Driver Education Packages

What is driver's ed in Massachusetts?

Driver's education in Massachusetts is the program a driver under 18 must complete before a Class D license: 30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours of behind-the-wheel driving, 6 hours of observation, and a 2-hour parent or guardian class. A parent or guardian who completed that class within the past five years does not take it again.

At 18 or older, driver's education is not required. A learner's permit is still required before the road test.

How Package 1, Package II, and Package III differ

Package 1 is the full teen course. Choose it when the student still needs every part of Massachusetts driver's education.

Package II fits a student whose classroom hours were already finished at another school.

Package III fits a student who still needs the classroom course. Classroom instruction can begin at 15 years and 9 months. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles sets that age in 540 CMR 23.00.

The cards above are the current prices. For students who started on or after May 1, 2019, the parent or guardian class has to be finished before road lessons. It does not have to be finished before the classroom course.

What driver's education costs in Massachusetts

Massachusetts requires the hours for a driver under 18. It does not sell the course, and it does not publish one tuition that every school must charge. The current JMC prices are the cards on this page: Package 1 for the full course, Package II for the on-road portion, and Package III for the classroom portion. Adult lesson prices are the adult cards on this page.

Registry fees are separate from the school price. The learner's permit exam has its own Registry fee, described on Apply for a passenger Class D learner's permit. The Class D road test fee published by the Registry is $35. That state fee is not refunded if you fail, arrive late, miss the test, or cancel with less than 72 hours' notice. The Registry states that rule on Schedule your road test.

Road test sponsorship is a third cost. It pays for the JMC car and a certified instructor at the test, and the amount depends on the location. Those prices are on the road test page. The school sponsorship fee is non-refundable.

Teen driver's education

A full teen package follows the Massachusetts driver's education path: classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel practice, observation time, and a parent or guardian class. Students who complete those hours can receive a Driver's Education Certificate of Completion. Classroom sessions can begin at 15 years and 9 months. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles sets that classroom age in 540 CMR 23.00. A learner's permit is issued at age 16, and that permit is required before any on-road lesson.

For students who started on or after May 1, 2019, the Registry of Motor Vehicles requires a two-hour parent or guardian class. It must be finished before road lessons begin, and it does not have to be finished before classroom sessions. If another school already completed the classroom hours, enroll in a behind-the-wheel package. If the driving hours were finished elsewhere, enroll in a classroom package that still includes the parent class. Each listing on this page shows what is included and the current price.

The license path at 18 and older

At 18, Massachusetts does not require a driver's education program before a Class D license. Applicants under 18 do. Those junior operator rules include a driver's education certificate, a learner's permit held for 6 months with a clean record, 40 supervised hours or 30 with a driver-skills course, and a parent or guardian class. The Registry states the under-18 rules on Junior operator license requirements and states that a driver over 18 does not need driver's education on Passenger Class D road tests.

An adult still needs a Massachusetts learner's permit before the road test. The permit requires Massachusetts residency, a passed permit exam, and no license or permit from another state. Written parental consent is required only when the applicant is under 18. The Registry explains that on Apply for a passenger Class D learner's permit.

The road test still requires a sponsor who is 21 or older, with at least one year of driving experience and a valid driver's license from their home state. A foreign license does not qualify. An applicant can attempt no more than six Class D road tests in 12 months. Both rules are on Passenger Class D road tests.

Lessons are optional at 18 and older. A new driver can book one lesson at a time or an adult package. Each listing above shows the current price, what it includes, and the session length. Every lesson starts and ends at 973 Main Street in Waltham. There is no home pickup. Bring the physical permit or license. To move a lesson without losing the fee, give 48 hours' notice during office hours, Monday through Friday, 10am to 5pm. Call (781) 373-1730. The office can help in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

Before the first lesson

Bring a valid physical learner's permit or driver's license. Digital copies are not accepted. Wear closed-toe shoes, and bring glasses or contact lenses if the permit has a B restriction. To reschedule a lesson without losing the fee, give 48 hours' notice during office hours, which is two business days. You can enroll on this page, call (781) 373-1730, or visit the office Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm. The office can help in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.