Teens in San Rafael 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 Corte Madera office at 75 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera, 2.5 to 7.0 miles in a straight line from San Rafael's public high schools.
Where do San Rafael 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corte Madera DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 75 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera 94925 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.5 mi |
| Novato DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 936 7th Street A, Novato 94947 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 7.9 mi |
| El Cerrito DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 6400 Manila Avenue, El Cerrito 94530 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 14 mi |
Public high schools in San Rafael
San Rafael has 5 active public high schools inside city limits or with a San Rafael mailing address (3 traditional, 1 continuation, 1 alternative) in 2 districts, with 2,642 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.
| District | High schools | Students |
|---|---|---|
| San Rafael City High (opens in a new tab) | 3 | 2,563 |
| Marin County Office of Education (opens in a new tab) | 2 | 79 |
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael High (opens in a new tab) | San Rafael City High | Traditional | 1,308 | Corte Madera (2.5 mi) |
| Terra Linda High (opens in a new tab) | San Rafael City High | Traditional | 1,205 | Corte Madera (4.9 mi) |
| Madrone High Continuation (opens in a new tab) | San Rafael City High | Continuation | 50 | Corte Madera (2.5 mi) |
| Marin's Community (opens in a new tab) | Marin County Office of Education | Traditional | 71 | Corte Madera (5.7 mi) |
| Marin County Juvenile Court (opens in a new tab) | Marin County Office of Education | Alternative | 8 | Novato (5.5 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
2 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside San Rafael city limits or with a San Rafael 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC Driving School | E0447 | 35 Mitchell Blvd Ste 9B, San Rafael | (415) 444-0571 |
| Sams Driving School | E4528 | 2165 E Francisco Blvd No D1, San Rafael | (415) 455-8755 |
Learning to drive in San Rafael: the Freitas Parkway roundabout and Harbor Bridge repairs
North San Rafael has a new roundabout at a busy US 101 exit. Caltrans scheduled the Manuel T. Freitas roundabout (opens in a new tab) to open on June 8, 2026, at Civic Center Drive and Redwood Highway. The work also added a new bus stop and a northbound slip on-ramp. Caltrans' project page (opens in a new tab) set construction to wrap up by the end of June 2026. Coming off the freeway, slow down early, yield to cars already in the circle, and watch the crosswalks.
Downtown, northbound US 101 crosses the Harbor Bridge. In September 2026, Caltrans began structural repairs there (opens in a new tab), with nightly lane closures from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The northbound off-ramp to 2nd Street was partly closed on some of those nights. Crews are adding steel shims and polyester concrete to restore the road's profile. The work was expected to take about one month. Expect narrow lanes at night, and keep a steady speed through the cones.
The path to a license in San Rafael
- 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 Corte Madera 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: Novato (7.7 mi) and Richmond (12 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 4: Manuel T. Freitas Roundabout to Open (June 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans: Roundabout Project at Manuel T. Freitas Parkway/US-101 Interchange (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 4: Harbor Bridge Structural Improvement Project on Northbound US-101 in San Rafael (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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