by Jim Thompson | Last Updated: March 1, 2021

f you are an Iowa teenager applying for your first drivers license, you are required by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) to complete a drivers education program. A drivers ed course will not only prepare you for your written drivers test but will also give you the skills necessary for you to take on the road safely.

Eligibility Requirements for Drivers Ed Iowa

Before enrolling in an Iowa drivers education class, you will need to obtain a learners permit. To qualify for this permit you must:

• Be at least 14 years of age
• Submit proof of parent or guardian approval to the DMV
• Provide proof of identity
• Pay the learners permit fee
• Pass both a vision and a written test

There is lots of information to know before attempting the learners permit written tests. You may prepare yourself for this testing in any of the following ways:

• Study the driver handbook provided by the IA DOT
• Consider taking a driver prep course
• See actual questions in advance with an Iowa permit practice test

You can’t beat a practice test that allows you to know exactly what you need to know even before you see the exam. That’s because Iowa permit practice tests feature questions taken from actual DMV exams. It’s like seeing all the answers before the test even begins!

A Word for New Residents about Iowa Drivers Ed

If you are less than 18 years old and hold a permit or license from another state, you may still be required to complete drivers ed part of the Iowa license process. For information concerning this and how it might apply to you, call the Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles at (800) 532-1121.

Iowa drivers education programs are available both in public and private high schools and professional driving schools. Unfortunately, the Iowa DMV does not currently accept online drivers education.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Homeschooled students are now able to take advantage of the new parent taught drivers Ed program. For details, check the parent program page on the Iowa DOT website.

What You Will See in an Iowa Drivers Ed Class

No matter where you take your drivers ed class, it will be broken into three components:

• 30 hours of classroom training
• Six hours of behind the wheel training
• At least four hours of alcohol and drug awareness material

During the classroom portion, you will receive instruction on topics like:

• Safely operating a vehicle
• Safe driving strategies
• Traffic laws and rules of the road
• Sharing the road safely with others
• Handling emergency situations

Moving up to an Intermediate License after Driver Education Iowa

Requirements that must be satisfied before scheduling a road test:

• Be at least 16 years of age
• Have been in possession of a permit for at least one year
• No traffic violations in the past six months
• Completion of 20 supervised driving hours, two of which must be at night

Once you have taken and passed the road test, you will be presented with your intermediate license. Congratulations, you are ready to take to the road!