Teens in Union City 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 Fremont office at 4287 Central Avenue, Fremont, about 2.8 miles in a straight line from Union City's public high schools.
Where do Union City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 4287 Central Avenue, Fremont 94536 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.8 mi |
| Hayward DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 150 Jackson Street, Hayward 94544 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 5.8 mi |
| Pleasanton DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 6300 W Las Positas Blvd, Pleasanton 94588 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 9.0 mi |
Public high schools in Union City
Union City has 1 active public high school inside city limits or with a Union City mailing address (1 traditional) in 1 district, with 3,054 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.
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Logan High (opens in a new tab) | New Haven Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 3,054 | Fremont (2.8 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
4 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Union City city limits or with a Union City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Driving School | E2009 | 32430 Celeste Court, Union City | (510) 214-7000 |
| ABC Driving School | E4715 | 3862 Smith St Ste D, Union City | (510) 471-7773 |
| Drivers Training Academy | E0353 | 2947B Whipple Rd #6, Union City | (510) 862-8857 |
| MK Driving School | E2230 | 1203 H Street, Union City | (510) 461-6541 |
Learning to drive in Union City: I-880 express lanes and the Patterson Slough bridge
Interstate 880 runs through Union City, and part of it works as toll express lanes. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission lists express lanes on I-880 (opens in a new tab) between Oakland and Milpitas. Solo drivers may pay to use them, but only with a FasTrak toll tag. Overhead electronic signs post the toll, which climbs as traffic builds. Carpools, buses and motorcycles pay half or ride free with a FasTrak Flex tag set correctly. Move into or out of an express lane only where the lane lines are broken.
At the Fremont border, I-880 crosses Patterson Slough on a bridge that needed a new deck. In 2021, Caltrans set up a traffic split on southbound I-880 (opens in a new tab) there for the bridge deck replacement. Crews placed k-rails, removed median barriers and reconfigured lanes, with the split in place until November 2021. People on the Alameda Creek Trail underneath were detoured. In a traffic split, read the signs early, choose your side, and hold a steady speed as the lanes separate.
The path to a license in Union City
- 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 Fremont 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: Fremont (4.6 mi) and Hayward (4.7 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)
- Metropolitan Transportation Commission: Bay Area Express Lanes (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 4: Traffic Split Southbound I-880 at Fremont-Union City Border (May 2021) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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