How Old Do You Have To Be To Take Drivers Ed In Colorado?
Before you can get behind the wheel in Colorado, you need to start your driver's license journey, which means enrolling in drivers education. So, how old do you have to be to take Drivers Ed in Colorado? Coastline Academy addresses that question today, so find out below!
Get Your Instruction Permit
The first step needed to get your driver license in Colorado it go get your Instruction Permit. The requirements for this vary by age, but the soonest you can begin is at 14.5 years old. Here is a breakdown of those requirements:
If you are 14.5 years old, but less than 15 years and 6 months, then the State of Colorado requires you to:
- Attend and complete a DMV-approved 30-hour Drivers Ed course.
- Once you turn 15, you must pass a written test.
If you are 15 years and 6 months, but less than 16 years of age, then the State of Colorado requires you to:
- Attend and complete a pre-qualification four-hour Driver Awareness Program that is DMV-approved OR attend and complete a DMV-approved 30-hour Driver Education course.
- Pass a written test
If you are 16 years of age, then the State of Colorado requires you to:
- Pass a written test
Colorado Driver License Time
After the above step is completed, next up is getting your driver's license. These requirements are also based on your age, as follows:
If you are under 18 years of age, then the State of Colorado requires you to:
- Be at least 16 years of age or older.
- Hold your Colorado Instruction Permit for one full year. This is from the original date the Colorado Instruction Permit was issued to you by the DMV.
- If you are under 16.5 years of age, you must complete six hours of behind-the-wheel driving lessons with a state-certified instructor, which Coastline offers.
- Have a completed and signed (by the parent or legal guardian that signed the Affidavit of Liability for the Instruction Permit) the Drive Time Log sheet with a total of 50 hours of drive time, which includes at least 10 hours of driving at night.
- Pass the Behind-The-Wheel Driver’s Test.
If you are 18 years of age or older, then the State of Colorado requires you to:
- Pass the written Instruction Permit exam.
- Pass the Behind-The-Wheel Driver’s Test.
For Colorado, you can start preparing to hit the road and start your Driver's Ed course at 14.5 years of age, but can't officially get your Instruction Permit until you are 15 years old. Get ready, as this exciting time in your life is about to begin!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our friendly support staff. If you want to start your driver's training journey with Coastline Academy, make sure to sign up for Drivers Ed and book your driving lesson today.
About the Author
Nigel Tunnacliffe is the co-Founder and CEO of Coastline Academy, the largest driving school in the country, on a mission to eradicate car crashes. An experienced founder and technology executive, Nigel and his team are shaking up the automotive industry by taking a technology-centric approach to learning and driver safety. Having served over 100,000 driving students across 500+ cities, Coastline was recently named the 6th fastest-growing education company in America by Inc. Magazine. Nigel is a frequent podcast guest and quoted driving education expert for major publications such as Yahoo!, GOBankingRates, and MSN.