How to Fill Out Texas Driver’s Ed Forms: PTDE Logs and the DE-964

Texas driver’s ed forms fall into a short, predictable stack: a program guide request to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), a classroom instruction log, behind-the-wheel and practice driving logs, the DE-964 completion certificate, and an Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) certificate. You bring the logs and certificates to a Department of Public Safety (DPS) office along with identity, residency, and Social Security documents. Filled in accurately and in order, these forms move a student from the first classroom hour to a license in the mail.

Start With the TDLR Program Guide Request

If a parent or guardian is teaching the course through the Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) program, the first form is the program guide request submitted to TDLR before any instruction begins. Under 16 Texas Administrative Code Section 84.50, the parent submits the request with a non-refundable $20 fee, payable by credit or debit card through the TDLR website.¹

The request asks for the student’s full legal name, date of birth, and the designated instructor’s information. You create a user profile in the TDLR portal and receive a receipt number for tracking. Once the request is processed, an email confirmation serves as your official receipt and contains the guide number that ties all future paperwork to the student and instructor pair. Save that email. You will reference the guide number on instruction logs and when the course provider issues your completion certificate later.

Not every adult qualifies to be the PTDE instructor. The supervising adult must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid driver license, and have held it for at least one year, and must sit in the front passenger seat while the student drives.² For PTDE specifically, the instructor must be a parent, stepparent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster parent, or legal guardian, or another individual authorized under Texas Education Code Section 1001.112.

Filling Out the Classroom Instruction Log

Texas requires a minimum of 32 hours of classroom instruction covering traffic laws, road signs, right-of-way rules, and defensive driving concepts.³ The Classroom Instruction Log is where you record each session: the date, the module covered, and the instructor’s signature. For PTDE, instruction is capped at six hours per day.¹

Online PTDE providers break the curriculum into modules, and students can complete up to three modules per day. The course must be spread across a minimum of six calendar days. Keep the log current as you go. Reconstructing dates and hours from memory weeks later invites errors that slow down your DPS visit.

Behind-the-Wheel and Practice Driving Logs

The in-car portion totals 44 hours across three categories:¹

7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, in which the student drives while the parent-instructor teaches specific skills from the curriculum.
7 hours of in-car observation, in which the student rides as a passenger while another student or the instructor demonstrates driving techniques.
30 hours of supervised practice, general driving practice with a qualified adult, including at least 10 hours at night.

Behind-the-wheel instruction and practice cannot begin until the student holds a learner license. No more than two hours of behind-the-wheel instruction count per day, regardless of how long the student actually drives. The 30 hours of practice must be endorsed by a parent or legal guardian if the student is a minor.

One important rule about switching programs: all 14 hours of instruction (7 driving plus 7 observation) must be completed under a single program. If you switch from parent-taught to a driving school mid-course, or vice versa, previous hours must be repeated.¹

Log sheets for the 14-hour instruction block and the 30-hour practice block come from the course provider, usually by email after the student passes the online DPS handbook test. Print them right away and fill them in after each session. A log with gaps or inconsistencies can delay your license application.

The DE-964 Driver Education Certificate

The DE-964 is the official Texas driver education certificate that proves a student finished an approved course. The course provider issues it, whether that is an in-person school, an online program, or a PTDE provider, and purchases it through TDLR’s Online Licensing System.⁴ The provider, not the student, handles the purchase. The certificate arrives as either a paper document or an electronic certificate number.

You present the original DE-964 at the DPS office when applying for your license. The specialist verifies it against the state’s electronic records. For a PTDE course, the provider issues the certificate after the student finishes all classroom and behind-the-wheel requirements. Do not laminate, fold, or alter the certificate. DPS checks for authenticity, and a damaged certificate can be rejected.

