets, give bike riders room when you pass, and check the crosswalk before every turn.
The path to a license in San Bernardino
- 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 San Bernardino 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: Rialto (5.4 mi) and Fontana (9.9 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 8: SR-210 Eastbound Waterman Off-ramp Improvement Project (opens in a new tab)
- San Bernardino County Fifth District: Completion of Mt. Vernon Bridge Project (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 8: State Route 66 and Interstate 215 Roadway Rehabilitation (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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