How to Complete Your Texas 30-Hour Driving Log

The Texas 30-hour driving log is a record of supervised practice a teen must complete on Form DL-91B before applying for a provisional Class C license. At least 10 of the 30 hours must be driven after sunset, and a qualifying adult has to sit in the front passenger seat for every session. The log is separate from the in-car time a teen spends with a driver education instructor, and it must be signed, complete, and presented at a Department of Public Safety office on the day of the road test.

Who Can Ride Along

Texas law sets three requirements for the supervising adult. They must hold a valid license that authorizes them to drive the type of vehicle the teen is operating, they must be at least 21 years old, and they must have at least one year of driving experience.¹ The supervisor does not have to be a parent or relative. Any qualifying adult can fill the role.

The adult must sit in the front passenger seat next to the teen for the entire session. Texas goes further than most states on this point: if the supervising adult falls asleep, is intoxicated, or is otherwise unable to watch the road and react, that is a separate criminal offense against the adult.¹ Scrolling a phone, napping, or wearing headphones while your teen drives can lead to charges against you, not just the student.

How to Record Hours on Form DL-91B

Every driving session gets its own line on Form DL-91B, the “Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Log.”² Each entry records the date, the length of the session, and whether it was a day or night drive. The 30 total hours split into two buckets: at least 10 hours after sunset, and up to 20 hours during the day or as additional night practice.³

The grid itself is simple, but sloppy record-keeping is the most common reason paperwork gets sent back at the DPS office. Missing dates, math that doesn’t add up, or night hours that fall short of 10 will delay the road test. Fill it in as you go rather than trying to reconstruct sessions from memory later.

Both the teen and the supervising adult must sign the completed form to certify the entries are accurate. Those signatures carry legal weight. Knowingly providing false information on a driver license application, including the practice log, is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.⁴

What to Practice During the 30 Hours

The form suggests a progression that builds skills gradually. Families who follow it tend to produce more test-ready drivers than those who log the same familiar routes over and over.

Start in a large empty parking lot to work on vehicle controls, mirrors, blind spots, low-speed steering, and backing.
Move to quiet residential streets for right and left turns, speed control, and visual scanning once starts and stops feel smooth.
Drill parking maneuvers: angle, perpendicular, parallel, and curb parking on hills. Parallel parking trips up many teens on the road test, so extra repetition here pays off.
Practice multi-lane roads for lane positioning, lane changes, mirror checks, and following distance.
Add city driving for congestion, parked cars, pedestrians, and frequent stops.
Work up to expressway driving with merging, exiting, and speeds up to 70 mph. The log recommends teaching the teen to scan 20 to 30 seconds ahead at highway speeds.²

The form also recommends practicing turnabouts — U-turns, three-point turns, and two-point turns — at least 10 times each before attempting them in traffic. If you can safely log a few sessions in rain, the teen will be better prepared than someone who only drove on clear days.

Submitting the Log at DPS

Once the 30 hours are finished and the teen has held the learner license for at least six months, you can book the road test at a DPS office.⁵ Bring the following to that appointment:

The completed DL-91B log with all entries filled in and both signatures
The valid learner license
The DE-964 or course completion certificate from the driver education provider
A verification of enrollment and attendance form from the teen’s school
A vehicle for the road test with current registration, a passing inspection, and valid insurance
Payment for the license fee²

A DPS officer reviews the log before the road test begins. They check that the total hours reach 30, that the night hours reach 10, and that the signatures are present. If anything is incomplete, the officer can refuse to administer the test, and the teen leaves without taking it.

Parent-Taught Students Use the Same Log

Texas allows parents or legal guardians to teach the full driver education course at home under Education Code Section 1001.112, and the 30-hour log requirement still applies. The supervising adult must meet the same standards: at least 21, licensed, and with at least one year of driving experience.² The 30 practice hours sit on top of whatever in-car time the parent-taught curriculum includes, and parent-taught students submit the same DL-91B form with their course completion certificate at DPS.

What the Provisional License Doesn’t Unlock Yet

Passing the road test does not mean unrestricted driving. For the first 12 months after receiving an original Class C license, a driver under 18 cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless the trip is for work, a school activity, or a medical emergency, and cannot carry more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member. A separate rule bans any use of a wireless communication device while driving, including hands-free devices, until the driver turns 18. Violating any of these restrictions can result in a citation and may affect the teen’s driving record.

1
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Section 521.222 – Learner License
2
Texas Education Agency/Texas Department of Public Safety. Behind the Wheel Instruction Log 30 Hours
3
Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas Provisional License as a Teen
4
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code TRANSP 521.451 – General Violation
5
State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Section 521.204 – Restrictions on Minor