Get Your First Texas License Starting Right Here in Smithville

This is the Texas Adult Driver Education Course, the state-mandated 6-hour course required for first-time license applicants ages 18 to 24 in Texas. Adults 25 and older can take it to skip the in-person DPS written knowledge test. Pass the built-in final exam, get your ADE-1317 certificate, and walk into the Bastrop County area DPS office ready for your driving skills test.

  • TDLR Approved: Approved and regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under Title 16, Chapter 84.
  • Self-Paced Course: No daily hour cap. Finish in one sitting or log back in across multiple sessions whenever you have time.
  • ADE-1317 Certificate: Pass the final exam and you get the digital ADE-1317 certificate the DPS requires at your license appointment.
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Course Requirement
Approved
Adult 4-hour Abbreviated Course
Processing Time
Instant
Hidden Fees
$0.00
Eligibility Check
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Total one-time price

$38.00
Includes instant email certificate delivery.
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Three Steps and You're Done

Enroll and Start

Create your account with TrafficSchool.net, operated by OnlineTrafficEducation.com, a TDLR approved Texas driver education provider. The course opens immediately. Smithville residents in Bastrop County can start the same day they enroll, no waiting for a class schedule to open up.

Work Through the Lessons

The course runs through text and image-based interactive lessons covering Texas road signs, traffic laws, and alcohol and drug material. Quizzes between sections keep you on track. Your progress saves automatically after each section, so closing the browser does not cost you your place.

Pass the Exam and Get Your Certificate

After completing 6 hours of TDLR approved instruction, you take a 30-question final exam covering road signs and road rules. Score 70% or better and you get your digital ADE-1317 Certificate of Completion, which substitutes for the DPS Class C written knowledge test.

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You Cannot Apply for Your License Without This

For anyone 18 to 24 in Texas, the DPS will not process your first license application without proof you completed this course. Every week you wait is another week you are driving on a learner permit or bumming rides on FM 304. Finish the course, pass the final, and get your ADE-1317 certificate in hand so your appointment at the Bastrop DPS Driver License Office actually moves you forward.

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Built Around Current Texas DPS Requirements

The course content reflects current Texas DPS requirements and the latest TDLR guidelines under Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84. TrafficSchool.net, operated by OnlineTrafficEducation.com, updates the material to stay aligned with what the DPS expects when you show up for your license.

Last updated: 2025
State Approved Content

Every lesson meets TDLR standards under Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84. The certificate you earn is accepted at Texas DPS Driver License Offices statewide, including the Bastrop office serving Smithville.

No Classroom Required

Work through the course from any device with a browser. No driving to a classroom in another town. The nearest in-person option from Smithville adds real travel time you do not have to spend.

One Flat Price

The course costs $38.00. No upsells buried in the checkout. That price covers the full 6-hour course and your ADE-1317 Certificate of Completion once you pass the final exam.

Online Course

Complete the Texas Adult Driver Education Course on your own schedule from Smithville without driving to a classroom in another county.

Start Immediately

Enroll and begin the same day, no waiting for a class to form.

Progress Auto-Saved

Server-side saving means you pick up exactly where you left off.

No Daily Cap

Finish in one day or spread sessions across multiple days.

Exam Built In

Pass the final and skip the in-person DPS written knowledge test.

In-Person Classroom

Traditional classroom driver education requires scheduled sessions at a facility, which means travel out of Smithville and fixed class times.

Fixed Class Schedule

You attend on the school's timeline, not yours.

Travel Required

No licensed adult driver ed classroom sits inside Smithville city limits.

Same 6-Hour Requirement

State mandates 6 hours regardless of delivery format.

Same Certificate Result

Both formats produce the ADE-1317 the DPS requires.

How Long Does This Actually Take?

The state requires 6 hours. Here is how the two paths compare for a Smithville resident.

Method
Estimated Time to Certificate
Online Course Six hours of coursework on your schedule, no commute, no waiting for a class to fill, start today.
In-Person Classroom Six hours of instruction plus drive time to a facility outside Bastrop County, scheduled around their calendar not yours.

What You Pay for Each Option

Price is one factor. Time and travel out of Smithville are the others worth adding up.

Method
Realistic Total Cost
Online Course Flat $38.00 covers the full course and your ADE-1317 certificate, no fuel, no parking, no extra fees.
In-Person Classroom Classroom tuition varies by school and does not include the cost of driving out of Bastrop County to attend.

Works on Any Device You Have

The course runs in a browser on your phone, tablet, or laptop. Sitting at home off Loop 230 in Smithville or on a lunch break, you can log in and keep moving. No app download required. Progress saves server-side so switching devices mid-course does not reset anything.

