More and more aspects of our daily life now involve the internet.
Online shopping is quickly changing the retail landscape, while online colleges are altering the world of higher education.
Today, even driver’s ed can be completed online!
State requirements vary, but most states now allow some forms of online driver’s ed.
Today, we’ll go over the best online drivers ed in California, for our readers in the Golden State.
Table Of Contents
Quick Picks for the Best Online Drivers Ed in California
- Best Overall – Aceable
- Fastest – iDriveSafely
- Value – DriversEd.com
- Earn high school credit – DriverEdToGo
These are our quick picks for California online driver’s ed programs.
We’ll go into more detail as to why we picked these services below.
California Drivers Ed: The Basics
Driver ed courses, given by a driving school like Drivers Ed Direct, or American Safety Council, are designed to teach you what you need to drive a motor vehicle:
- Road signs
- Traffic laws (or California vehicle code)
- Road safety and the dangers of distracted driving
- Driver responsibilities, and
- How to avoid accidents
These courses need to be 30 hours long (25 hours will be active time learning, and 5 hours are for breaks).
You can take your course in person or through an online program to meet California certification requirements.
Drivers training is paid behind-the-wheel driving experience and is not required to get your provisional instruction permit or driver license.
You can get both of these courses through driving school.
You shouldn’t confuse driving school and these courses with traffic school!
California traffic school is a course required after you receive tickets.
It helps lower your insurance rates and remove points from your license.
Some driving schools also offer traffic school as an online course, but generally driving school is for driving basics, like sharing the road.
You can take driver education courses through state secondary schools and private driving schools certified by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
You need to be between 15 ½ and 17 to take a California driver education course.
Once you pass a certified course, you’ll receive your Certificate of Completion, and you can take the California driver permit test.
You’ll then spend 6 months with your permit before taking your driving test.
After you pass your driving test, you’ll get your drivers license.
How Does Online Drivers Ed in California Work?
It may seem odd to complete a driver’s ed course online, but it’s more common than you might think.
California traffic schools now operate online, allowing students to complete the classroom portion of driver’s ed online.
In-person driving is of course still required, but all the classroom activity can be done online.
The California driver’s ed programs that we recommend comply with California DMV requirements for driver’s ed.
That means that these online programs are essentially the same as in-person classroom training – except they are generally much cheaper, and often quicker.
If you’d like to save some time and money, online training programs are a great option.
The 10 Best California Drivers Ed Courses Online (Overview)
We’ve included an overview of our top picks below. For detailed information on each pick, scroll down.
1. California Driver Ed Course
This California California drivers ed course fully satisfies the permit requirements in a 100% online course.
It is designed to meet the minimum 30-hour requirement for California online driver ed.
This California online driver education course is for students between 15 ½ years old and 17 ½ years old.
This California California drivers ed course fully satisfies the permit requirements in a 100% online course.
It is designed to meet the minimum 30-hour requirement for California online driver ed.
This California online driver education course is for students between 15 ½ years old and 17 ½ years old.
You can expect it to cost around $25, making it an affordable driving school option for California online drivers education.
This online course is an excellent option for busy learners.
It’s broken up into 15 units with quizzes at the end of each and is entirely self-paced.
It saves your place every time you sign out, allowing you to pick up where you left off.
There is 24/7 support available for students, and you’ll have access to a course instructor.
You’ll also have access to:
- Module quizzes
- DMV practice tests to help you get ready for the permit test, and
- Useful checklists
Once you finish the driver ed course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion in the mail.
You can expect it to arrive in 10 business days.
2. DriversEd.com
DriversEd.com is another easy way to take drivers ed online in California.
It’s a large, established company with over 10 million successful graduates.
In addition to online coursework, DriversEd.com also offers optional package deals that include in-person drive training with licensed instructors in your area.
DriversEd.com is another easy way to take drivers ed online in California.
It’s a large, established company with over 10 million successful graduates.
