Drivers Ed Resources

Driving School Requirements

For retention purposes, our driving school recommends students be 15 years of age or older when beginning the classroom portion of drivers education. A student may attend class as early as 14 1/2 years of age with administrative permission. With the new Wisconsin laws, students now need to hold their instruction permit for 6 months to be eligible for their license. If BTW students take the classroom at another school or online, authorization codes from the other school must be provided and a contract signed before we will issue a MV3001 form to get the learners permit.

We offer temporary drivers license (temps) testing onsite in our classroom. This means less time spent at the DMV when obtaining your permit. We will hold a student's MV3001 form until we are advised the student is 15-1/2, at which time the form will be mailed or available for pickup at our office. The 1st behind the wheel lesson must take place within 60 days of the date the driver license application is signed by the school. We generally are completely booked 2-3 weeks in advance so schedule the 1st lesson as soon as you get temps is our recommendation.

Wisconsin Probationary License Requirements

• Complete an approved driver education class.
• Accumulate 30 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience. Ten (10) of the 30 hours must be at night. Up to 5 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience with a qualified instructor may be double counted. For example, 3 hours will count as 6 hours.
• A parent or adult sponsor must certify the completion of 30 hours (10 at night) of driving experience on the driver license application.
• Hold an instructional permit for a minimum of 6 months.
• There must be a minimum of 19 days between the 1st and 6th driving lessons. One of these drive times must occur within the first 60 days of holding a valid Wisconsin instructional permit.(The first driving lesson must occur within 60 days of obtaining the instructional permit application from the driving school. Failure to comply with this DOT requirement will result in cancellation of the permit if issued and it no longer be valid for driving (See FAQ section as well)
• Receive no moving traffic violations resulting in a conviction for the six months prior to the date of application for this license.
• Pass a driving skills test.
• Pay the required fees.

Wisconsin Probationary License Restrictions

If a student is under 18, for the first nine months of holding the probationary license the student may drive but with the following restrictions:

1. From 5 AM to midnight, a student may drive alone and travel anywhere. In addition, any number of immediate family members (including legal guardian) and the following people can be passengers:
• Two people, one of which must hold a valid regular (non-probationary) license with at least 2 years driving experience, and one who is a person 21 or older or a qualified instructor or spouse 19 or older.
2. From midnight to 5 AM and if driving between home, school, and/or work, a student may drive alone. In addition, a student can have the same passengers as listed in number one above. If driving anywhere else, students must have one of the following people in the vehicle:
• a parent or guardian
• any number of immediate family members and one other person.
• one person who holds a valid regular (non-probationary) license with 2 years of licensed driving experience and one person who is a person 21 or older, a spouse 19 or older, or a qualified instructor 19 or older.
3. Restrictions will be extended 6 months if the student does any of the following:
   • is convicted of a moving traffic violation
   • violates any of the restrictions
   • has license revoked or suspended for any reason

   Note: The terms of the passenger and time-of-day restriction stops while any operating privilege is suspended or revoked. It resumes again when the operating privilege is reinstated.

If you have questions about the Wisconsin Graduated Driver License, check out the Wisconsin DOT website, email Wisconsin DMV or call 608-266-2353.