  • Any Device

    Phone, tablet, or desktop browser all work. No special software or plugin needed to access the course.

  • Auto-Saved Progress

    Every completed section saves automatically on the server so you never lose ground between sessions.

  • Log In Anytime

    No session expiration mid-lesson. Return to the course whenever your schedule opens up and pick up where you stopped.

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About Your Course Provider

TrafficSchool.net, operated by OnlineTrafficEducation.com

TrafficSchool.net, operated by OnlineTrafficEducation.com, is a TDLR approved Texas driver education provider. The Texas Adult Driver Education Course offered here meets the requirements of Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84, and produces the ADE-1317 Certificate of Completion accepted at Texas DPS Driver License Offices.

  • TDLR approved Texas provider
  • Meets Title 16, Chapter 84 standards
  • ADE-1317 certificate issued on completion
  • Accepted at all Texas DPS offices
  • Current TDLR guidelines followed

Already Licensed? Look at Defensive Driving

The Texas Adult Driver Education Course is for first-time license applicants only, not for ticket dismissal or insurance reduction.

Questions About the Texas Adult Driver Education Course

Who is required to take this course in Texas?

Anyone applying for their first Texas driver license between the ages of 18 and 24 must complete the Texas Adult Driver Education Course before the DPS will process their application. That requirement comes from Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84, Section 84.503, which governs adult driver education enrollment in Texas. Adults 25 and older are not required to take it, but completing the course lets them skip the in-person DPS Class C written knowledge test, which is a real time saver if you live in Smithville and the Bastrop DPS Driver License Office is your closest option. Check your eligibility before you enroll, then get started.

Does passing the course final exam mean I skip the written test at the DPS?

Yes. The 30-question final exam built into the Texas Adult Driver Education Course substitutes for the DPS Class C written knowledge test under current Texas DPS requirements. You do not retake the written test in person at the DPS Driver License Office. The exam covers road signs and road rules, the same material the DPS written test covers. Pass it at the required score and the ADE-1317 Certificate of Completion you receive is what the DPS accepts in place of the in-person written test. The driving skills test at the DPS is a separate step and still required. TDLR regulates this substitution under Title 16, Chapter 84. Bring your ADE-1317 to your Bastrop DPS appointment.

How long does the course take and can I finish it in one day?

The Texas Adult Driver Education Course requires 6 hours of TDLR approved instruction, which is the state-mandated minimum under Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84. There is no daily hour cap on this course, so finishing it in a single day is possible if your schedule allows. You can also split it across multiple sessions since progress saves automatically after each section. Most people working through it steadily find the road signs module and the alcohol and drug sections take the most focus. Smithville residents who knock it out over a weekend are typically ready to book their Bastrop DPS appointment the following week. Log in, work at your pace, and finish when you finish.

What is the ADE-1317 certificate and what do I do with it at the DPS?

The ADE-1317 is the official Certificate of Completion issued by a TDLR approved Texas driver education provider when you pass the course final exam. It is the document the Texas DPS Driver License Office requires when you apply for your first Texas license. Without it, the DPS cannot complete your application if you are between 18 and 24. You receive it digitally after passing the final. Print it or have it accessible on your phone when you go to the Bastrop DPS Driver License Office, which is the closest DPS location handling road tests for Smithville residents in Bastrop County. The ADE-1317 is tied to your identity and course completion record under current TDLR guidelines.

Do adults have to log behind-the-wheel practice hours for this course?

No. Adults taking the Texas Adult Driver Education Course are not required to log behind-the-wheel practice hours as part of this course. That requirement applies to the teen driver education program, not to the adult course governed by Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84, Section 84.503. You complete the 6 hours of online instruction, pass the final exam, and receive your ADE-1317 certificate. The in-person driving skills test at the DPS is still required and separate from this course, but there is no state-mandated practice hour log you have to submit. Smithville residents should schedule their driving skills test at the Bastrop DPS Driver License Office after they have their ADE-1317 in hand.

Why would someone 25 or older take this course if it is not required?

The main reason is skipping the in-person DPS written knowledge test. Under Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 84, adults 25 and older who complete the Texas Adult Driver Education Course and pass the built-in final exam do not have to take the written test at the DPS Driver License Office. For someone in Smithville, the nearest DPS office is in Bastrop, roughly 13 miles away. Cutting one trip out of the licensing process is worth something. The course also covers Texas traffic law in enough depth that people who have driven in other states find it useful for getting up to speed on Texas-specific rules before their driving skills test. Enroll, finish the course, and show up to Bastrop with one less test to take.

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