In addition to online coursework, DriversEd.com also offers optional package deals that include in-person drive training with licensed instructors in your area.
- 100% online coursework
- Package deals with optional in-person driver instruction also available
- Offers teen and adult programs
- California DMV Approved
- 100% pass rate (guaranteed to pass the final test)
- Affordable
- America’s #1 online driving school
Find out more in our full DriversEd.com review.
If you’re ready to sign up, click here to learn more about DriversEd.com
3. My California Permit
Are you interested in an early start?
My California Permit’s California drivers ed class certificate of completion never expires.
For about $65, you can get your certification anytime in your teens and be ready when it’s time for you to take your test.
Are you interested in an early start?
My California Permit’s California drivers ed class certificate of completion never expires.
For about $65, you can get your certification anytime in your teens and be ready when it’s time for you to take your test.
They recommend you take it between 14 and 15 since you can’t get a permit before 15 ½.
The course consists of 11 lessons, starting with driving responsibility and ending with driving under the influence (DUI).
Each lesson has a quiz at the end.
Once you’ve completed the lessons, you’ll be able to do DMV practice tests to help you get ready.
After you pass your final exam, you’ll receive your certificate of completion in around 2 weeks.
Do you want to take a California DMV licensed drivers ed course early?
Do you want a simple, streamlined class without the bells and whistles?
If so, then My California Permit’s is the best option for you.
4. Coastline Academy
Coastline Academy wants to ensure that everyone can get a quality drivers education.
Their California drivers ed course is $60, and scholarships are available.
Your Certificate of Completion is included.
Coastline Academy wants to ensure that everyone can get a quality drivers education.
Their California drivers ed course is $60, and scholarships are available.
Your Certificate of Completion is included.
These online lessons are engaging and constantly updated. They use:
- Videos
- Photos
- Illustrations, and
- Text
The diverse teaching methods help you learn what you need to get your California learners permit quickly and easily.
The course was developed by top-rated driving instructors with safety in mind.
It’s California DMV certified, and you get access to unlimited DMV practice tests.
If you want experience behind the wheel, too, you can buy in-person instruction and get your drivers ed course for free.
5. National Highway Safety Administration
You won’t need to worry about getting bogged down.
Chapters are short, easy to read and focus on one subject at a time.
You won’t need to worry about getting bogged down.
Chapters are short, easy to read and focus on one subject at a time.
You can get free audio if that will help you and you’ll have access to:
- Engaging animations and videos
- Interactive quizzes, and
- Customer support by phone and email
You can work through all of the materials on your mobile device or computer using the site at your own pace.
Your progress is saved every step, so you don’t have to keep track of it.
The course is affordable at only about $35 (Certificate of Completion and shipping are included, and they offer a price match!).
This is a good option for you if you want online drivers education that’s certified by the California DMV, backed by over 25 years of experience, and uses diverse teaching techniques.
6. Click2Drive
Click2Drive is an excellent option if you’re looking for something simple and (best of all) free!
It’s broken up into 10 chapters with between 5 and 8 sections per chapter.
Click2Drive is an excellent option if you’re looking for something simple and (best of all) free!
It’s broken up into 10 chapters with between 5 and 8 sections per chapter.
Chapters have:
- Bullet points that sum up important information
- Pictures of road signs
- Fascinating historical information, and
- Straightforward quizzes
Click2Drive also offers behind-the-wheel classes for a fee and has a 90% pass rate.
That being said, the organization doesn’t seem to meet the California DMV requirement.
This option might be best if you’re not seeking your permit yet.
7. Aceable
Aceable is perhaps the best online drivers ed in California for 2023.
It’s affordable, easy to use, engaging, and actually kinda fun!
There’s a variety of programs offered at Aceable, including adult and teen driver’s ed, online traffic school, and more.
Aceable is perhaps the best online drivers ed in California for 2023.
It’s affordable, easy to use, engaging, and actually kinda fun!
There’s a variety of programs offered at Aceable, including adult and teen driver’s ed, online traffic school, and more.
