How much do driving lessons cost?

Author: Jen K.
Millions of people ask Lessons.com for cost estimates every year. We track the estimates they get from local teachers, then we share those prices with you.

The time has come to set them free … or send them to the grocery store. No matter when your children are ready to learn how to drive, there’s a driving school nearby ready to teach them.

Driving schools gives a mix of in-classroom lessons on road safety and a particular number of hours of driving. They also have age limits of when a teen student can and cannot drive, which means their driving experience graduates as they develop their driving skills.

Each state has mandated a number of hours of driving instruction before a teenager can take the test.

According to the IIHSHLDI, limits include “nighttime driving, restricting teen passengers, and making sure teens get lots of supervised practice. Graduated licensing has reduced teen crashes 10-30 percent on average.” Check this list to see the rules in your state.

Driving Lessons Cost

There are two parts to the course: the classroom portion and the hands-on driving part.

Some sample prices for both are as follows: Go Drive in Phoenix, AZ, charges $149/2.5 hours of lessons ($60/hour). Advantage Driving School in San Jose, CA, charges $330 for six hours of lessons ($55/hour). Dawn’s Auto School in Far Rockaway, NY, charges $45/hour. Revolution Driving School in Hoboken, NJ, charges $55/hour.

Most driving schools will take 1-3 driving students at a time and rotate them on the driving route so they can all learn the same skills together. They use a remodeled driving school car so they can take over the driver’s role at any time, should the need arise. Classroom time can then be completed online or at the driving school location.

Things to Consider

Questions to think about are:

1. Will you pick up and drop off my child?
2. How long is a driving lesson?
3. What does each driving lesson include?
4. What experience do you have in teaching driving?
5. How many hours total are needed before the driving test?
6. Has a student ever crashed the car, and what did you do?
7. Are you licensed and bonded?
8. How often do your instructors upgrade their skills through continuing education?
9. How flexible is your teaching schedule?

Talk to the instructor and let him or her know exactly what your child should focus on.

Packages

It’s great to save money on lessons by buying a package deal up front. Advantage Driving School in San Jose, CA, charges teens $330 and adults $339 for six hours of lessons ($55-$57/hour), depending on location. His one x 2-hour lesson prices are $125, so the package brings in a saving of $8/hour. Ab Discount Driving School offers a driver’s ed. 36-hour package for approx. $300, depending on the season ($8/hour).

Standalone Specialties

Some driving schools cater to teaching teenagers with special needs, such as autism or Asperger’s. Drive Time in Orange, CA, has spent the last twenty years training teens, adults, and seniors driving skills and knowledge, and also teaches special ed. students. He charges $99 for four hours of lessons ($25/hour). Tineo Driving School in Brooklyn, NY, offers some great additional services, such as lending a car for the road test for $55, or giving a five-hour pre-licensing class for $50.

Locations

Most driving schools have an office building where you can take the safety classes, while other lone instructors come to your home for pick-up and drop-off for the driving portion, and you do the safety course online. One instructor is paying for the office space while the other is paying travel costs, and the lesson price reflects this.