The laws related to getting your license can be hella complicated, especially if you're a teen.
You first need to complete a 30-hour driving education course before you're allowed to hop in a car for a 6-hour course with a registered instructor to learn the ways of the road.
As if managing the stress of high school wasn't enough, now you've got to go and study a 30-hour driving course in a boring old classroom.
“There must be a better way!”
Well, you’re in luck!
Online Driving Ed courses allow you to take lessons from the comfort of your own home, at your own time, making the course easy to whizz through.
“Wait, is this even legal?!”
You bet it is, online courses have been going on for years now, taken by thousands of students who are now safe drivers.
In this article, I'll list the best online driving education courses in Sacramento, before going into the 6-hour behind-the-wheel course required to get your license.
Let's get to it!
Top 5 Best Online Driving Ed Courses in Sacramento
Improv Driving School
A match made in heaven for aspiring drivers, Improv reinvents the wheel with its fun and engaging education course that is so much better than the in-person classes.
Using visual and interactive animations, Improv makes sure that you understand how complex driving can be to keep you safe on the road.
They explain complex topics so well that even a newbie to anything automotive will come out of the course fully aware of even the most hardly used traffic signs.
Even in the unlikely case that you don’t understand a concept, 24/7 online support ensures that all of your questions get the answers they deserve.
This school is so confident you’ll like the course that they’ve even offered a 100% money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not for you.
So if you want a driver education course that is informative yet enjoyable at the same time, then you can’t go wrong with this course.
Aceable is designed with its target audience in mind: Teens.
This makes the course an absolute blast as it’s designed to make learning a quick and easy experience with videos, sound bites, and even memes that’ll help you learn while having fun at the same time!
Their modern and user-friendly website is meant to provide you the flexibility you desperately need with excellent applications available on all mobile devices.
So if you’re on the bus coming home from school or on the way to that sick party at Brad's house. Aceable has got you covered.
With a 5-star Trustpilot rating and over 15 years of experience, iDriveSafely certainly has a lot to offer.
While slightly pricier than my top pick, their easy-to-understand yet comprehensive course will have you driving in no time.
This is because their courses are divided into small chapters that are less daunting and more easily digestible than a traditional textbook.
iDriveSafely is still not as fun as my top two picks, but if you want to just go through the course and get over the learning, then this can be a good choice for you.
The cheapest option on this list. Cal-Driver-Ed is a local online option if you are tight on cash.
Sure they may not have the most modern interface or website, but the course is designed by qualified driving instructors who will teach you all you need to know about driving.
So, if you aren't looking for any extra bells and whistles the other online courses provide, then Cal-Driver-Ed could be the course for you.
If you've never been good at tests, DriversEdToGo’s has got you covered.
Providing unlimited retries until you pass the test, this course ensures that no student is left behind regardless of their test-taking ability.
Also, DriversEdToGo provides you your passing certificate within 30 minutes of clearing the test, which is perfect if you need to get in a car ASAP.
And hey, their 100% money-back guarantee means you can always try the course before you commit, which is great if you want to experience it first.
Top 3 Best In-Person Driving school
This list details schools in Sacramento to complete the 6-hour mandatory driving course.
American Champions Driving School
Address - 2945 Fulton Avenue, Sacramento
Phone number - 916-514-1283
The ACDS is the perfect option if you’re looking for an in-person driving lesson after you've finished the driver’s education course.
Let's face it, some of us are just bad at learning how to drive.
(I know I was!)
But this school has tailor-made programs that can teach you how to drive no matter how much time it takes with their wide selection of packages.
From a basic 6-hour package that satisfies the California DMV requirements, to a full-blown 20-hour driving course, ACDS ensures that you'll be a perfect driver when that final test comes around.
AllGoodDrivers
Address - 2443 Fair Oaks Blvd, Sacramento
Phone number - 800-977-1971
With a mission to make "all drivers, good drivers", this school has a reputation of going beyond by training students to be exceptional drivers.
With a rating of 4.9 and over 50 reviews, AllGoodDrivers has been satisfying its customers since 1996 and has a wealth of experience in training drivers for all sorts of situations that you'll encounter on the road.
With their own proprietary method of teaching and highly trained staff, you can rest assured knowing that you’re in safe hands.
So, if you’re looking for a stress-free and safe driving experience, you can't go wrong with this school.
Sacramento Driving School
Address - 7035 S Land Park Dr, Sacramento
Phone number - 916-424-8877
Promising a well-equipped and safe driving experience, the Sacramento Driving School is another great offering.
A member of the Driving School Association of California, the school prides itself on its patient and welcoming staff that aims to make every drive a comfortable experience.
Additionally, they provide a separate 1-hour test drive to really give you an edge in the final test.
Driving School in Sacramento - FAQ
How Do I Get a License in California?
If you’re a teen you need to:
- Be 15 and a half years old
- Complete the 30-hour driver education course
- Pass the theory-based test after the education course
- Complete a mandatory 6-hour practical driving course with an instructor
- Log 50 hours of driving practice, 10 of those being at night with an adult that is at least 25 years of age
- Pass the final driving test
How much Does Drivers Training Cost in California?
It depends on the school that you pick. For the 6-hour mandatory instructor course, it can be anywhere from the mid $200s to highs of $600.
The practical driving schools I’ve mentioned above all cost less than $400.
Can I Take An Online Driver Education Course in California?
Yep.
The State of California allows for online driver education courses to complete the 30-hour requirement.
Most schools now have transitioned to online courses, you’ll be hard-pressed to find schools offering classroom lectures in Sacramento.
This is possible because the 30-hour driver education course only goes over the theory-based details of driving and after this, you will have to gain practical experience driving.
What Does an Online Driving Education Course Include?
An online course is basically like any in-person course.
It'll teach you about signs, highway protocols, general car mechanics, and so on, just online.
Students prefer online courses as they are more convenient, faster, and less of a hassle overall compared to in-class lectures.
With online learning, you can study from the comfort of your own home and won’t have the issue of physically going to your driving school.
Additionally, in-person lessons are often in the hundreds of dollars range.
Online courses, on the other hand, are usually under $50.
Do I Need To Take A Driving Education Course?
If you are under 17 and a half then yes, the course is mandatory.
If however, you're above 17 and a half then you don’t need to attend the course, but you will still need to complete the test the DMV conducts based on the course syllabus.
So if you feel you can learn all you need to know by yourself, then you can skip it.
But the online courses can make the whole learning process much simpler, so it wouldn’t hurt to try one.
Conclusion
So basically, if you want a license in California, you need to complete a 30-hour driver education course and then a 6-hour driving course with a registered instructor.
You can pick any option from each of the lists I’ve compiled above, that details the best options available if you live in Sacramento.