Aceable is approved by the California DMV, and officially licensed by the state as an approved driver’s ed provider.
- 100% online classroom courses
- California DMV Approved
- Very affordable
- Both teen and adult courses available
- Learning materials are a mix of videos, text, gifs, interactive content and more
- Slick smartphone app
- Course progress syncs between devices
- Click here to learn more about taking drivers ed online in California with Aceable
You can learn more about this service in our Aceable Driver’s Ed review.
If you’re ready to sign up, click here to learn more about Aceable
8. WelcomeDriver
WelcomeDriver is an interesting program.
Where other programs are very carved in stone, this program is taught through various schools.
It meets the California DMV requirements, but the price of the course depends on which school you go through.
WelcomeDriver is an interesting program.
Where other programs are very carved in stone, this program is taught through various schools.
It meets the California DMV requirements, but the price of the course depends on which school you go through.
The goal of the program is to provide low-cost, quality drivers education.
It boasts that 96% of students pass their drivers test the first time.
If you take this course, you’ll have access to unlimited practice tests and get your Certificate of Completion when you pass your final exam.
9. Teen Driver Education
This is a low-cost option, coming in around $30 for a California drivers license course.
If you sign up for this course, you can expect:
- Text
- Videos, and
- Interactive animations
This is a low-cost option, coming in around $30 for a California drivers license course.
If you sign up for this course, you can expect:
- Text
- Videos, and
- Interactive animations
The safety-focused curriculum is designed to be self-paced.
A free DMV practice test and your Certificate of Completion are included.
You’ll have unlimited attempts to pass the final exam with a score of 80% or higher.
10. IiDriveSafely
iDriveSafely is another excellent provider of California online driver’s ed programs.
It offers programs for teens and adults, and has served more than 5 million customers.
iDriveSafely is all about simplicity, offering text-based courses at very affordable rates, or optional video courses for a bit more.
iDriveSafely is another excellent provider of California online driver’s ed programs.
It offers programs for teens and adults, and has served more than 5 million customers.
iDriveSafely is all about simplicity, offering text-based courses at very affordable rates, or optional video courses for a bit more.
- Very affordable
- 100% online
- Offers video or text-only courses (video costs extra)
- California DMV Approved
- Completed in a web browser – no smartphone app
- Quick courses
- More than 5 million customers served
- Good customer support
Read through our iDriveSafely review to learn more.
If you’re ready to sign up, click here to learn more about iDriveSafely
11. DriverEdToGo
DriverEdToGo is a good option for online drivers ed in California, which operates solely online.
They’ve served millions of customers, and offer simple, affordable courses with no frills.
DriverEdToGo is a good option for online drivers ed in California, which operates solely online.
They’ve served millions of customers, and offer simple, affordable courses with no frills.
- 100% online coursework
- Guaranteed to pass
- Same-day processing available
- Teens may be able to earn high school credit
- Teen and adult courses available
- California DMV Approved
- Complete at your own pace
- Affordable
Click here to learn more about DriverEdToGo.
How to Choose the Right Drivers Ed Course
1. Check the License Status
Before you spend money on a drivers education course, you should double-check the licensing and accreditations the school is claiming.
You can do this by using the DMV’s Occupational License Status Information System database.
2. Research Reviews
Schools can claim high passing rates, but it’s always best to do research.
Check the Better Business Bureau and other sites to see what other students thought of the services.
If others had trouble reaching customer support when the site went down, it might be better to go somewhere else.
3. Compare Costs
Not all courses are created equal, so consider what you need from your drivers education course and how much you’re willing to spend on it.
Courses designed to be engaging may be more expensive, but that may be what you need to succeed.
Final Word
It’s essential to find a course that will work well for you and provide you with the education you need to get started.
Driving can open up a new chapter in your life with the right start.
Take your time researching, so you find the right course to help you succeed the first time.
Good luck on this new chapter and drive safe!
