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Three American Driving Academy student driver cars parked below Pikes Peak in Colorado
Smiling new driver holding up her car keys

Colorado's Largest Driving School Driver's Ed, Driving Lessons & Driving Tests

  • 1999founded, family owned
  • 16Colorado locations
  • 40,000students a year

Driver’s Ed · Ages 14½ to 17

Where Should Your Teen Start?

Starting January 1, 2027, every Colorado teen under 18 must finish a state approved 30 hour driver’s ed course before they can get a permit.

Choose how your teen takes the 30 hour course

In Person Classroom Taught live by our instructors at one of our 16 Colorado locations. View classroom packages Online, At Their Own Pace The same state approved 30 hours, done from home on your schedule. View online packages

Already have a permit?

6 hours of driving lessonsColorado requires 6 hours of behind the wheel lessons for licensing before 16½.Book driving lessons

The driver’s license testYour teen can take it once the permit has been held 12 full months, or once they turn 18.Schedule the drive test

Ages 21 and Over

Select Desired Service

No driver’s ed course is required at 21 and over.

A Colorado permit comes first. Pass the written permit test and get your permit, then you can take driving lessons and your driver’s license test.

Permit Tests The 25 question written test, offered at all ten of our office cities. See permit testing Driving Lessons Permit required Two hour lessons in a dual controlled car with a certified instructor. See lessons Driving Tests Permit required The drive test, at 18 testing sites across Colorado. See drive testing

Ages 18 to 20

Select Desired Service

From January 1, 2027, Colorado requires the 4 hour class before you can get your permit. Already have yours? Book a lesson or your drive test.

4 Hour Class Required from January 1, 2027 to get your permit. Four hours, live on Zoom, from anywhere in Colorado. See 4 hour classes Driving Lessons Got your permit and want to learn? Two hour lessons in a dual controlled car with a certified instructor. See lessons Driving Tests Got your permit and ready to test? The drive test, at 18 testing sites across Colorado. See drive testing

Permit & Driving Tests

Which Test Do You Need?

Take the real thing, or a relaxed practice run at it first.

Permit Test The 25 question written test, offered at all ten of our office cities. See permit testing Driver’s License Test The drive test, at 18 testing sites across Colorado. See drive testing Practice Permit Test A relaxed run at the written test first, so nothing on the day is a surprise. See practice permit tests Practice Driving Test The same kind of route as the real thing, scored as you go, with a breakdown at the end. See practice drive tests

Included With Every Program

ADA Safety Advantage™

Take the course again, free, whenever you want a refresher.

Any student who completes one of our courses can take and review that course again at no additional charge, online or in person, as available, any time they want a refresher.

Driving is a skill people keep for sixty years and practice without feedback for most of them. The door back in should never be a paywall.

The Fine Print

ADA Safety Advantage™ applies to the original student only and is non-transferable. Complimentary re-enrollment applies to our 30 hour driver education course only and may be completed online or in person, subject to course availability, platform availability, and enrollment policies. This benefit does not include behind-the-wheel lessons, drive tests, permit tests, private tutoring, state fees, third-party fees, or other paid services. Scheduled instructor support is subject to availability. The benefit has no cash value and is available for the original student's lifetime while American Driving Academy continues to operate and offer the applicable course or support service.

On Every Package With Driving Lessons

Lesson Review Promise

If a lesson is not right, we look into it and we come back to you.

If a student or parent is not satisfied with a behind-the-wheel lesson, a member of our team will carefully review the lesson experience and follow up with you personally.

It is the part of lesson quality a driving school can actually promise: not how a student will drive, but that someone here will look at what happened and answer for it.

The Fine Print

The Lesson Review Promise applies to American Driving Academy behind-the-wheel driving lessons. It does not guarantee a license, drive-test result, test eligibility, skill level, refund, free lesson, instructor change, schedule change, or any specific outcome. Follow-up is subject to review, availability, documentation, scheduling, and program policies.

Your Location

Choose a Service

Which one are you looking for?

