Driver training requirements

If you are age 16 or older, you can start driver’s education. Along with driving school, you need to complete 40 hours of practice driving that includes classroom training and on-the-road practice as follows:

*40-hour behind-the-wheel practice driving can be completed in any combination of commercial, secondary, or parent instruction.

• If you have a learner's permit, you can apply for a driver’s license after you have had your permit for at least 120 (driving school) or 180 (home training) days.
  
  
• You need to attend at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of behind-the-wheel practice driving with a Connecticut-licensed commercial or secondary driving school to be eligible to take the test if you have your permit for 120 days.

Home training and other requirements

Home training

Only qualified trainers can provide driver training.

Qualified trainers need to:

• Be eligible to train and sign a form under penalty of false statement attesting to applicant’s fulfillment of all driver education requirements 
• Be age 20 or older 
• Hold a driver’s license for at least four years with no suspensions during that time and can include:
  • The spouse of a married minor (under age 18) applicant 
  • Your parent, grandparent, foster parent or legal guardian 
  • If you have no spouse, parent, grandparent, foster parent or guardian who is qualified and available, your stepparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, by blood or marriage

Two-hour parent training requirement

Connecticut law requires that one parent or legal guardian of a teen age 16 and 17 take a two-hour parent training at a commercial driving school before that teen eligible for a driver’s license.

If your parent or legal guardian is unable to attend the two-hour parent training, you will not be eligible for a Connecticut driver license until you reach age 18.

Driver’s license eligibility date and requirements

If you attend a commercial or secondary school, you need to complete:

• The entire 30-hour classroom portion of driver training including the eight-hour safe driving practices class, the two-hour parent training class, and 
• A minimum of eight hours of behind-the-wheel practice with a qualified trainer

You need to have a learner’s permit for at least 120 days before you can take the road test for a driver’s license.

If you are home trained, you need to complete:

• The equivalent of 22 hours of classroom training 
• Attendance at a commercial or secondary school for the eight-hour safe driving practices class
• The two-hour parent training requirement
• 40 hours of behind-the-wheel practice driving with a qualified trainer

You must have a learner’s permit for at least 180 days before you can take the test for your driver’s license.

Driver Education Certificate (form CS-1):

A driver education certificate (CS-1 form) is issued by a Connecticut-licensed driving school and electronically sent to DMV after you successfully complete a training course.

The certificate certifies:

• The completion of 30 hours of classroom and eight hours of behind-the-wheel driving 
• Eight hours of the safe driving practices course, along with the two-hour parent training requirement for teen drivers age 16 or 17