What are the legal requirements for a teen under the age of 18 to acquire a driver license in the State of Hawaii?

Does my teen need a permit to attend the Classroom Driver Education?

When & where can my teen get a permit?  What are the City & County of Honolulu requirements?

Does my teen need to attend the sessions in sequence?

Can my teen miss sessions & if so, how do they make-up what they missed?

How often are classes scheduled?

How much do lessons cost?

Does my teen need a permit to take behind-the-wheel (BTW) lessons & how are the BTW lessons scheduled?

In what format are the classroom sessions presented?

What text is used?

How soon can my teen complete the driver education requirements?

What are the road test requirements?

What are the Provisional Driver License rules?

When & how does my teen convert their Provisional Driver License to a Regular Driver License?

What are the fees for the permit, road test and driver license?

What are the legal requirements for a teen under the age of 18 to acquire a driver license in the State of Hawaii?  In Hawaii persons under 18 wishing to obtain a Provisional Driver License must complete:
1.  A 30-hour Classroom Driver Education Course
2.  A 6-hour Behind-The-Wheel Course
3.  Perform 50-hours of driving with someone over 21 who carries a valid driver license.  10 of the 50-hours need to be performed at night.  The licensed driver needs to be in the front passenger seat.  Between the hours of 11:00 pm and 5:00 am the licensed driver must be a parent or guardian. 
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Does my teen need a permit to attend the Classroom Driver Education? 
No.  Your teen does not need a current driver permit to attend the classroom sessions.
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Does my teen need to attend the sessions in sequence? 
No.  The driver education classroom curriculum is divided into 10 sessions.  Each session covers specific information and most do not require information from previous classes to comprehend.  Sessions that require previous information start with a review of that information. 
        The sessions can be attended in any sequence and a class may be started on any session day. 
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Can my teen miss sessions & if so, how do they make-up what they missed? 
Your teen has the flexibility to make-up missed sessions on any of  our University Avenue Instructors' schedules.  Your teen needs to successfully complete all 10 sessions to receive a certificate of completion.  They will be given instructions on how to make up sessions the first day they attend. 
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How often care classes scheduled? 
Classes are scheduled about 20 times a year.  Classes are available on varying Saturdays, Sundays and Monday/Wednesdays.  During school vacations we schedule 1-week classes.  The 1-week classes allow students with heavy academic requirements, sports requirements or other commitments to complete their classroom driver education in a short period of time. 
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How much do lessons cost? 
Prices: (all prices include tax)
- $180.00   30-hour classroom only
- $280.00   6-hour behind-the-wheel only
- $450.00   30-hour classroom and 6-hour behind-the-wheel
                 package
- $425.00   Sign up with a friend for the 30-hour classroom & 6-
                 hour 
Group rates and additional behind-the-wheel packages are available.  Click here for detailed information 
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Does my teen need a permit to take behind-the-wheel (BTW) lessons & how are the BTW lessons scheduled? 
Yes.  We require the student have a current driver permit to take behind-the-wheel lessons.  An assigned driving instructor will contact your family directly to schedule dates, times and locations that fit both the student's and the instructor's schedules.  The State of Hawai'i allows each BTW lesson to be no longer than 1 1/2 hours.  Instructors will schedule the BTW lessons as six 1-hour lessons, four 1 1/2-hour lessons or a combination of the two.
     Please review the topics covered each training session with your teen and practice the learned skills to accelerate the learning process. 
     If the student cannot perform the learned skills at a minimal level of competency, the instructor may postpone a lesson to allow you more time to practice. 
     Instructors do not practice the road test course unless the student has completed all items on the check-list.  Our goal is for the student to learn Proper Driving Skills.  You may, however, hire the BTW instructor for additional hours to specifically prepare for the road test, instructors are familiar with all road test areas. 
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In what format are the sessions presented?  Classroom driver education is designed on a PowerPoint platform to ensure a duplication of curricula among our instructors.  The classes are interesting and multidimensional combining lecture, discussion, video clips and group activities.  We project a 6-foot diagonal picture and videos include full stereo sound. 
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What text is used? 
We utilize the Responsible Driving textbooks published by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.  The Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Responsible Driving program is developed in partnership with the American Automobile Association. 
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How soon can my teen complete the driver education requirements? 
By State of Hawaii Law a driver education course (classroom and behind-the-wheel combined in one program provided by the same school) cannot be completed in less than six weeks.  When both classroom and BTW are scheduled through Accurate Driving the total time for both can equal six weeks.  For example: the classroom can be 1 week, the BTW started at the end of the classroom can then be completed in 5 more weeks for a total of 6 weeks.
     If you make arrangements for your teen to schedule BTW 
with another driving school be sure to follow these requirements:
  1.  Your teen cannot complete the classroom in less than six
       weeks
  2.  Your teen cannot complete the BTW in less than six weeks
If any driving school or driving instructor informs you they can complete the total training (classroom and BTW) in less than six weeks:  DO NOT SCHEDULE LESSONS WITH THEM! 
This memorandum from the Hawaii State Department Of Transportation defines a driver education program:
                      HDOT Memorandum 5-30-02
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When and how does my teen convert their Provisional Driver License to a Regular Driver License? 
A provisional licensee may be issued a full driver license if the provisional licensee:
  1.  has satisfactorily held the provisional license for at least six
      (6) months;
  2.  has no pending violation that might result in a suspension or
       revocation;
  3.  is at least seventeen (17) years old; and has satisfactorily
       complied with all the requirements of Chapter 286, Hawaii
       Revised Statutes.
To attain the full driver license take the provisional license to any driver licensing office.  They will issue a form CS-L(DL) 237 which is required to obtain a status letter from the District Court, indicating the minor has no pending violations, proceedings, or adjudications within the jurisdiction of the District Court of the State of Hawaii, and present this letter to the Motor Vehicle, Licensing and Permits Division before receiving a driver license.  For issuance of a full license, the status letter is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance. 
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