You've Signed Up Your Teen for Driver's Ed—What's Next? A Parent's Guide from Control Driving School (Part 1)

Get your teen's WDL number online or in person.

✅ Get a Washington ID or Washington Driver's License Number (WDL Number)

Once your teen is enrolled in Driver's Education at Control Driving School, the next step is getting them a Washington ID or WDL number. This number is required before your teen can get their permit.

You can get the number by:

• Applying online through the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) website. This takes just a few minutes, and you'll receive the number immediately.
• Visiting a DOL office in person, where they'll give you the number right away as well.

Even if you apply online, you'll still need to visit the DOL later with the required documents to verify identity and receive the physical ID card in the mail. But for now, once you have the number, just send it to us—we'll walk you through the next step.

✅ Get the Learner's Permit

Once you provide us with the WDL number we will submit a waiver to the DOL allowing your teen to get their learner's permit without doing the Knowledge Test, which is normally required.

If you got the WDL number online:
You can apply for the permit after we submit your waiver. Just keep in mind that you'll still need to visit the DOL later to verify your teen's identity and receive the physical card.

If you got the ID in person:
You can now apply online for the permit, and it will arrive by mail.

👉 For speed, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness, we recommend using the online WDL method.

Obtaining your WDL number online is free, and when you go in for your permit, you'll only need to pay for the photo permit card (which also serves as a valid photo ID). This can be more efficient than paying first for an ID and then additionally paying for the learners permit. However, in person or online are valid options.

Once you have the permit, your teen can legally begin practicing with a licensed adult and start in-person driving lessons with us. Please get this learners permit as soon as possible, to avoid costly delays.

✅ Attend The Driver's Education Course & Schedule Your First Driving Lesson

Once your teen has their learner's permit, it's time to dive into the full Driver's Education Course at Control Driving School. The course includes:

• 15 Zoom classes (2.5 hours each, scheduled 2–3 times a week depending on your chosen course schedule)
• 6 in-person driving lessons (1 hour each, one of which is an observation drive, where your teen is a backseat passenger to another teen and the instructor)

Your teen should schedule their first driving lesson after completing the third Zoom class. They can schedule it either at the end of class with the instructor or directly on our website.

We recommend booking lessons early so your teen can do their hands-on driving practice alongside the classroom learning—this helps reinforce concepts in real time and builds lasting confidence.

Most students complete the course within 1 to 3 months, depending on their schedule and consistency.

If the course extends past 6 months additional fees apply, and the entire course may need to be retaken.

Everyday trips can count—switch seats and help your teen log hours

✅ Practice Driving with a Licensed Adult

Alongside their in-person driving lessons with us, your teen is to practice on their own with a supervising adult and complete:

• 50 hours of supervised driving practice, including 10 hours at night, before they can apply for an Intermediate Driver's License.

The supervising adult must:

• Be Licensed and
• Have at least 5 years of driving experience

These 50 hours happen outside of class and on your own schedule. You can complete all 50 hours with your teen, but if you'd like extra support, we offer paid options to help with some or all of those 50 hours. The 6 hours included in Driver's Education are separate from the required 50.

Many parents find this to be a great opportunity to switch seats—literally. Instead of driving their teen to school, the mall, or appointments, they let the teen take the wheel while they supervise. It's a convenient and valuable way to log meaningful hours and help your teen gain real-world experience.

👉 When your teen applies for their Intermediate License, you'll be required to attest to the DOL that these 50 hours of practice were completed.

✅ Part 2 Coming Soon. Wrap-Up: What Comes Next?

Once your teen is actively working through their Driver's Education course, has their learner's permit, and is logging practice hours with a licensed adult, they're well on their way to becoming a licensed driver. Stay tuned for part 2 which covers finishing the course, taking the exams and getting the intermediate license as well as how to turn it into a standard license.

At Control Driving School, we're here to support you every step of the way—from the classroom to the car and beyond.

For full details on getting a learner's permit—including documentation, driving rules, and special circumstances—visit the DOL website for full information.

Have questions? Email us at controldrivingschoolwa@gmail.com or text/call 425.572.6871—we're happy to help.