Teens in West Sacramento 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 Sacramento office at 4700 Broadway, Sacramento, 4.8 to 5.7 miles in a straight line from West Sacramento's public high schools.
Where do West Sacramento 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 4700 Broadway, Sacramento 95820 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 4.9 mi |
| Sacramento South DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 7775 La Mancha Way, Sacramento 95823 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 8.9 mi |
| Davis DMV office (opens in a new tab) | 505 Pole Line Road, Davis 95616 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 am–5 pm; Wed 9 am–5 pm | 1-800-777-0133 | 10 mi |
Public high schools in West Sacramento
West Sacramento has 3 active public high schools inside city limits or with a West Sacramento mailing address (1 traditional, 1 charter, 1 continuation) in 1 district, with 2,395 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River City High | Washington Unified (opens in a new tab) | Traditional | 2,099 | Sacramento (4.8 mi) |
| Washington Middle College High (opens in a new tab) | Washington Unified (opens in a new tab) | Charter | 206 | Sacramento (5.7 mi) |
| Yolo High | Washington Unified (opens in a new tab) | Continuation | 90 | Sacramento (4.8 mi) |
Licensed driving schools for the 6 hours of training
One driving school holds an Active California DMV license at an address inside West Sacramento city limits or with a West Sacramento 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 916 Driving Academy | E0407 | 1550 Harbor Blvd Ste 210, West Sacramento | (530) 458-1800 |
Learning to drive in West Sacramento: the Tower Bridge and long US 50 closures
West Sacramento connects to downtown Sacramento over the Tower Bridge, which is State Route 275. In 2026, Caltrans has been upgrading the bridge's electrical system (opens in a new tab). Its schedule calls for one lane of alternating traffic between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day, through November. Work pauses before and after games at Sutter Health Park. The bridge also closed completely for an April road race (opens in a new tab). At one-way traffic control, stop for the flagger, wait your turn and keep a steady speed across.
Freeway work can shut whole stretches for days. In June 2025, Caltrans closed eastbound US 50 (opens in a new tab) for 79 hours, from the I-80 connector to Jefferson Boulevard. That closure was part of a big paving project on I-80 and US 50 in Yolo County. Ballgame traffic was told to stay on I-80 to I-5 and then use westbound US 50. Before a trip, check for closures, and follow the signed detour rather than an unknown shortcut.
The path to a license in West Sacramento
- 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 Sacramento 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: Sacramento (5.6 mi) and Davis (11 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 3: Tower Bridge Scheduled for One-Way Traffic Control (April 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 3: Tower Bridge Scheduled for Weekend Closure (April 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Caltrans District 3: Eastbound US 50 in West Sacramento Scheduled for 79-Hour Full Closure (June 2025) (opens in a new tab)
Checked: October 5, 2026. Rules and forms can change; recheck the official page before acting.
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