Frequently Asked Questions About Our Driving School

Even though Wisconsin enacted Graduated Driver Licensing in 2000, this remains one of the most misunderstood issues.  Many families have not been given information about Graduated Licensing and as a result, most parents tend to think about their own Driver Education Course and assume that things are still done the same way.  The truth is many things have changed, including the age when a student should sign up for and start the classroom sessions.

We recommend that students or parents contact us at age 14 ½ (not 15 ½) and start the classroom sessions between age 14 ½ and 15.  Our goal is for students to complete the classroom sessions prior to age 15.

There are several benefits to starting at age 14 ½:

• SAFETY:  Research into Graduated Licensing shows that when the learning phase is spread out over a longer time period those students end up with lower crash rates.  Because most students want to try for their Driver License at age 16, the only way to spread the learning phase out is to start at a younger age.  14 ½ to 16 is 1.5 years, compared to the typical 6 months (15 ½ -16) that most parents experienced.  Starting your student at a younger age will make them safer once they are licensed and driving without supervision!
• TESTING:  We participate in the Cooperative Driver Testing Program, which allows us to administer the DMV Exams students must pass in order to obtain their Instruction Permit.  When students take these exams at the DMV they must be 15 ½ or older.  In our program, any student under the age of 18 may take the exams.  If students complete the classroom sessions prior to age 15, they are able to get their Instruction Permit the day they turn 15.  Because they must hold the permit for at least 6 months, this allows them to try for their Driver License on their 16th birthday.    
• BUSY SCHEDULES:  Students are busier than ever with school, sports and other extra-curricular activities and there may never be a perfect class schedule for them.  Starting early allows more time to make up classes they must miss because of schedule conflicts.  Students and parents who have waited often express regret they did not start sooner.  Those who start at younger ages, like 14 ½, seem to find it easy and convenient to complete all course requirements prior to their 16th birthday.    

Students today are busier than ever, and we want to do everything we can to support and encourage students to be involved in athletics and other extra-curricular activities.  At the same time, Driver Education is an important class and attendance at classroom sessions is required.  

Many students and parents struggle to find a Driver Education Class that works perfectly for their schedule but that class often does not exist.  As a result, parents often put off enrolling their student in Driver Education, which is the last thing we want to happen (see FAQ about the importance of enrolling at the right age).  Busy students are usually busy year-round so we recommend taking the class at the right time, even if the student has a few schedule conflicts.

To deal with schedule conflicts, we allow our students to make up any classroom sessions that they miss.  We also allow up to two classes to be made up with written assignments.  Missed classes can be made up at any of our classroom locations.  Students are not required to make them up at the same location where they attended their class.

This flexible approach works best when students enroll at a younger age (14 ½ - 15) because they will have more time to make classes up and more classroom sessions to choose from.

We participate in the Cooperative Driver Testing Program, which allows us to administer the DMV Written Exams to students that take our in-person class. Students who take our online class must go to the DMV for the exams.

At the DMV students must be at least 15 years old to take the exams, but we can give the exams to our students in class even if they are not yet 15. We provide them with documentation showing they passed the exams and they take that to the DMV on the day they turn 15 to get their Instruction Permit.  Because the Instruction Permit must be held for a minimum of 6 months, obtaining it on the day the student turns 15 is the only way they can be eligible to try for their Driver License on their 16th Birthday.

Our class will help prepare the students for the DMV Exams, but students are also expected to study for the exams outside of class.  The Wisconsin Motorist Handbook is the official study guide for these exams and it can be obtained at https://wisconsindot.gov

Adult Students: 

Adults who wish to obtain an Instruction Permit must go to the DMV and pass both of the DMV Written Exams and supply the proper proof of identity documents (see link below).  When we work with adult students we are not allowed to give them the DMV Written Exams in our classroom.

