All motorists who are younger than 18 years of age are required to enroll in driver’s ed in Ohio in order to obtain a state-issued drivers license. These teen drivers have the option to take the instructional portion of the course online or in-person. In any case, all programs must be approved by the state’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) in order to meet the licensing requirements.

During the OH drivers ed classes, motorists will learn important driving skills and helpful tactics of operating a vehicle safely. The material covered in these classes will prepare young drivers for the written and practical BMV tests that they will need to pass in order to get a driver’s license.

After completing a drivers education program, students will receive a certificate of completion, which will prove that they have met the course requirements and are eligible to obtain a license to drive. To learn more information about these types of classes, read the sections below.

Who needs to take drivers ed in Ohio?

All motorists who are younger than 18 years of age must take a driver’s ed course in Ohio that is approved by the state BMV in order to obtain a driver’s license. Novice drivers can first enroll in drivers education when they turn 15 years and five months of age. However, they will only be able to apply for an OH learner’s permit once they turn 15-and-a-half years of age.

While drivers ed classes are not generally mandatory for residents to be issued a learner’s permit, they are required for aspiring motorists who are younger than 18 years of age.

Types of Drivers Ed Classes in Ohio

The only type of drivers ed classes that are available in Ohio are for motorists younger than 18 years of age who are looking to receive their first licenses to drive. Teen drivers have the option to complete the classroom portion of their driver’s ed requirements online or in person. Moreover, every student enrolled in drivers education must have at least 8 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.

Ohio Drivers Ed Online vs. In-Person Courses

Ohio motorists have the option to take the instructional portion of their drivers education either online or in a classroom. While both of these options will satisfy the BMV requirements, taking drivers ed online classes are typically far more convenient and can save students a lot of time and money.

Students can complete the mandatory 24 hours of instruction without ever leaving their home through an online provider such as DriversEd.com. While classroom-based instruction can be helpful, most motorists prefer to avoid the travel time and scheduling issues of an in-person driver’s ed course.

What will you learn in an Ohio drivers ed school?

Motorists who are enrolled in an Ohio driver’s ed school will spend a minimum of 24 hours receiving classroom instruction and eight hours of on-the-road training. During this program, teen drivers ed students will typically learn about topics such as:

• Familiarization with vehicles.
• Traffic signs and road laws.
• Driving strategies for different environments of weather conditions.
• Handling vehicle/driver emergencies.
• Practical driving tips.

Ohio Drivers Education Requirements

If you are younger than 18 years of age and want to apply for a license to drive in Ohio, you are required to enroll in a BMV-approved drivers education course beforehand. Additionally, you will need to pass a written permit test and a vision screening and hold a temporary permit for six months before you are eligible for a full driver’s license.

Once you turn 16 years of age, you will be eligible to take a BMV driving test for your license. However, qualify for the driving test, you must have already completed your 8 hours of instructor-led driving in driver’s ed, as well as 50 hours of supervised driving practice.

Benefits of an Ohio Driver Education Course

The most popular benefit from taking a driver’s education course in Ohio is being able to receive a driver’s license before turning 18 years of age. Additionally, young drivers can learn essential driving skills and safety tips that will help them protect themselves while on the road. In general, drivers who complete the course are less likely to be at fault in a car accident. Because many auto insurance companies understand the benefits of driver’s ed, they will often offer discounts for motorists who complete the program.

How to Enroll in an Ohio Driver Ed School

If you are looking to enroll in a teen driving school in OH, your quickest option is to find a computer connected to the internet and sign up for an online course like the one offered by DriversEd.com. However, if you prefer classroom instruction, you will need to find a driver’s ed school nearby and gather the necessary enrollment requirements. In some cases, you may be able to take a course that is offered at a high school. For high school driver’s ed programs, you will simply need to sign up during or after school hours.

Ohio DMV Drivers Ed Certificates

Ohio driver’s education programs will issue certificates once you complete specific portions of their courses. For example, once you complete the first two hours of the course, you will receive a certificate of enrollment. This certificate will allow you to apply for a learner’s permit and begin to take on-the-road driving instruction from a professional teacher.

If you took an online driver’s ed course like the one available on DriversEd.com, you will receive your certificate of enrollment in the mail. Once you have your certificate, you can take it to a driving school to complete the behind-the-wheel training portion of your curriculum.

After completing the entire program and passing your drivers ed test, you will receive a certificate of completion. Furthermore, be mindful that you will need to submit this certificate to a local BMV office in order to receive your driver’s license.

Note: If you completed a driver’s ed course in another state, you must be able to provide a certificate of completion as proof to the Ohio BVM or licensing office.

Drivers Ed for New Ohio Residents

New Ohio residents who are younger than 18 years of age can transfer their out-of-state drivers licenses if they have completed a driver education course that meets the OH requirements. In order to become licensed in the state, motorists must:

• Provide proof that they had six months of driving experience including:
  • At least 50 hours of driving.
  • At least 10 of those driving hours must have been at night.
• Provide proof that they have completed an out-of-state driver’s ed course that meets Ohio’s requirements.
• Have a parent or legal guardian with them to be a co-signer.

New Ohio residents can visit any driver examination station with their current license and certificate of completion to check if they meet state driver’s ed requirements. If they satisfy OH guidelines, these young motorists can begin their testing. After successfully completing the testing, they can receive their license after visiting a deputy registrar license agency with:

• Their valid out-of-state driver license.
• Proof of Ohio Residency.
• Proof of citizenship or legal presence in the United States.

Ohio Drivers Ed vs. Traffic School

Although Ohio driver’s education classes cover much of the same material as traffic school programs, the major difference between the two is their target demographic. Driver’s ed is essentially a teen driving school for new motorists, while traffic school is for older drivers who need a refresher course.

Traffic school can also be court-mandated or used to reduce points on a driving record. On the other hand, a teen driver course is only required for residents younger than 18 years of age who want to obtain their first driver’s license.

Ohio Driver Education Fees

The cost of an Ohio driver education course can range between $40 and $180 for classroom training and between $50 and $150 per session of road training. Fortunately, online schools like DriversEd.com offer their convenient classroom driver instruction program for some of the lowest prices.

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