Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Iowa parent-taught driver's education?
Iowa Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) is an alternative to driver education in public schools or commercial driving schools. This type of Iowa driver's ed allows the student's parent, custodian, or legal guardian to be able to work with the student to help him or her learn how to drive. This type of Iowa driver's ed can be more affordable than regular driver's ed courses, and as long as certain requirements are met, students can work on the course around their schedule. Parent Taught Driver Education is regulated by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).
For complete information on this type of driver's ed in Iowa, please see the Iowa Parent Taught Driver Education overview provided by the Iowa Department of Transportation.Yes, this course is approved by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) for Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE). Parent-taught driver education was created and authorized by the Iowa legislature for parents with a clear driving record who want to teach their children how to drive. The course number assigned to this course by the Iowa DOT for the Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) program is #002.
How is this course different from other Iowa Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) courses?
The lessons of this course have text-to-speech narration, 3D driving videos from the driver's perspective, professional photos, and easy-to-understand diagrams. These multimedia elements make the course more interesting and help make driving easier to learn. Some other courses require the student to read through literally 1,000 - 1,500 pages worth of text - with no audio or video, which can be frustrating and boring for many students.
The in-car driving activities of the course allow the instructor (parent, legal guardian, etc.) to demonstrate driving tasks to the student. There are step-by-step instructions at the top of each activity that provide the instuctor with the tasks or concepts they need to cover. The student can then practice the driving tasks afterwards. The activities were written to be easy-to-understand, and they can be printed out to take along in the vehicle.
Be sure to check out the lesson and activity examples here. This course is priced at just $74.95 (plus 7% Iowa State Sales Tax). Everything the student needs to meet the driver education requirements for the Iowa driver license is included with this course at one low price. There are no other fees. You can pay for the course after you
sign up.
We accept payment by PayPal, credit card, and debit card. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can choose to pay by credit card or debit card during checkout.
Can I use the same account for more than one student?
No, you cannot use the same account for more than one student. We maintain records and grades for each student, so you must
register for a separate account for each student.
The entire course will typically take between 5-6 weeks to complete, but the student can take as long as needed provided the course is completed before the student turns 21. This course does not expire, so once you register and pay for the course, you can access it at any point in the future - even years down the road.
How do I apply to teach my child to drive under the Iowa Parent Taught Driver Education program?
Please see the
Iowa Parent Taught Driver Education section of the Iowa DOT website for requirements and a link to check your driver record. After you check to make sure you have a clear driver record, then simply sign up for the course
here.
The driving log for the Iowa Parent Taught Driver Education program is provided via email or mail once parents are officially approved to provide PTDE by the Iowa DOT. You can also just download a copy of the
driving log.
After completing the course, there are several documents that the Iowa DOT requires. Complete instructions and links to printable documents are provided on the Course Instructions page within the course.
