Getting started...

Knowing what hoops to jump through to get your license can be challenging. That's exactly why the Safe Pass staff is here to help!

Step 0:
Want to get a head start on driver education? Awesome! Teens can begin classroom lessons with Safe Pass at 15 and 5 months. Not ready to get your temporary permit just yet? No worries! You can take classroom lessons without a permit! Just make sure to get yours before registering for behind the wheel lessons.

Step 1:
To get started, take a look at the Graduated Driver Licensing Made Simple video. It gives a great overview of the steps that you need to take to make your licensing dreams a reality.

Step 2:
From there, you can click here to find the Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws. Published by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, this is a great reference guide for the kinds of things you'll need to know both as you prepare for your permit exam and as you get behind the wheel. There are also lots of great apps and website that provide useful tips and practice knowledge tests.

Step 3:
On the day you turn 15 1/2, you become eligible to take your temporary permit knowledge test. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles outlines everything you need to know about getting your temporary instruction permit identification card (TIPIC) right here. 

Step 4:
If you pass your exam, you can head to the closest License Bureau to get your temporary permit. Congratulations!
If you are not able to pass on that first try, no worries! You can do a bit more studying and then take the exam again twenty-four (24) hours later.

Step 5:
Once you attain your TIPIC, your driver education program can begin! You have the option to take the classroom portion of the course with an Instructor and other teens in a classroom setting or online. The choice is up to you! Both provide the twenty-four (24) hours of instruction that the State of Ohio requires. After completing your classroom/online lessons (and receiving your online course enrollment and course completion certificates in the mail), you can begin your behind the wheel lessons. You'll need eight (8) hours with a licensed Driving Instructor to fulfill the State of Ohio's requirements. And if you need more time with a pro – like most beginner drivers do – we can make that happen!

Before, during, and after completing your driver education program, you should be getting in the car with a parent/guardian/custodian as often as possible. The State of Ohio requires that you have fifty (50) hours – ten (10) of which take place at night – behind the wheel with a parent/guardian/custodian before you are eligible to take the driving exam.

Step 6:
If you have met all of the requirements and you feel that your skills are up for the challenge, make an appointment for your driving exam. On the day of your exam, be sure to have your temporary permit and your driver education program completion certificate. When you enter the Driver Exam Services station and are called, the Examiner will ask for the color, make, and license plate number of the vehicle you are using for your exam, so be sure to have that handy.

Step 7:
If you pass your exam, you can head to the closest License Bureau to get your driver license. Congratulations! (Don't forget! You'll also need to present your notarized 50 Hour Affidavit at the License Bureau!) If you are not able to pass on that first try, no worries! You'll now have a week to sharpen those skills before you can take your exam again. Be sure to connect with your Instructor for additional tips and feedback.

Step 8:
Keep learning! Having a driver license does not make you or anyone else an expert driver, You may need more help with freeway driving, changing lanes, parallel parking, turning, or driving in the snow – just a few reasons that many recently-licensed drivers have an additional lesson or two.

But whatever your next step might be, know that we are always here to help you take it.

Additional Resources

Teen Drivers

Young Drivers: The High Risk Years

​Governors Highway Safety Association

​Teaching Your Teen to Drive

MyCarDoesWhat.org