Texas has one of the lowest supervised hour requirements in the country — 30 hours total, 10 at night. The road test is administered by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). You schedule it at a DPS Driver License office and can also use third-party testing providers approved by DPS.

What the test covers

The Texas road test covers basic vehicle operation and traffic law compliance. You’ll drive in the area around the testing office, usually including residential streets and a busier road.

Skills tested:

Intersection navigation (stops signs, traffic signals)
Left and right turns
Lane changes
Backing in a straight line
Parallel parking (tested at most locations)
Speed management
Following distance

What gets people failed

Parallel parking. Texas still tests it at most locations. If you haven’t practiced parallel parking, practice it. You don’t need to nail it perfectly — you need to execute it safely within a reasonable number of attempts.

Not coming to a complete stop. Rolling through stop signs is the most common reason people fail in Texas, same as most states. Full stop, every time.

Speeding in school zones. If your test route passes a school zone, the reduced speed limit applies even during the test. Examiners mark this.

Improper lane changes. Signal, check mirror, check blind spot, move. In that order. Skipping the blind spot check is a common deduction.

Right turns too wide. When turning right, stay close to the right curb. Swinging wide into the center lane is a consistent point loss.

Third-party testing

Texas allows approved third-party testing providers to administer the road test. Some driving schools offer this. The advantage: shorter wait times and sometimes less strict testing environments than DPS offices. The disadvantage: costs more. Either option produces a valid Texas license.

Before the test

Texas requires 30 supervised hours (10 at night) before the road test. This is the minimum in any state with an hour requirement. The low number doesn’t mean you’re ready — it means the state assumes driver’s ed fills the gap. If your teen took driver’s ed, those classroom hours count toward the permit requirement. If not, 30 hours of supervised practice is not a lot.

Bring to the test:

Valid learner’s permit
Proof of Texas residency
Proof of identity
Vehicle registration and insurance
Parent or guardian signature on required forms if under 18

Tracking your hours

Texas requires 10 night hours out of 30 total. “Night” is defined as the period between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise — not just after dark, but specifically that window.

Moda tracks Texas hours automatically and applies the correct night definition for your location. Download on the App Store

Full Texas permit requirements: Texas permit hours

Stop manually tracking hours. Moda logs driving automatically.

Auto-detects night driving, exports DMV forms, and syncs across family phones.