The Impact Texas Drivers Certificate

The Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) program is a video-based course on the consequences of distracted and impaired driving. DPS will not administer the driving skills test without a valid ITD certificate.⁵ Which version you complete depends on your age:

Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) is a two-hour video required for drivers ages 15 to 17 completing a parent-taught or minor driver education course.
Impact Texas Adult Drivers (ITAD) is a one-hour video required for drivers ages 18 to 24 who must complete an adult driver education course, and for drivers 25 and older.

Complete the ITD course after the behind-the-wheel driver education requirements and before the driving skills test. The certificate is valid for only 90 days, so time it accordingly. Finishing it months ahead of your road test means retaking it.⁵

Identity, Residency, and Social Security Documents for DPS

Texas Transportation Code Section 521.142 requires the application to state the applicant’s full name and place and date of birth, verified by proof of identity satisfactory to the department, along with a Social Security number or proof of ineligibility for one.⁶

DPS accepts identity documents in three tiers. You can satisfy the identity requirement with one primary document, two secondary documents, or one secondary plus two supporting documents:⁷

Primary documents include a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a U.S. certificate of citizenship or naturalization, an unexpired U.S. military ID with photo, or a current Texas driver license or ID card expired less than two years.
Secondary documents include an original or certified U.S. birth certificate, a certified court order showing an official name change, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Supporting documents include a Social Security card, a W-2 or 1099, school records, a marriage license or divorce decree, a Texas voter registration card, or a concealed handgun license, among others.

Residency requires two separate documents showing your name and a Texas residential address, and both cannot come from the same source. Options include a utility statement dated within 180 days, a Texas high school or college transcript for the current school year, a current auto insurance policy, a voter registration card, or mail from a government agency dated within 180 days.⁸ If you cannot produce two residency documents from the list, submit a Texas Residency Affidavit (Form DL-5) along with whatever documentation you have.

REAL ID at First Application

Since May 7, 2025, only REAL ID–compliant cards are accepted for federal purposes such as boarding domestic flights or entering secure federal buildings. Texas has issued REAL ID–compliant licenses since October 2016, marked with a gold star in the upper-right corner.⁹ Requesting REAL ID compliance at your first application adds no extra fee. You bring the same identity, Social Security, and residency documents already listed.

Submitting the Paperwork at DPS

DPS driver license offices operate by appointment only, with same-day appointments available at select locations.¹⁰ Schedule your visit through the online Texas Scheduler, which allows bookings up to 180 days in advance.¹¹ Bring every original document: identity proof, residency proof, Social Security card, the DE-964 certificate, completed instruction logs, and the ITD certificate.

At the office, a license and permit specialist reviews your documents, checks the DE-964 against electronic records, and confirms your driver education hours are complete.¹² You also take a vision exam. If you are applying for a learner permit and everything checks out, you receive a temporary paper permit on the spot. If you are there for the full license and have held the learner permit for the required period, you proceed to the driving skills test.

For the road test, you must provide your own vehicle with valid registration and insurance. You do not have to be listed on the policy, but you cannot be listed as an excluded driver.¹¹ Both license plates must be securely attached. A vehicle registered in another state is acceptable as long as it complies with that state’s registration laws. After you pass, DPS issues a temporary paper license, and the permanent card arrives by mail within two to three weeks.¹²

1
Legal Information Institute. 16 Texas Administrative Code 84.50 – Parent-Taught Driver Education Program
2
Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
3
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Driver Education Schools and Instructors Penalties and Sanctions
4
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. TDLR Driver Education and Safety Certificates
5
Texas Department of Public Safety. Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) Program
6
Public.Law. Texas Transportation Code Section 521.142 – Application for Original License
7
Texas Department of Public Safety. Identification Requirements
8
Texas Department of Public Safety. What to Bring With You When Applying for a Texas Driver License or Identification Card (DL-15)
9
Texas Department of Public Safety. Federal Real ID Act
10
Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License
11
Texas Department of Public Safety. Section 2 – Scheduling A Road Test
12
Texas Department of Public Safety. Apply for a Texas Driver License