Ohio Driver Education

Ohio Teen Driver License Requirements

If you are under 18 years old, you must satisfy the following requirements before applying for your driver license:

• You must hold your TIPIC for at least six months.
• You must complete a driver education requirement, which includes 24 hours of classroom or online instruction and 8 hours of driving time with a professional driving instructor. Safe2Drive will issue you a Certificate of Completion when you complete the 24-hour online course. Present this to your behind-the-wheel driving school. When you complete the 8 hours of driving time with the professional instructor, your behind-the-wheel school should give you a Certificate of Completion that states you have completed both the 24 hours of coursework and the 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training. You will bring that certificate with you when you go to take your driving skills exam at the BMV. You can find a list of approved driving schools on the Ohio DPS Driving Training website.
• You must complete 50 hours of practice driving with your parent or guardian, with at least 10 hours of night driving. These 50 hours of practice driving must be verified with a notarized affidavit signed by your parent or guardian.
• You must pass a driving skills test.

Application for a Driver license

You must submit an application for a driver license at a driver exam station. Along with your application, you must provide documentary proof of your full legal name, your date of birth, your Social Security Number, and your citizenship or legal presence. You can find out more about acceptable identification documents here. If you are under 18, the application must be co-signed by a parent or legal guardian when you submit the application and the co-signer must present either a valid Ohio driver license or a valid Ohio ID.

Driver License Restrictions

When you obtain your driver license, you will face certain restrictions if you are under 18.

During the First 12 Months of Holding a License

• You may not operate a vehicle from midnight until 6 a.m. unless:
• You are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• You are driving to or from work with documentation from your employer.
• You are driving to or from an official school-sponsored event or religious event with appropriate documentation from the event official.
• You may not operate a vehicle with more than one non-family member as a passenger unless you are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• You (the driver) and all passengers must wear safety belts.
• You (the driver) may not use any mobile devices, including phones.

If you are convicted of a traffic offense within the first six months of having your license, you may be required to be accompanied by your parent or guardian for six months or until you reach age 17.

After the First 12 Months of Holding a License and Under Age 18

• You may not operate a vehicle from 1 - 5 a.m. unless:
• You are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• You are driving to or from work with documentation from your employer.
• You are driving to or from an official school-sponsored event or a religious event with appropriate documentation from the event official.
• You (the driver) and all passengers must wear safety belts.
• You (the driver) may not use any mobile devices, including phones.

If you receive multiple traffic convictions before your 18th birthday, you may have your license suspended. For alcohol-related convictions, your driver license will be suspended for at least six months.

Take Safe2drive's DPS-Approved Online Ohio Driver Ed Course

Our teen online Ohio Driver Education course is a great way to learn driving tips, techniques and rules of the road to earn your license. Click here to learn more about our online Ohio Driver Education Course.