Apply for a Driver Education Instructor License

Qualifications

You must have a current and valid Texas class A, B, C, or CDL driver's license and have held it for at least three years in good-standing before applying.

If at any point in the past three years, your license was suspended or revoked, then you will not meet this requirement.

The license held may not be a learner license or a provisional license.

Application and Fee

To apply for a new license, submit a completed online application form and include the $50.00 non-refundable application fee.

Apply Online

Licenses are valid for a period of one year from date of issue.

After receiving your license, you may immediately begin teaching classroom and in-car driver education instruction at a licensed provider. Your license does not allow you to teach commercial truck-driving.

Apply by Mail

If you are unable to apply online, you can also apply by mail using a DES-LIC-002-E - Driver Education Instructor Application (PDF).

Background Check

As part of the licensing process, you will be asked to provide fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety through the IdentoGo Fingerprint Service.

You must pass a criminal history background-check before your license can be issued.

Applicants with Criminal Convictions

If you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor (other than a minor traffic violation) or pleaded guilty or no contest (resulting in a deferred adjudication) to any in-state, out-of-state or federal criminal offense, you must provide a completed Criminal History Questionnaire (PDF) along with your application materials.

The department will conduct a criminal history background check on all persons who apply for or renew a license. Criminal convictions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Licenses may be denied based on the nature of the conviction and how long prior to the application the conviction occurred. Depending on your criminal history, a review can take from one to six weeks to complete.

Individuals may request TDLR review their criminal background before actually applying for a license. TDLR uses the same process for this pre-application evaluation as the process described below. See the Criminal History Evaluation Letter page for more information.

Please see the Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions, which describe the process that TDLR uses to determine whether a criminal conviction renders an applicant an unsuitable candidate for the license, or whether a conviction warrants revocation or suspension of a license previously granted.