Howard County, Texas Online Driver's Ed

PTDE can be a practical option for an eligible teen family that wants the parent or another qualifying instructor to handle the applicable driving instruction.

A teenager may begin the classroom portion at age 14, but cannot obtain a learner license until at least age 15. Under the current TDLR PTDE guide, the student must complete either the first six hours under the Concurrent Method or all 32 hours under the Block Method, and receive the Texas Driver Education Certificate of Completion, DE-964, before obtaining the learner license.

The PTDE process starts with the parent or other eligible instructor obtaining the required PTDE Program Guide from TDLR and then selecting an approved PTDE course provider. TDLR emphasizes that PTDE carries the same education and driving requirements as driver education through a licensed school or public school.

The parent instructor should not assume eligibility. Texas specifically provides a process for checking instructor eligibility, particularly when the instructor has a criminal or driving record.

For the teen's later licensing stages, Texas requires behind-the-wheel education, observation, supervised driving practice and the applicable testing and Impact Texas requirements.

Start Texas Parent-taught Driver Ed

DriverEdToGo.com

The block method is different from PTDE because the student takes the classroom/theory portion through a driver education provider rather than having an eligible parent serve as the complete instructor under the PTDE process.

Current TDLR enforcement materials identify these minimum requirements for minor driver education:

• 32 hours of classroom instruction
• 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
• 7 hours of observation instruction

The current TDLR PTDE guide also identifies 32 hours as the block-method classroom requirement.

Some older DPS webpages still display a 24-hour teen classroom figure.

For the block-method pathway, DriverEdToGo provides the online classroom/theory portion. The required professional behind-the-wheel and observation instruction must be completed separately.

After the education and practice requirements are completed, the teen must satisfy the remaining Texas licensing requirements, including the learner-license holding period, supervised driving and the applicable Impact Texas Teen Drivers program.

Start Texas Teen Driver Ed Online

DriverEdToGo.com

Texas DPS requires a six-hour adult Driver Education course for first-time Texas driver license applicants ages 18 through 24. The requirement is waived for a new Texas resident age 18 or older who surrenders a valid, unexpired out-of-state driver license. DPS states that there is no driver education requirement for first-time applicants age 25 or older.

The adult course is separate from teen driver education. A person who needs the adult course should not use the teen classroom-hour requirements as a substitute.

Applicants who take a driving skills test also need the applicable Impact Texas Drivers certificate. DPS identifies Impact Texas Adult Drivers, or ITAD, as the one-hour program for adults ages 18 through 24 who are required to complete adult driver education and for drivers age 25 and older. The certificate must be dated within 90 days of the skills test.

The adult driver education course does not itself provide the entire licensing process. Applicants still need to satisfy DPS documentation, vision, testing, licensing and vehicle requirements that apply to their situation.

Start the Texas 6-hour Adult Driver Ed Course

AdultDriversEdExpress.com

The steps depend on whether the applicant is a teen or an adult.

Teen Applicants

Texas uses a graduated licensing process for drivers under 18.

A typical teen progression is:

1. Complete the applicable driver education classroom requirement.
2. Obtain the Texas learner license once eligible.
3. Practice with a qualified licensed adult.
4. Complete the required behind-the-wheel and observation instruction.
5. Complete the required supervised driving practice.
6. Hold the learner license for at least six months unless the student turns 18.
7. Complete the applicable Impact Texas Teen Drivers requirement.
8. Pass the driving skills test and satisfy the remaining DPS requirements for the provisional license.

For the provisional license, DPS currently requires seven hours of in-car observation, seven hours of in-car driving instruction and 30 hours of supervised driving practice, including at least 10 hours at night with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the vehicle.

A provisional license also carries restrictions for drivers under 18, including limits on certain passengers, nighttime driving and wireless communication device use.

Adult Applicants

Adults follow a different process.

A first-time applicant ages 18 through 24 must complete the six-hour adult driver education requirement unless an applicable exception applies. Applicants must also provide the required identification, lawful-presence, Texas residency and Social Security documentation, proof of insurance when applicable, and complete the DPS application process.

If the applicant will take a driving skills test, DPS requires the applicable Impact Texas Drivers certificate to be dated within 90 days of the test.

Applicants age 25 and older do not have a mandatory driver education requirement for a first Texas license, but they still must complete the applicable DPS licensing and testing requirements.

Howard County combines a regional city environment around Big Spring with long stretches of rural roads outside the city. The county seat is Big Spring, and the county's current population estimate is about 30,500.

