Driver Ed & DOL Testing FAQs

You may miss no more than three classes during a course, and all missed classes must be made up before the course final is administered. If you miss more than three classes, you will be required to repeat the course.

Yes! In fact, it is common for our classes to have students who are 18 or older. However, we also offer private driving lessons for those adults who do not wish to enroll in a formal driver's education program. These lessons are charged at an hourly rate.

You must be 15 years old on or before the first day of class.

If you miss a class, you will need to attend the same class on a different day and time. Talk with your instructor or our office staff to find a time to make up the class. If you know beforehand what days you will miss, it may be possible to attend that class on an earlier day.

Pre-register with DOL to obtain WA driver license number.

• If the student does not already have a Washington ID, pre-register with the WA Department of Licensing (DOL). This step is complete once you have received a number beginning with "WDL" (example: WDL123AB45CD).
• Login to your Student Center, select Edit Account, and enter the WDL number under License/Permit Information. Be sure to select Update at the bottom of the page.
• We will use the student's WDL number to grant a permit waiver that allows the student to obtain their permit without taking any tests until after they complete the course. These waivers will be entered on the second day of class.

Study the WA Driver Guide.

• Download a copy of the Washington Driver Guide. The student should read the guide cover to cover before the first night of class.

Pay the balance of tuition.

• Follow the WA DOL instructions for obtaining an instruction permit. DOL offers two different types of permits: Permits with a photo (preferred) or permits without a photo. Permits with a photo require an appointment to one of DOL’s Licensing Service Offices and non-photo permits can be obtained entirely online. The advantage of a photo permit is that it can be used as a photo ID when the student travels and when taking their DOL exams to get their driver license.
• Be sure that you obtain an instruction permit before the student’s first drive lesson. Cancellation fees will still be assessed if the student cannot drive due to failure to complete this requirement.

You'll only get an email if you enabled email notifications and verified your email address when you registered. If you aren't getting an email to reset your password then you'll need call our office at (360)358-5311 so our staff can provide you with a temporary password.

Your username is usually your first initial, middle initial, last name, and month/day of birth. For example, John D. Smith born on 05/01/2004 would be jdsmith0501.

Yes, but not until after the first day of class. Students will be notified on the second day of class after their permit waivers have been granted.

We grant permit waivers by close of business on the second day of class. Therefore, you may schedule your appointment with DOL on the third day of class or later. You will need your permit before your first drive lesson, but it is best to begin practicing as soon as you can get your permit - the sooner the better.

Students who are at least 15 1/2 may take the DOL Knowledge Exam before their course begins and bypass the permit waiver requirement. This would allow the student to get their permit before class starts and begin practicing so they can get their license when they turn 16. Students under 18 must have a learners permit for a minimum of 6 months before they can get their driver license.

You can begin scheduling drive lessons after the first night of class.

A minimum of 48 hours notice is required for cancellation of all drives. Failure to cancel, show up without your instruction permit, or show up more than 10 minutes late will result in a $48 fee.

Typically there is only one student and one instructor per drive lesson. Technically students are required to observe one drive lesson, but this requirement is currently waived because of COVID. Should this requirement resume then students can expect to have another student observing from the back seat during at least 1 of their 6 drive lessons.

There is also a possibility that some students will have an instructor in training observing their drive lesson. When this is the case we will usually ask the student for permission first.

Absolutely! But, we recommend you only do so if your student is comfortable having you observe. For some students this would be counterproductive.

Parents observing drive lessons is a great way to learn from our Certified Instructors. You'll see and hear how we teach in a manner that is calm, collected, patient, etc.

Visit our DOL Testing page for current prices.

No. The Knowledge Exam is offered on a walk-in basis. Times vary by location.

Appointments ARE necessary to take the Skills Exam.

There is no mandatory waiting period. Technically you can retest right away. The caveat is our schedule. For the Knowledge Exam retakes are typically possible right away so long as you have at least 30 mins remaining during our walk-in period. For the Skills Exam you will need to reschedule for the next available appointment. Sometimes that could be right away, and sometimes it could be a couple of weeks before we have an opening.

Tuition is non-refundable unless the student drops the course by the end of the first class. Credits may be applied to future courses. The $50 deposit to reserve your spot in the course is non-refundable within 10 days of the start of class.

Receive $50 off tuition when you sign up with a friend or get $50 off if your sibling took one of our courses. Does not apply to our Pay As You Go padckages.

We are also proud to offer a 10% military discount on all DOL testing services. Did you know we have several retired US service members on staff?

We offer a Pay As You Go package that allows for manageable, partial payments as the student progresses through the course. $50 is due at the time of registration, $100 is due at the time of drive lessons 1-5, and the remaining balance is due the first night of class. Students have 6 months to complete the course, so you could spread the cost of tuition across several months to make the expense more management on your budget.