How to License a Private Driver Training School in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, commercial driving schools are called private driver training schools, and they are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), not PennDOT. To open one you need a suitable location, an owner or director with at least two years of driver education teaching experience, cleared and tested staff, equipped and insured vehicles, an approved course outline, and a $500 school license fee.

The rules come from Act 605 and the regulations in 22 Pa. Code Chapter 101. Here's how the process works.

Key takeaways

• PDE licenses the school, its director, its instructors, its agents and each vehicle.
• Initial fees: $500 school, $30 instructor, $10 vehicle, $5 agent, paid to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
• Instructors and directors pass a written PDE test and then a PennDOT practical test.
• Licenses run on a July 1 to June 30 year, and renewal applications are due months ahead.

Who regulates driving schools in Pennsylvania

PDE's Private Driver Training Schools page says the department oversees schools, owners, directors, instructors and vehicles. It also links the forms you'll need: the school license application, professional staff application, vehicle application, renewal application, sale application and staff termination form.

Step 1: Owners, partners and officers

Everyone directly involved in running the school submits statements that they are of good moral character and at least 18, names of three character references who are not related to them or connected to the school, and a statement that staff are not addicted to alcohol or drugs. If the school uses a name other than your own, register the fictitious name with the Department of State.

Step 2: A qualified director

The owner or director must document at least two years of successful driver education teaching in a private driver training school, private high school or public high school. If you don't have that experience yourself, you'll need to hire a director who does.

Step 3: A location that qualifies

The regulations limit where a school can be. Under 22 Pa. Code 101.132:

• Only one school may be licensed at a particular location.
• A public school building can't be the primary classroom site.
• The school must be at least 1,500 feet from an official PennDOT examination point.
• The location should be reasonably free of pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Indoor classrooms used for five or more students need a Certificate of Occupancy, and section 101.134 requires at least 15 square feet of floor area and 120 cubic feet of air space per student.

Step 4: Professional staff clearances

Every director, instructor and agent files a notarized Professional Staff Application, signed by the owner, director or CEO. Each person also provides:

• Three character references or letters
• A Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance no more than one year old
• An original three-year driving abstract (Form DL-503) less than one year old. Section 101.143 covers what the abstract must show.
• A Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check
• A federal criminal history background check (PDE lists service code 1KG6XN)

Step 5: The instructor test

State law requires both a written theory exam and a practical driving exam for teachers and directors. Key facts from PDE's test policy:

• The staff application doubles as the exam application. PDE contacts you with a date after it's approved.
• The written test is offered monthly at PaTTAN sites in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Malvern, starting at 10:00 a.m. Bring a valid Pennsylvania driver's license.
• It has 55 multiple choice questions and two short answer questions, with two hours to finish. The minimum passing score is 50.
• Passing earns a "Blue Card" that approves you for the PennDOT practical test.

Step 6: Vehicles

Vehicles are licensed individually. Each one needs an operable extra brake pedal, an extra clutch pedal for manual transmissions, a working heater and defroster, an inside mirror plus two outside mirrors, and proper seat cushions for students.

Vehicle age: PDE's establishing page says no more than 8 years old or 80,000 miles, whichever occurs later. The text of 22 Pa. Code 101.173 as published online says 5 years or 50,000 miles. Ask PDE which limit it applies before you buy a car. Schools that teach classroom theory only don't need a vehicle.

Step 7: Insurance

If you're approved for behind-the-wheel instruction, file a Certificate of Insurance naming PDE's Private Driver Training Schools office as certificate holder, showing each vehicle's VIN, coverage type and amount, and dates. Section 101.171 sets the minimum per vehicle at:

• $50,000-$100,000 public liability
• $5,000 property damage
• $5,000 medical payments

You must notify PDE immediately if required insurance is cancelled. Many owners carry more than the minimum; see Driving School Insurance: Required Coverage and Costs.

Step 8: Course outline and applications

Submit objectives for each hour of classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction, built on PDE's Driver Education Content and Performance Expectations. Then file:

• Application for a License to Conduct a Private Driver Training School (one per school site)
• Vehicle Application (if teaching behind the wheel)
• Professional Staff Application (each agent, instructor or director)

Pay with one check or money order to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Schools that contract with public schools must use teachers who meet Section 1519 of the Public School Code.

Renewal

The 2026-2027 renewal application covers the licensure period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 and had to be received by April 30, 2026. Renewal fees are $300 per school and per licensed classroom site, $20 per instructor and $5 per vehicle. You also send a current insurance certificate, your advertising, titles for older vehicles and a list of all fees and charges. Late applications may not get licenses or teacher ID cards until after June 30.

Helping families find you

Pennsylvania parents often ask how to tell whether a school is properly licensed. Our guide How to Find a Licensed Driving School in Your State helps them check. A free RoadVerified listing lets you show your license details, earn a verified-school check mark and issue certificates with a verification code and QR that anyone can check at roadverified.com/verify.

FAQ

Who licenses driving schools in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania Department of Education licenses private driver training schools, their directors, instructors, agents and vehicles. PennDOT gives the practical driving test for instructors.

How much does it cost to license a driving school in Pennsylvania?

Initial fees are $500 for the school, $30 per instructor, $10 per vehicle and $5 per agent. Yearly renewal is $300 per school site, $20 per instructor and $5 per vehicle.

What score do I need on the Pennsylvania driving instructor test?

The minimum passing score is 50. The test has 55 multiple choice questions and two short answer questions, and you have two hours.

How old can a Pennsylvania driving school car be?

PDE's establishing page says no more than 8 years or 80,000 miles, whichever occurs later. The regulation text published online lists 5 years or 50,000 miles, so confirm with PDE before buying.

Get your school verified

Licensed by PDE? claim your free listing on RoadVerified so Pennsylvania families can find and verify your school.