Is It Mandatory To Go To Driving School In Missouri?

Published on 2022-04-14 in Drivers Ed

If you live in Missouri and are beginning the process of getting your driver's license, you might be wondering is it mandatory to go to driving school in Missouri? Every state is different with its requirements when obtaining a drivers license for the first time, so we answer that question for you below!

Driving School Requirements

The Missouri Department of Revenue does not require new drivers to attend driving school before earning their permit. Missouri has the Graduated Driver License Law. The first step in this process is to obtain your Instruction Permit.

The Instruction Permit

To obtain the instruction permit, the Missouri DOR's only requirement is to pass the vision, road sign recognition and written tests at a Missouri State Highway Patrol driver examination station. Also, you must have a qualified person with you in order to sign a permission statement. While a driver education course is not required, it can always help you with studying and passing those tests. Coastline Academy does offer an online course in Missouri, so check it out here!

Intermediate License

The next step after the permit would be to get an Intermediate License. This requires the driver to have had their Instruction Permit for 182 days and have completed 40 hours of driving instruction, which includes a minimum of 10 hours of nighttime driving instruction between sunset and sunrise with a qualified person, grandparent or qualified driving instructor, which we also offer driving lessons in Missouri.

The intermediate license will allow you to drive a vehicle on your own, but with restrictions, like how many passengers are allowed in the vehicle with you and a curfew between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Changes Coming Soon?

While new drivers in Missouri are currently not required to attend driving school, that could soon be changing. A new bill in Missouri called HB 1516 states anyone 18 and younger trying to get their license would need to complete a driver’s ed course approved by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, per KOAM News Now. It is in the beginning stages, but this could mean changes eventually coming to Missouri.

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.