That mix matters when a new driver starts practicing. A student may learn basic turns, lane changes and parking on local streets, then encounter higher-speed traffic on I-20 or US 87. Rural trips can also involve longer distances between communities and fewer opportunities to stop or turn.

The county's transportation network includes I-20, US 87, US 80, SH 350, SH 176 and numerous Farm-to-Market roads. Big Spring's official area overview identifies I-20, US 80, US 87, SH 350 and FM 700 as major routes through the city.

Agriculture and the Permian Basin energy economy also make commercial and work-related traffic relevant to local driving. TxDOT describes SH 176 as a heavily traveled energy-sector corridor and has proposed improvements to accommodate transportation demand and improve safety and mobility.

For a beginning driver, the key skill is learning to adjust speed, following distance and scanning habits when moving from city streets to regional highways.

Because no separate city was supplied for this county page, Big Spring provides the most useful local example. It is the county seat and largest community in Howard County. The city sits where I-20, US 80, US 87, SH 350 and FM 700 meet, making it an important transition point between local streets and regional routes.

A new driver practicing around Big Spring should become comfortable with several different road environments. Residential streets require attention to intersections, parked vehicles and pedestrians. Major corridors require more deliberate lane positioning and greater awareness of vehicles entering or leaving the roadway. Getting onto I-20 introduces freeway merging and higher-speed traffic.

The city also serves as a starting point for trips into the more rural portions of Howard County. A student who becomes comfortable only on city streets may need additional practice before driving confidently on rural two-lane highways and Farm-to-Market roads.

Big Spring's size also means the local road system is not limited to a small residential grid. The city reports nearly 19 square miles within its corporate limits and approximately 189 miles of paved streets in its published municipal statistics.

Interstate 20

I-20 is one of the most important routes for Howard County drivers. It carries regional traffic through the county and connects Big Spring with communities farther east and west.

For new drivers, the important skills include checking mirrors before changing lanes, judging the speed of approaching traffic, accelerating appropriately on entrance ramps and maintaining a safe following distance.

US 87

US 87 is a major north-south route through the Big Spring area. TxDOT project records identify sections of US 87 in Howard County, including work near FM 700 and the Big Spring area.

Students should be prepared for a change in traffic speed and vehicle mix when moving from city streets onto the highway.

US 80

US 80 is part of Big Spring's major roadway network. The city identifies it alongside I-20, US 87, SH 350 and FM 700 as a key route through the community.

SH 350

SH 350 provides another important regional connection through Howard County. TxDOT project records identify SH 350 work extending through the county toward the Mitchell County line.

SH 176

SH 176 deserves particular attention because of its connection to the Permian Basin energy sector. TxDOT describes the corridor from FM 1788 to I-20 as a critical transportation link and has proposed widening portions from two-lane undivided roadway to a divided four-lane highway.

This is a useful route for teaching students how to share the road with larger vehicles and how to maintain awareness when traveling on a regional highway.

FM 700 and Other Farm-to-Market Roads

FM 700 is an important Big Spring connection, while other Farm-to-Market roads serve rural portions of the county. These roads can require a different driving approach from city streets because of higher speeds, fewer nearby services and longer stretches between developed areas.

Students should practice looking farther ahead, controlling speed before curves and intersections, and avoiding overdriving their headlights at night.

One of the most useful Howard County driving skills is learning to transition between the developed road network in Big Spring and the county's rural highways.

The change is more than simply driving faster. Rural roads can provide fewer visual reference points, longer distances between intersections and more time between opportunities to stop. Regional routes also serve commercial and energy-related traffic.

SH 176 illustrates the regional nature of this transportation network. TxDOT identifies the route as a heavily traveled corridor serving the energy sector.

A beginning driver should practice:

• Checking the roadway well beyond the vehicle immediately ahead.
• Maintaining a larger following distance at higher speeds.
• Watching for vehicles entering from smaller roads.
• Adjusting speed before curves rather than during them.
• Using high beams appropriately and dimming them for approaching traffic.
• Staying alert for larger vehicles and work-related traffic.
• Taking breaks during longer rural trips rather than continuing while tired.

These skills complement the formal driver education curriculum and the required in-car training.

The Texas teen licensing process requires at least 10 hours of the 30 hours of supervised driving practice to take place at night.

Howard County's rural road network makes that practice especially useful. Darkness reduces the amount of roadway a new driver can see and makes it harder to identify vehicles, animals, debris and road features at a distance.

