Guides/NJ
New Jersey Driving School License: MVC Requirements
NJ MVC driving school license requirements: $250 fee, $10,000 bond, insurance limits, office and dual-control car rules, supervising instructor and renewals.
To open a driving school in New Jersey, you apply to the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) for a commercial driving school license. You'll need a $250 license fee, a $10,000 surety bond, liability insurance, an approved office, dual-control cars registered to the school, and a supervising instructor with at least 500 hours of behind-the-wheel teaching.
New Jersey school licenses expire every December, so this is a yearly commitment. Here's what the MVC asks for.
Key takeaways
- School license: $250 initial, $200 annual renewal. Licenses expire annually in December.
- A $10,000 surety bond payable to the MVC, and insurance with bodily injury and property damage limits set by the MVC.
- A separate office with zoning approval, and dual-control cars owned or leased by the school.
- Instructors must be 21+ with four years of driving experience and pass MVC testing and a criminal history check.
The application packet
The MVC's initial driving school license packet is a checklist plus forms. It asks for:
- A completed Application for Driving School License
- Business formation papers showing the New Jersey Division of Revenue filing date, a trade name certificate if you use one, an FEIN registration certificate and a New Jersey sales tax Certificate of Authority
- Two passport-size color photos per person
- A copy of each owner's, partner's, officer's or member's driver's license (non-New Jersey residents provide six points of ID)
- A sample contract, sample service record, and a statement on whether you offer classroom instruction
- Proposed advertisements and photocopies of customer receipts
- A deed or lease, a business hours form, and a municipal approval certificate (BLS-162) signed and stamped by your town
The MVC's license page says samples like receipts, ads, the statement of service and the service agreement are reviewed for pre-approval. The MVC sends payment requests after preliminary approval and any site inspection.
Fees
From the packet:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Driving school license | $250 |
| Branch location license | $200 |
| Each initial instructor license | $75 |
| Each authorized agent license | $25 |
| Instructor transfer | $3 |
Renewal for the school is $200 a year. Moving an instructor or agent license to another school uses form BLS-48, with a $3.00 check or money order, the current license, a notarized letter and the owner's consent statement.
Bond
You need a $10,000 surety bond payable to the New Jersey MVC from a surety business authorized in the state. The packet includes the bond form (BLC-91) and says the bond must expire on December 31 of the applicable year, matching the license cycle. For how bonds are priced, see Driving School Surety Bonds: Which States Require Them.
Insurance
The MVC's license page lists minimum coverage from a company recognized in New Jersey:
- $250,000 bodily injury or death, one person per accident
- $500,000 bodily injury or death, two or more people per accident
- $50,000 property damage per accident
The application packet summarizes it as $250,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage, with the MVC named as certificate holder. If the two documents read differently to you, ask the MVC which applies. Lapsed coverage is grounds for immediate suspension.
You also need workers' compensation for all employees, or a statement that you have none. More in Driving School Insurance: Required Coverage and Costs.
Office rules
The MVC is specific about the office:
- A separate office, or a home office with its own entrance, separated from living quarters
- Not near the MVC and not appearing associated with it
- Not in a liquor store, bar, grocery store, restaurant, tent, temporary stand, temporary address or telephone answering service
- Zoning approval from your town
At the site inspection, the packet says you need a landline telephone, an answering machine and a locked file cabinet or safe, and a phone bill or installation order showing the business name and address.
Vehicle rules
Training cars must have:
- Dual foot brake and clutch controls (clutch if applicable)
- Seat belts for student and instructor
- A "Student Driver" sign visible from front and rear
- A clean interior with working heater, defroster, air conditioner and seats
- Registration in the driving school's name, or a lease naming the school as lessee
The dual-control cars must be on location at the site inspection.
Instructors and the supervising instructor
Every school needs a supervising instructor licensed at least two years, with at least 500 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and a three-credit college course from a state-accredited college or university. The packet asks for a letter from the current school owner as proof of the 500 hours.
For each instructor license, applicants must:
- Be at least 21
- Have a valid license with at least four years of driving experience
- Pass testing of law knowledge, a driving test and vision screening
- Submit to a criminal history record check
Each instructor files their own application (BLC-205B), a fingerprint request notification (BLS-163) and a child support certification (BLS-43). Don't get fingerprinted until the Bureau sends instructions. The school can't employ anyone convicted of offenses listed in N.J.A.C. 13:23-2.12 without the Chief Administrator's approval.
Licensed instructors can validate a student's permit only after the student finishes the required six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. We explain that course in New Jersey 6-Hour Behind-the-Wheel Certificate: What Parents Need to Know.
Records and supplies
Keep business, employee and student records for three years at your principal place of business, open to MVC inspection. Supplies are ordered with the Driver Ed Order Form. Other MVC forms cover authorized agents, the examination card ledger and customer complaints.
Renewal
Licenses expire annually in December. Renew on time with your $200 fee, a bond running through December 31, and current insurance. The MVC publishes a list of driving schools with each school's DRS number, so families can check that you're on it.
Be easy to find
New Jersey parents can browse licensed schools at our New Jersey driving school directory. Schools can claim a free listing, earn a verified-school check mark and issue certificates with a verification code and QR that anyone can check at roadverified.com/verify.
FAQ
How much does a driving school license cost in New Jersey?
The initial license is $250 and renewal is $200 a year. Branches are $200, each initial instructor license is $75, and each authorized agent license is $25. You also need a $10,000 surety bond.
When do New Jersey driving school licenses expire?
Every year in December. The bond must also expire on December 31 of the applicable year.
What are the requirements to be a driving instructor in NJ?
You must be at least 21, have at least four years of driving experience, pass law knowledge, driving and vision tests, and submit to a criminal history record check.
Can I run a New Jersey driving school from home?
Only if the home office has its own entrance and is separated from living quarters, and your town gives zoning approval.
Get your school verified
Licensed by the NJ MVC? claim your free listing on RoadVerified so families can find and verify your school.