Teens in Vacaville 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 Vacaville office at 621 Orange Drive, Vacaville, 2.0 to 3.2 miles in a straight line from Vacaville's public high schools.
Where do Vacaville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacaville DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 621 Orange Drive, Vacaville 95687 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 2.7 mi |
| Fairfield DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 160 Serrano Drive, Fairfield 94533 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 8.9 mi |
| Napa DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 2550 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Napa 94558 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 17 mi |
Public high schools in Vacaville
Vacaville has 5 active public high schools inside city limits or with a Vacaville mailing address (2 charter, 2 traditional, 1 alternative) in 1 district, with 4,241 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. That is about 4,241 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.
| School | District | Type | Students | Nearest DMV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacaville High (opens in a new tab) | Vacaville Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 2,016 | Vacaville (3.1 mi) |
| Will C. Wood High (opens in a new tab) | Vacaville Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 1,585 | Vacaville (2.8 mi) |
| Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy (opens in a new tab) | Vacaville Unified (opens in a new tab) | Charter | 446 | Vacaville (2.5 mi) |
| Ernest Kimme Charter Academy (opens in a new tab) | Vacaville Unified (opens in a new tab) | Charter | 187 | Vacaville (3.2 mi) |
| Shereene Wilkerson Academy of Excellence (opens in a new tab) | Vacaville Unified (opens in a new tab) | Alternative | 7 | Vacaville (2.0 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
3 driving schools hold an Active California DMV license at an address inside Vacaville city limits or with a Vacaville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astar Driving School | E0335 | 187 Leisure Way, Vacaville | (707) 254-5064 |
| Formula One Driving School LLC | E4422 | 421 Boyd St Ste 8, Vacaville | (707) 455-7087 |
| Success With Us Driving School LLC | E0524 | 307 Portsmouth Ave, Vacaville | (415) 690-6625 |
Learning to drive in Vacaville: I-505 roundabouts and 15 mph school zones
Interstate 505 and Interstate 80 both pass through Vacaville, and one key interchange is about to change. The city's Vaca Valley Parkway and I-505 project (opens in a new tab) will build three modern roundabouts and a new bike and walking crossing over I-505. The city expects construction to begin in late 2026. The current interchange dates from the 1970s and lacks safe paths for walkers and cyclists. When the roundabouts open, ease in slowly, give way to traffic on your left, and signal right before you leave.
School zones are slower here than in many towns. Under the city's Drive Safe, Drive Smart (opens in a new tab) campaign, most school zones now post 15 MPH when children are present. The old limit was 25 MPH. The page also explains the state daylighting law, which bans parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk's approach side. On Leisure Town Road, Jepson Parkway (opens in a new tab) work added a roundabout at Foxboro Parkway. Watch for crossing guards, and stay stopped until a guard waves you on.
The path to a license in Vacaville
- 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 Vacaville 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: Fairfield (7.0 mi) and Vallejo (21 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 Vacaville: Vaca Valley Parkway/I-505 Multimodal Improvements (opens in a new tab)
- City of Vacaville: Drive Safe. Drive Smart. (opens in a new tab)
- City of Vacaville: Jepson Parkway Phase II 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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