Night practice should be gradual. Students should first become comfortable controlling the vehicle before taking on longer rural routes after dark.

The Permian Basin's energy activity affects regional transportation. TxDOT specifically describes SH 176 as a heavily traveled corridor serving the energy sector and cites transportation demand associated with energy production.

For a beginning driver, this means learning how to share the road with larger vehicles. Keep a safe following distance, avoid lingering beside large vehicles when possible, and give yourself extra time to react when traffic conditions change.

A new driver should also avoid assuming that an apparently open rural road will remain empty. Vehicles can enter from side roads, driveways and work areas with little warning.

Eligible students can complete the applicable online portion of Texas driver education from throughout Howard County. The local road system does not change the statewide education requirements.

Families in Big Spring, Coahoma, Forsan and rural parts of the county can use the appropriate online education pathway and then complete the separate licensing, in-car instruction and testing steps that apply to their situation. Howard County's official records identify Big Spring, Coahoma and Forsan as its incorporated cities.

The advantage of the county-focused page is that students can also use it to plan the practical part of the process, including DPS visits, driving practice and local highway preparation.

Big Spring

Big Spring is the county seat and largest community. It is the main local transportation hub, with I-20, US 80, US 87, SH 350 and FM 700 serving the area.

It is also the primary location for county government and the local DPS facility identified in state records.

Coahoma

Coahoma is an incorporated city in Howard County. County records identify Coahoma as a separate city and school district.

Students living there can complete the applicable online driver education portion from home, then use the appropriate DPS and in-car training resources serving the area.

Forsan

Forsan is another incorporated Howard County community. It has its own city government and school district, while remaining part of the broader Howard County transportation network.

Students in Forsan should expect the same statewide Texas driver education requirements as students elsewhere in the county, while preparing for both local streets and rural highway driving.

Big Spring Driver License Office

5725 IH-20 West Big Spring, TX 79720

Texas DPS facility records identify the Big Spring location at 5725 IH-20 West. DPS also lists Big Spring among locations that conduct certain skills testing services.

Because DPS services can differ by location and change over time, applicants should confirm that the office provides the specific service they need before traveling.

Use the official Texas DPS appointment system when scheduling a driver license or testing visit.

Texas DPS locations, services, appointment availability and operating hours can change. Check the Texas Department of Public Safety before visiting.

The Howard County Tax Assessor/Collector is a separate county office at 315 Main Street, Suite D, Big Spring, TX 79721. That office handles county tax and vehicle-related matters and should not be confused with the DPS Driver License Office.

A current authoritative search did not produce enough information to confidently list a private TDLR-licensed teen behind-the-wheel school physically located in Howard County.

That is preferable to listing a school based only on an outdated directory, an advertising page or a historical reference.

For the teen block-method pathway, the required professional behind-the-wheel and observation instruction must still be completed separately from the online classroom portion. TDLR's current enforcement materials identify seven hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and seven hours of observation instruction as required components of minor driver education.

Families should use the current TDLR driver education provider resources to verify a school's license, services and current availability before scheduling in-car instruction. DPS also provides information about third-party skills testing for applicants who qualify to use an authorized provider.

Local school listings can change, so students should confirm:

• Whether the provider is currently licensed.
• Whether it provides teen behind-the-wheel instruction.
• Whether it provides the required observation instruction.
• Whether it serves the student's location.
• Current scheduling and pricing.
• Whether it offers third-party skills testing if that service is needed.

Inclusion of a local provider in a directory does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by DriverEdToGo or CyberActive, Inc. Students should confirm eligibility, services, availability, pricing, scheduling and current Texas licensing requirements directly with the provider.

The right course depends on your age and the licensing path you are following. Do not enroll in multiple courses simply because they appear on the same page.

Parent-Taught Driver Education

For eligible Texas teen students following the PTDE pathway, with an eligible parent or other qualifying instructor handling the applicable instruction.

Start Parent-taught Driver Ed

DriverEdToGo.com

Teen Driver Education, Block Method

For eligible Texas teen students using the block-method pathway. The online classroom portion is completed separately from the required in-car instruction.

Start Texas Teen Driver Ed

DriverEdToGo.com

Texas 6-Hour Adult Driver Education

For adult applicants using the applicable Texas adult driver education pathway.

Start Texas Adult Driver Ed

AdultDriversEdExpress.com

Current county records identify these incorporated municipalities in Howard County:

• Big Spring
• Coahoma
• Forsan

These are separate incorporated cities. Other rural communities and named places in the county should not automatically be treated as incorporated municipalities.