Drivers education in Oklahoma is required for all teen drivers. The state mandates that students spend a certain number of hours completing driver training, and there are three options for fulfilling this requirement. Students in Oklahoma can take drivers ed classes at school, enroll at a private driver training school or learn to drive from a parent or legal guardian.

Some options will be more convenient for some families than other, and some students may find a drivers ed class at their school to be the best option for them. With more than 70 drivers ed locations in Oklahoma, finding the right type of class will be possible for you.

Who needs to take drivers ed in Oklahoma?

A driver education course is required for all new drivers who are younger than 18 years of age. Students must fulfill a certain amount of time in a classroom and a number of hours practicing driving. Students and young drivers may choose to satisfy that requirement through any approved Oklahoma drivers education program.

Types of Drivers Ed Classes in Oklahoma

There are three kinds of driver education courses in Oklahoma. Students may either attend high school drivers ed, take a class at a private drivers education school or learn from a parent or legal guardian.

There are more than 70 approved driver education schools in Oklahoma. More than 50 of those courses are in-person driver education classes, and 13 are online drivers ed programs for the parent-taught option. This number does not include classes offered through public high schools.

Oklahoma Online Drivers Ed vs. In-Person Courses

In Oklahoma, choosing between online drivers ed courses and a classroom courses means choosing between attending a training school or learning to drive from your parents. Where a driving school usually takes up your weekends and fulfills both the classroom and driving experience requirements, an online course fulfills the classroom time and lets your family teach you how to drive on their own time.

There are advantages to both driving school and parent-taught drivers ed (PTDE), but one of the greatest benefits is the gap in price. Where a driving school has the bonus of being taught by a professional, the parent-taught option is far more affordable.

What will you learn in an Oklahoma drivers ed school?

Oklahoma drivers education classes are required to teach new drivers all of the state laws and safe driving practices that they need to know to be competent, independent drivers. That is why the courses have mandatory classroom instruction and driving instruction. Though the specifics of the curriculum will be different at each specific school or provider, students can expect to learn:

  • How to drive in poor weather.
  • Oklahoma rules of the road.
  • Road signs and lane markers.
  • Vehicle maintenance.
  • Avoiding crashes.

Additionally, some providers may add their own segments to the basic requirements. For example, Driversed.com has a section on peer pressure.

Oklahoma Drivers Education Requirements

Teen driving school is required in Oklahoma, because students must have 30 hours of classroom instruction and 55 hours of driving practice. A public school or private driver training program will satisfy these mandatory minimums in their curriculums, and any PTDE course will cover the 30 hours of class time. Parents or legal guardians will be required to satisfy the 55 hour driving hour minimum.

However, some PTDE drivers ed online classes, such as those by Driversed.com offer additional resources to help parents. In the case of driversed.com, this resource is a mobile app and in-car driving instructions.

Benefits of an Oklahoma Driver Education Course

However you choose to take a drivers education course in Oklahoma, there are many benefits to this driving program. The most notable benefit is fulfilling the Oklahoma requirement to get your license, but some others include:

  • School credit. Drivers ed online providers offer school credit for completion of the course. For example, Driversed.com offers half of a Carnegie point towards high school graduation.
  • Insurance discounts. Most insurance providers offer auto insurance discounts for drivers who complete a drivers education course. With a driversed.com course, the discount may be as much as 10 percent.
  • Greater likelihood pass tests. Students who regularly practice driving in a training school are far more likely to pass the road test required for a driver license.

How to Enroll in an Oklahoma Driver Ed School

Enrolling in a drivers ed school in Oklahoma is simple. You do not have to report your enrollment to the state or complete any required paperwork until you have already finished your drivers ed course. Select the way you would like to take drivers ed in the state and enroll through a driver training provider.

Public School

Enrolling for Oklahoma teen drivers ed at a public school is as easy as telling your guidance counselor or academic advisor that you would like to take a driver training course as an elective. It will be your responsibility to determine if drivers ed fits into your class schedule.

Private Driving School

To enroll for a drivers education school in Oklahoma, you will need to select one of the nearly 60 providers in the state and decide on a course package. Most Oklahoma-approved schools will allow you to enroll online and require you to select your dates and times for classes and driver training.

Parent-Taught Driving Training

To take PTDE, you must select one of the 13 approved online drivers ed courses and enroll on the provider’s website. As every PTDE provider is an online drivers ed class, enrollment is typically as simple as paying for the course and creating an account. All you need to get started on driversed.com is your full name, email and course payment.

Oklahoma DMV Drivers Ed Certificates

An Oklahoma drivers ed certificate of completion is granted by every state-approved drivers ed provider. Students need these certifications to prove to the Oklahoma DPS that they have satisfied the requirements to apply for a license. In the case of PTDE, this certificate must be combined with the parent-taught affidavit.

How each class delivers the drivers ed certificate will vary. While a public high school may simply hand out the certificate at the end of the semester, driversed.com mails it free of charge within one business day.

Drivers Ed for New Oklahoma Residents

There is no adult drivers ed or teen driver program required to transfer a license or learners permit to Oklahoma. Drivers who are older than 18 years of age must be able to prove their identity and provide their former out-of-state license. Additionally, drivers who are younger than 18 years of age and would like to transfer a learner’s permit may re-take the course in Oklahoma or show evidence of attending a drivers ed school in a different state.

Oklahoma Drivers Ed vs. Traffic School

When enrolling for an Oklahoma DMV drivers ed class, it is important to distinguish drivers education from traffic school. Where a drivers education course is intended to prepare new drivers for their learners permit and license, traffic school courses are designed for current license-holders. Traffic school is common for drivers who have received a ticket or wish to reduce their insurance preimum, and it does not include any driving practice hours.

Oklahoma Driver Education Fees

Drivers ed prices differ all over Oklahoma. Because there is no state-standard program, every driving school prices its own services and products. A class can cost anywhere from tens to hundreds of dollars, depending on the type of drivers education course is provided.

Last updated on Monday, March 2 2020.