We've broken it down in an infographic so that it's easy to tell the difference. Click the image below to view it more detail! If you need more information, just keep reading.
Difference #1: Getting Your Permit
- With parent taught drivers ed (PTDE), you can get your permit after finishing the first 6 hours of our course (Level 1).
- With instructor taught drivers ed (ITDE), you can get your permit after finishing all 32 hours (all 13 levels) of our course. We require this because after doing a ton of research and calling a lot of driving schools, they want our students to complete the course first and then get their permit before transferring to their driving school. We wanted to make the transfer process as seamless as possible so that any driving school will accept our students.
Difference #2: Learning to Drive
- With PTDE, your parent will teach you how to drive. They need to meet the state's eligibility requirements. Your official parent instructor is responsible for doing 14 hours of in-car observation with you. The remaining 30 hours can be done with any licensed adult over the age of 21.
- With ITDE, you will go to a local driving school of your choice for driving lessons. The driving school generally takes care of 14 hours while the remaining 30 hours are done with any licensed adult over the age of 21.
Difference #3: Total Fees
The fees paid to Aceable and to the DPS are the same, but there are two different things you'll have to pay for.
- With PTDE, you are required to order the Parent Taught Drivers Ed Program Guide Packet from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for $20. It's required since it's partly a registration fee for your parent to let the state know that you're doing parent taught instead of going into a driving school. The Program Guide Packet also contains forms that you cannot get anywhere else, not even from Aceable!
- With ITDE, you don't have to order the PTDE Program Guide Packet. Instead, since you're going to a driving school, you will pay whatever your local school charges for driving lessons. This can be anywhere between $200 and $400.
