Teens in Seaside 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 Seaside office at 1180 Canyon Del Rey Blvd, Seaside, 1.6 to 1.9 miles in a straight line from Seaside's public high schools.
Where do Seaside 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaside DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 1180 Canyon Del Rey Blvd, Seaside 93955 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 1.8 mi |
| Salinas DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 260 E Laurel Drive, Salinas 93906 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 12 mi |
| Watsonville DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 90 Alta Vista Avenue, Watsonville 95076 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 21 mi |
Public high schools in Seaside
Seaside has 3 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Seaside mailing address (1 continuation, 1 alternative, 1 traditional) in 1 district, with 1,085 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 1,085 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaside High | Monterey Peninsula Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 981 | Seaside (1.6 mi) |
| Central Coast High (opens in a new tab) | Monterey Peninsula Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 98 | Seaside (1.9 mi) |
| Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Community Day | Monterey Peninsula Unified (opens in a new tab) | Alternative | 6 | Seaside (1.9 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 Seaside. 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 Seaside: a road diet on Broadway Avenue and a busy school corner
Broadway Avenue is getting a new layout. Seaside is redesigning Broadway Avenue (opens in a new tab) from Fremont Boulevard up to General Jim Moore Boulevard. Much of it has four travel lanes today. The new layout has a single lane in each direction, a shared turn lane in places, parking and bike facilities. The city says this road diet should slow drivers and shorten crossings for people on foot. That middle lane is for left turns, so never use it to get around slower cars.
Near Seaside Middle School, Coe Avenue meets General Jim Moore Boulevard in a crowded spot. In September 2026, the city won regional transportation funding (opens in a new tab) to study changes there. Early plans include roundabouts and better crossings for students and families. Final design and timing are still to come. When classes begin or let out, ease off here and watch for kids on bikes and on foot.
The path to a license in Seaside
- 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 Seaside 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: Monterey (4.2 mi) and Salinas (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)
- City of Seaside: Broadway Avenue Complete Street Corridor Project (opens in a new tab)
- City of Seaside: Funding Awarded for Safety and Traffic Improvements Near Seaside Middle School (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 6, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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