How to Start a Driving School

In many states, completing a driver’s education program is a requirement for getting a new driver’s license or a learner’s permit. Every state has different driver’s education requirements. Instead of paying a fine for a traffic infraction, many states offer the alternative of attending traffic school and the courts may also mandate that a person must attend a driver’s education program. Moreover, attending a defensive driving program may also entitle a driver to have lower vehicle insurance premiums.

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Start a driving school by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Driving School
  2. Form your Driving School into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Driving School for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Driving School
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Driving School
  7. Get Driving School Insurance
  8. Define your Driving School Brand
  9. Create your Driving School Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your driving school. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Driving School Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a driving school?

For an online only business, the cost is getting the state certification, the website design, website registration, hosting, and marketing a website. Good quality websites are around $1,000. Registration is about $12 per year. Hosting can be free or about $10 per month. Marketing is open-ended and will be based on response rates. A minimum is $100 to $200 per month. There is no maximum. If you spend $100,000 and earn $105,000 you will be very happy.

The classroom part of this business requires hiring teachers and renting a classroom. Teachers who are certified get about $30 per hour. Classroom space for up to 30 people rents for about $50 per day. If on-road training is part of your business model, you will need special vehicles that are equipped with dual controls. This is so your instructors can override the control of the vehicle if the student is making a mistake. If a new vehicle costs around $50,000, expect the dual control modification to cost about $20,000. You will need signage for the vehicle as well so for this allow $5,000 per vehicle. This is both a warning to other drivers that the vehicle is being operated by a student learner and also an advertisement for your company. You will need very good insurance coverage that is extremely expensive. Allow about $5,000 per month for each vehicle that is used for training.

What are the ongoing expenses for a driving school?

For the web-based efforts, the costs are web hosting of about $10 to $100 per month and web marketing from $100 to $5,000 per month depending on the success of getting sufficient customers to pay for the marketing expenses and make a profit.

For in-class teaching, the cost is the instructor(s) for about $30 per hour and the rental of the classroom (about $50 per day).

For on-road teaching, the cost is the lease of the vehicle (about $1,000 per month) and the insurance for the vehicle (about $5,000 per month).

Who is the target market?

Young persons or adults who are first learning to drive, those who have to attend a course because of getting a traffic ticket, and those who voluntarily want to attend a course to lower their vehicle insurance rates are preferred customers.

How does a driving school make money?

Typically, these businesses charge a fixed price for a full course of instruction.

How much can you charge customers?

Online driving schools in very competitive areas like California charge only $9.95 per student. In-class instruction for a six-week/six-session course averages about $99 to $150 per student. On-the-road instruction is typically a two-week (or fourteen days of teaching) course and costs $50 to $100 per day.

How much profit can a driving school make?

Online driving schools are only limited by their online marketing success. The best ones can make thousands in revenue per year; however, the competition is very severe for new entrants in this business. Successful in-class schools and on-road instruction programs make around $5,000 or more in profit per month.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Profits come from making many affiliations. Contracting with local high schools to give their students driver’s education and pay the school a commission is a good way to create new business. Offering programs that are co-promoted with insurance companies that share revenues with the insurance companies is also a good idea.

Making your traffic school stand out by being sure it meets the legal requirements and at the same time has a unique offering, such as a Comedy Traffic School in California is a wonderful way to make your business distinct.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your driving school is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your driving school were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

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FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our How to Start a Business guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best Business Formation Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

In most states, it is necessary to obtain a driving instructor’s license. Find out more about this requirement at your local department of motor vehicles (or equivalent). Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a driving school. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Release of Liability

Liability waivers are essential since consumers will be in high risk environments, operating potentially dangerous machinery. For this reason, it is best to require clients to sign a liability waiver.  Here is an example of one such form.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional release of liability form for your driving school when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

Services Contract (e.g. MSA)

Driving schools should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, and service level expectations.

Certificate of Occupancy

A driving school is generally run out of a physical location, such as a classroom. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

If you plan to lease a location:

  • It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
  • Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a driving school.
  • After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.

If you plan to purchase or build a location:

  • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
  • Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Driving School needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Driving School.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a driving school

The best way to promote you business is through affiliations. Examples of affiliations include:

  • Offering discount programs to students from local high schools.
  • Having special programs that are connected to specific auto insurance companies.
  • Getting on the list of qualified driving schools for traffic courts in the local area.
  • Creating cross-promotional campaigns with auto dealers and rental car companies.
  • Having vehicles specially equipped for handicapped drivers and getting publicity because of this.

How to keep customers coming back

Attracting customers is important, retaining them is less important. The customers usually pay a non-refundable fee for the entire course when they sign up. Although repeat customers are possible, these are very rare. The best way to attract customers is by affiliation programs as described above. Marketing is possible as well. For Internet-based classes only, online marketing is critical.

We know of one company that had workers stationed outside of traffic courts who handed out flyers for their driving school to those leaving the courts. In states where attending a traffic school gets a ticket dismissed this is a very effective way to advertise the business.

For those driving schools that offer on-the-road training, it is important that the school is advertised on the vehicles used for training. In addition to this, it is possible to use advertisements on taxis or other modes of public transportation for the same purpose of attracting new customers.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

An online driving school (also called a “traffic school”) can be started by anyone who has an affinity for creating web-based services, who is also willing to go to the trouble to be legally certified by a state authority. Schools that offer in-class instruction needs certified teachers who are skilled in public speaking. If getting up in front of a crowd of strangers to explain things does not intimidate you, you would be very good at this. Most driving schools also offer on-the-road training, which requires instructors to be both patient and firm with students, so as to help them learn how to drive while avoid making dangerous mistakes.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

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What happens during a typical day at a driving school?

For an online driving school, you will concentrate on Internet marketing and be sure your website is operational. For a driving school that offers in-classroom sessions, you will make sure the facilities are clean and that the instructor(s) show up on time. For the on-road instruction business, you will check the maintenance records of the vehicles and any accident damage that needs to be repaired. You will be very diligent about making sure the insurance coverage for those training vehicles is up-to-date. In all cases, you will monitor the marketing campaigns for effectiveness.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful driving school?

It goes without saying that a driving instructor will need to be an excellent driver. There are courses you could take to improve your driving skills before teaching others.

It is also crucial to be aware of the current laws and regulations regarding driving, so that you are not giving your students outdated information.

What is the growth potential for a driving school?

The growth potential is almost unlimited, yet there is significant competition. Every city in America needs a driving school and most have more than one. It is possible to start in a single location and expand nationwide.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

How and when to build a team

The demand for classes and the demand for on-road training is the support for when to add more instructors. It is possible to start this business as an owner/operator and then as the demand for instruction and classes increases you can add other instructors. At first, they do not have to be full-time and only be part-time workers that are scheduled when there are students who paid for the services.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading