by Jim Thompson | Last Updated: September 6, 2023

Oregon teens applying for their first driver license are not required to complete driver ed as part of the process. However, taking an Oregon driver education course can help a new driver take to the road with more confidence and prepare them for the Oregon Department of Transportation required written and road tests.

Advantages of DMV Approved Drivers Ed Oregon

For Oregon residents younger than 18, a driver education course will count toward the DOT supervised driving requirement. You may complete this requirement in one of two ways:

• By completing an approved driver ed course as well as 50 hours of supervised driving
                                                             OR
• By completing 100 hours of supervised driving

Another advantage to taking an Oregon drivers ed course is that it will exempt you from your driving skills test. The certificate of course completion that you will receive at the end of your class will be recognized by the OR DOT as a fulfillment of this requirement.

Teens who have recently moved to Oregon and have completed drivers ed in another state are not required to obtain a learner permit or complete a driver education course. You will need to visit your local DMV office, take any required tests and pay a licensing fee to get your Oregon license.

What Is Covered in Oregon Drivers Ed

An Oregon driver education course will be made up of the following components:

• 30 hours of classroom instruction
• Six hours of behind the wheel practice
• Six hours of in-car observation
• Five hours of supervised driving practice with a parent or legal guardian

The classroom portion of the course will cover the following topics:

• Oregon driving law and violations
• Sharing the road with other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians
• Defensive driving techniques
• Basic vehicle operation

Moving Past Oregon Drivers Ed

The next step in the licensing process will be to apply for your Oregon provisional license. To apply for this license you must:

• Be at least 16
• Have held a learner permit for at least six months
• Have completed all of your supervised driving hours

Because of the six-month waiting period, you may want to apply for your learner permit as soon as you can. To get this permit will require you to pass a written knowledge test. You may prepare for this exam in a number of ways:

• Study the Oregon driver handbook
• Review the material you have learned in a driver education course
• Boost your confidence with the permit practice test

A permit practice test can be a huge advantage as you apply for your learner permit. Practice tests are constructed from questions taken from past DOT exams. It’s like having the answers before the test.
Once you have satisfied the provisional license requirements, you will be required to pass a driving skills test unless you have completed an Oregon driver education course.