How to Prepare a Teen to Get a Driver's License

Getting a driver's license is a rite of passage for many teens -- but age doesn't determine readiness to drive. Instead, parents and teens need to decide together when the teen is ready to drive. How comfortable your teen is in the car, how comfortable you as the parent are with her skills, whether you can afford the increase in insurance fees and what the driving laws in your state are all factor into the decision to prepare your teen to start driving.

Things You'll Need

  • Completed application
  • Test fees
  • Proof of identification (parent and child; can be birth certificate)
  • Social Security card
  • Proof of school enrollment (varies by state)
  • Proof of age (birth certificate)
  • Proof of residency (bill with home address)
  • Proof of insurance (for the car that is used for the test)
  • Other items as required by specific state

Instructions

    • 1

      Set a good example. This starts long before your teen is old enough to drive. Never use a cellphone when driving, follow the laws, don't eat when driving, drive calmly and always wear your seat belt.

    • 2

      Become familiar with the laws in your state. In most states, driving is a graduated process that starts by obtaining a learner's permit, which allows the teen to drive as long as a licensed adult is in the car with him. The minimum age for this is usually 15, but this varies by state. In California, for example, it is 15 years and 6 months, while in Texas it is 14 years.

    • 3

      Help your teen study for the driver's knowledge test, which is required before she can get a learner's permit. Some states, such as Texas, also require formal training -- through a driving school and time spent in a classroom-based course -- before the learner's permit is issued. Other states publish a book that outlines the key skills covered in the exam.

    • 4

      Gather the materials needed to obtain the permit. These will include the money to pay fees -- cash, if needed -- a completed application, proof of identity in the form of a birth certificate and proof of guardianship. Again, each state has its own driving laws, so check for specific requirements.

    • 5

      Spend a lot of time with your teen in the car. This is important even if he is taking a formal driving course. The more time you spend with him, the better you will know when he is ready to go it alone. Although some states require teens to go through a state-approved training course, other states allow the parents to do the teaching. In Oregon, for example, teens younger than 18 who choose not to complete a course must spend 100 documented hours in the car with their parents and have a permit for six months before they can apply for a driver's license.

    • 6

      Vary the driving conditions and take your teen with you when you run errands. Drive with her in the rain, at night, in traffic, on a sunny day at noon, on a highway and on a back road with no lanes. Let her drive as much as possible, even if you are just running to the store to get a gallon of milk.

    • 7

      Get insurance for your teen. Some states require this before the license test can be taken. Other states have a grace period after the teen obtains the license -- although the parents will have to provide proof the car is covered for the test -- but it's good to at least shop around and find out how much the payments will be, and it's best that your teen has that insurance card in hand when he starts to drive.

    • 8

      Make sure your teen has fulfilled the requirements to take the driver's license test or get his license. In some states, the only requirement is to pass an approved driving course. In others, teens must pass a formal test at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Some states also require teens to pass a written test before they issue the license.

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