.jpg)
What Is the Texas DE-964 Driver Education Certificate?
The DE-964 certificate is the official teen driver’s ed certificate issued after finishing required sections of an approved Texas driving course. The DE-964 form can document two different stages of a teen driver’s ed course:
- DE-964 For Learner License Only (FLLO): Issued after the student completes the first 6 classroom hours and passes the required knowledge exam. The student uses this certificate at DPS to apply for a Learner License.
- DE-964 For Driver License Only (FDLO): Issued after the student completes the full driver education program, including 24 classroom hours, 14 hours of in-car training (instruction and observation), and 30 hours of supervised driving practice. This certificate is used when applying for the Provisional Driver License.
The FLLO and FDLO designations represent different stages of completion within the DE-964 certificate system rather than separate forms.
What if My Certificate Says DEE-964 or DE-964E?
Some students may receive a DEE-964, which is the electronic/digital version of the teen driver’s ed certificate. Both commercial driver education schools and parent-taught driving programs may issue DEE-964 certificates. Students who complete driver education through a Texas public school may instead receive a DE-964E certificate. These different form designations only identify the certificate format or issuing program, and they do not alter a teen’s licensing process.
Approved Teen Driver Education Paths in Texas
Texas teens can take driver education and earn a valid DE-964 certificate through several authorized providers, including:
- Commercial driving schools (in person or online)
- Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) courses
- Public school or Education Service center programs
Teens who prefer online driver’s ed can choose between a Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) course or Instructor-Led Teen Driver Education course.
How to Get Your Driver’s Ed Certificate–And Your License
The process for getting your Texas driver’s ed certificate depends partly on whether your course follows the concurrent or block method, although both paths have the same general license requirements. Your license process should look something like this:
- Enroll in a TDLR-approved teen driver’s ed course, either instructor-led or parent-taught.
- Complete the classroom hours required for your instructional method:
- Concurrent: You may qualify for a learner’s permit after the first 6 classroom hours.
- Block: You must complete all 24 classroom hours before applying for a permit.
- Receive the DE-964 required for your learner’s permit. Depending on the course structure, this may be a “For Learner License Only” (FLLO) certificate.
- Apply for your learner’s permit at DPS once you are at least 15. Bring your DE-964, VOE form, DL-14B license application, identity documents, and pay the state fee. If your course did not include the knowledge test, you can take it at the DPS.
- Complete the remaining driver education requirements. Concurrent students finish their remaining classroom hours, and all students complete 14 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction plus 30 hours of supervised driving practice.
- Receive your final “For Driver License Only” DE-964 certificate after completing the full driver education program.
- Hold your learner’s permit for at least 6 months, complete the 2-hour Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) course, and meet all provisional-license requirements.
- Pass the Texas driving test to receive your provisional license.
Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) Rules
Texas is unique in allowing the parent-taught driving option for teens. Before parent-taught driver’s ed instruction can begin, the parent or designated instructor must request the PTDE Program Guide from TDLR and pay the $20 state fee. The parent-trainer must meet Texas PTDE eligibility requirements, or the instruction will not count for licensing. Note that parent-taught driving students or parents do not create their own DE-964 certificates. Course certificates are issued through an authorized PTDE provider after the required instruction is completed.
What Information is on a DE-964 Certificate?
A valid DE-964 contains the information the DPS needs to verify your driver education record.
Depending on the certificate type and stage of completion, this may include:
- A unique certificate or control number
- Your full legal name and date of birth
- The driver education provider and TDLR license information
- A designation “For Learner License Only” or “For Driver License Only”
- Course completion and instruction information
- Knowledge test information, when applicable
How to Verify a DE-964 Online Through TDLR
Before using your certificate at the DPS, you can confirm that your DE-964 form is recorded in TDLR’s system. To verify a Texas driver’s ed certificate:
- Open the official TDLR Driver Education Certificate Validation tool.
- Enter the full certificate number, including the letter prefix.
- Review the validation result and record type.
Keep in mind that a newly issued driver’s ed certificate may take up to 15 days to appear in TDLR’s validation system.
Driver’s Ed Certificate Expiration Rules
Credit earned through an approved Texas drivers ed course does not expire, so a DE-964 remains valid indefinitely. However, the written exam score printed on a certificate can expire after two years. If a student waits longer than two years after passing their in-course written test to apply for a learner’s permit at the DPS, they must take the written knowledge exam again.
What to Do If Your DE-964 Is Lost or Contains Mistakes
Managing lost documents, typos, or school changes involves certain administrative protocols. For lost certificates, most online providers allow students to log back into their portal and re-download or print the certificate PDF at no extra charge.
Fixing certificate errors takes more effort. Because the DE-964 is a state government record, you must never alter, cross out, or hand-write corrections on the physical paper. If your name or date of birth is incorrect, contact the issuing course provider immediately so they can correct the record and generate a revised certificate.
Transferring Mid-Course
Students switching between Texas drivers education providers—or moving between instructor-led and parent-taught programs—must request an official Transfer DE-964 alongside any Student Record Logs from the original school. To avoid complicated transfers:
- Check provider policies first, since willingness to accept partial transfer credit varies significantly. Many online programs (especially PTDE platforms) do not support partial-credit enrollment. Always confirm with the prospective new school before requesting a transfer.
- Texas allows students to complete the 24-hour classroom portion at one school and transfer to another (or PTDE) for the in-car portion. However, partial behind-the-wheel hours cannot be split, so if you want to transfer mid-way through in-car training, TDLR rules state you must restart the full 14 hours at the new location.
- Be aware that schools may charge a processing fee to issue transfer paperwork.
Out-of-State Teen Transfer Rules
Texas treats out-of-state transfers according to the teen’s current licensing status:
- Full out-of-state license (ages 16–17): The teen may surrender the license and receive the equivalent Texas credential without retaking the knowledge exam. However, Texas requires all applicants under 18 to pass the road skills test before receiving a Texas provisional license.
- Out-of-state learner permit: Surrendering a valid out-of-state permit waives the Texas written knowledge test. However, the teen must still fulfill Texas driver education requirements, including taking an approved Texas teen course and holding the permit for 6 months.
Prior driver’s ed coursework from another state does not automatically transfer to Texas or result in a DE-964 certificate. The DPS may consider documentation of out-of-state driver education, but acceptance is not guaranteed. Depending on what the DPS accepts, a teen may need to complete additional Texas classroom or behind-the-wheel requirements—or complete a full Texas teen driver education program.
_thmb_360.jpg)
_thmb_360.jpg)