Students under age 18:

Students under 18 can obtain an Instruction Permit when they are 15 or older, enrolled in an approved Driver Education Course and have passed both of the DMV Written Exams.  Students taking our class prior to age 15 will be given the exams as part of our classroom program.  Students 15 or older have the option of waiting until we give the exams in class or going directly to the DMV to take the exams.  

Because we give the exams near the end of each classroom session, students who are already 15 or older usually opt to go to the DMV rather than wait for us to give the exams.  Remember, students must hold the Instruction Permit for a minimum of 6 months before they will be allowed to try for a Driver License.    

Required Forms for all ages:

When students go to the DMV to obtain their Instruction Permit or take the written exams, they must have a Wisconsin Driver License Application Form (MV3001) signed by us.  Without this form they will not be issued an Instruction Permit or allowed to take the exams.  We issue this form to students 15 or older who wish to take the exams at the DMV upon request.  For students younger than 15 we issue the form to them just prior to them turning 15.  In most cases, they are already done with classroom sessions so the form is mailed to them.  In cases where a student turns 15 while they are in the process of completing classroom sessions we will give them the form right in class.   

All persons must also show at least two proof of identity documents to the DMV Staff.  A link to the accepted documents is included below.

Link to the Wisconsin Driver License Application (MV3001): https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/formdocs/mv3001.pdf 

Link to Wisconsin DOT – Acceptable documents for proof of identity:

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/identity.aspx 

General Information:

The Behind-the-Wheel (BTW) Course is 12 hours and consists of 6 two-hour lessons.  There is no set schedule for BTW, instead students schedule their lessons individually when they fit into their schedules.  The BTW Course is included in the cost of the Complete Course as well as the Online Course + Behind-the-Wheel.  We also offer the BTW Course to students who have completed the Classroom Portion of Driver Education with another Driving School.

Students must have a valid Instruction Permit in order to participate in the BTW Course.  Students who take both Classroom and BTW with us can start BTW once they turn 15 and obtain an Instruction Permit, even if they have not completed all classroom requirements.  Students who complete classroom training with another Driving School can still take our BTW Course, but not until they complete all classroom requirements and provide us with written documentation showing they have successfully completed classroom training.  

BTW Lessons are available 7 days per week throughout the year, including some Holidays.  Lessons are normally not available on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  

Scheduling Lessons:

When a student obtains their Instruction Permit we ask that they contact us by phone, text or email to schedule their first lesson.  Because we are typically working with several hundred students at a time we ask for patience when scheduling the first lesson as there will likely be a delay in getting back to you.  It is not necessary to call, text or email multiple times and doing so will not speed up the process as we fill all lessons on a first-come, first-served basis from the date we get the first message.  If you do not hear back from us within 10 days we ask that you contact us a second time.

Beginning at the first lesson we will schedule each additional lesson with the student while they are in the car.  This is necessary as there is not enough time to schedule all 6 lessons by phone, text or email.  If students schedule a lesson and a schedule conflict exists we can always change the date and/or time of the lesson.

We try to schedule each student to do one driving lesson per month for the six months they are required to hold their Instruction Permit.  This spreads the instruction they receive out over the entire time they have their permit, allows for ample practice time between lessons and allows us to schedule the final lesson just prior to the road test.

Our Online Classroom Program has been approved by the Wisconsin DMV for students living anywhere in the State of Wisconsin.  Students living close to our main service areas (Columbia, Dane, Dodge and Sauk County) may also take the Behind-the-Wheel Course from us.  Students living in other areas of Wisconsin can complete our Online Classroom Program and then complete Behind-the-Wheel Training with another Driving School.

Online Classroom is ideal for students who cannot fit the in-person class into their busy schedule or who prefer to complete the course from home (or anywhere with internet access).  Our Online Course fulfills all requirements for persons under the age of 18 to be eligible to try for their Driver License.  Students 18 and older may take the Online Classroom, but they are not required to do so.

To get started with our Online Classroom Program, simply enroll from our web site or call us to enroll by phone.  Once enrolled, we will send you an email link to the Online Program along with initial instructions to set up a student account.