Driving School and Instructor Licensing Regulations
Structure of the rules
California regulates driving schools and instructors through DMV licensing. The school holds an owner/operator license; each instructor holds an individual license, and training vehicles must meet equipment, insurance, and registration requirements. Typical requirements include a minimum age, a qualifying driving record, fingerprints and a background check, prescribed training, and passing written and practical exams. Instructors also renew, complete required training, and follow advertising and contract rules. Behind-the-wheel instruction requires a properly equipped dual-control vehicle.
Traps
Questions test who may do what. An employee without an instructor license may not teach behind the wheel, and a licensed instructor may not teach in an unapproved vehicle. Advertising cannot promise a license or guaranteed pass results. Recordkeeping must be accurate; falsified lesson logs are a licensing violation. Refund and cancellation terms must match what the student was told. Specific figures change, so verify current requirements in the DMV licensing packet rather than relying on memory.
Worked example
A parent asks whether a school can send an unlicensed assistant along to "supervise" a lesson while the licensed instructor handles another student. No: every student receiving behind-the-wheel instruction must have a licensed instructor in the vehicle with dual controls. The assistant may observe only under the rules the school's license permits.