Behind-The-Wheel Driving Requirements For Texas

Published on 2022-05-26 in Driving Lessons

When applying to get your driver's license in the state of Texas, you must first complete certain criteria required by the Texas DPS, which includes taking a drivers ed course and getting behind-the-wheel drivers training. With that drivers training in mind, many teens and parents want to know how many hours of driving lessons are required in Texas. We address those behind-the-wheel driving requirements below.

Behind-The Wheel Drivers Training

For Texas, the state requires you to do a minimum of 44 hours of behind-the-wheel driving lessons and practice. With those 44 hours, it is broken down into different requirements, which are here:

  • 7 hours - You must complete 7 hours of behind-the-wheel driving
  • 7 hours - You must also complete 7 hours of in-car observation
  • 30 hours - You must also complete 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice

Behind-The-Wheel Practice

So, what does behind-the-wheel practice mean? For the 30 hours, it is practicing your driving skills with a licensed driver. Ten of the 30 hours must be completed at night. The licensed driver you complete these 30 hours with must be 21 years or older and:

  • Holds a valid drivers license
  • Has at least one year of driving experience
  • Sits in the passenger seat up front

Once all of these hours are completed, you will be able to head to the Texas DPS and take your behind-the-wheel drive test to obtain your full driver's license!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our friendly support staff. If you want to start your driver's training journey with Coastline Academy, make sure to sign up for Drivers Ed and book your driving lesson today.


About the Author

Nigel Tunnacliffe

Nigel Tunnacliffe is the co-Founder and CEO of Coastline Academy, the largest driving school in the country, on a mission to eradicate car crashes. An experienced founder and technology executive, Nigel and his team are shaking up the automotive industry by taking a technology-centric approach to learning and driver safety. Having served over 100,000 driving students across 500+ cities, Coastline was recently named the 6th fastest-growing education company in America by Inc. Magazine. Nigel is a frequent podcast guest and quoted driving education expert for major publications such as Yahoo!, GOBankingRates, and MSN.