Classroom Packages Online Packages Driver’s License Testing Driving Lessons Permit Testing
Voted top driving school, Spider Awards 2025 | American Driving Academy
Best of Mile High 2026 gold winner | American Driving Academy

Driver’s Ed & Testing For All Ages

Driving Tests
Best Driving schools in Denver
Quality Business Awards 2026 winner, quality rating over 95% | American Driving Academy
  • 4.9 from 20,000+ reviews
  • Voted top driving school, Spider Awards 2025
  • AAA Approved Driving School, one of only 2 in Colorado
  • Best of Mile High 2026 gold winner
  • Recognized by MADD as a driver education partner
  • Quality Business Awards 2026 winner
  • DriveSmart Colorado partner
  • Best driving schools in Denver, Three Best Rated
  • Partnered with Bachus & Schanker
  • Trusted by Colorado school districts
  • As seen on KKTV, Colorado Public Radio, FOX 21, KOAA News 5, CBS News, Denver 7 and Telemundo

Learn to Drive in Colorado

Colorado Driving Classes, Driver’s Ed & Driving Tests

A full driver's ed classroom at American Driving Academy

Teen Packages

Ages 14½ to 17

Start with the 30 hour driving course to get your permit, then add lessons, the driver’s license test and Driver Skills Day.

In Person Course Online Course
A student taking the 4 hour driver awareness class live on Zoom at home

4 Hour Class Packages

Ages 18 to 20

For 18 to 20 year olds, four hours live on Zoom instead of the 30 hour course. Every package has the permit test.

4 Hour Class Packages
A driving instructor beside a student at the wheel

Driving Lessons

Teens & Adults

Private two hour lessons with patient, friendly, state certified instructors, in our own dual controlled cars, at your pace.

Driving Lessons

Why Choose Our Colorado Driving School?

40K
Students Per Year
25+
Years in Business
75+
Driving Instructors
16
Colorado Locations

Flexible Scheduling

We offer our services 7 days a week, so teens and adults can fit us around everything else. Whether that's after school, on a weekend, or on your day off, we are here teaching and testing drivers.

Safety First

Safety is the standard we measure everything else against. Our curriculum goes well beyond what Colorado requires, and our state-certified instructors have strong backgrounds in fields such as teaching, school administration, and law enforcement.

Their training never stops, and neither does our oversight of it. Every car is state-inspected, dual-controlled and carries dual-facing dash cameras, so every lesson is on the record.

Peace Of Mind

Our students (and their parents!) know exactly where they stand. After every driving lesson the Lesson Progress Tracker records what went well, what needs work, and what to practice at home.

Multiple Languages

Thousands of our students each year speak another language or learned to drive in another country. We have bilingual instructors, examiners, and phone support for your whole licensing journey.

Lifetime Support

We extend our commitment to you far beyond completing your program. We are always happy to discuss safe driving practices with past students and answer any questions.

AAA approved. Recognized by MADD. Partnered with Bachus & Schanker.

American Driving Academy, an AAA Approved Driving School

Free AAA membership for your teen

We are one of only two AAA Approved Driving Schools in Colorado. Finish a course with us and your teen can get a free AAA membership, as long as they are a dependent of an active AAA Primary Member living in Colorado.

Some restrictions apply. Membership expires on the renewal date of the Primary member. Current AAA Members, call 877-244-9790 to add your teen driver.

How the membership works
MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Impaired Driving Ends Here

Recognized by MADD

Mothers Against Drunk Driving recognizes American Driving Academy as a driver education partner, supporting its mission to end drunk and drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking and other drug use.

Our DUI awareness resource
Bachus and Schanker Injury Lawyers, an American Driving Academy partner

A free refresher lesson after a crash

We partner with Bachus & Schanker Injury Lawyers to get Colorado drivers back behind the wheel after an accident. Their eligible clients get a free one hour refresher lesson with one of our instructors, and our own students get a free insurance review, and a free insurance and registration holder.

Inside the partnership

Colorado Locations Near You

American Driving Academy driving school in Aurora, Colorado Aurora Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Centennial, Colorado Centennial Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Denver, Colorado Denver Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Erie, Colorado Erie Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Fort Collins, Colorado Fort Collins Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Longmont, Colorado Longmont Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Loveland, Colorado Loveland Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Pueblo, Colorado Pueblo Choose a service American Driving Academy driving school in Westminster, Colorado Westminster Choose a service

We also run drive tests at two more sites, in Cañon City and Trinidad. Those two are testing sites rather than driving schools, so they hold no classes or lessons.

Important Update

2027 Colorado Driver's Ed Law Update

Beginning January 1, 2027, Colorado's 2027 driver's ed law will require all aspiring drivers under 21 to complete driver's education before getting a permit. Ages 15–17 will need a 30-hour course; ages 18–20 will need either the 30-hour course or a 4-hour driver awareness course.

American Driving Academy already offers both. Our 30-hour course is approved by the state and runs online or in the classroom, and our 4-hour driver awareness class is live on Zoom for 18 to 20 year olds. Students can start preparing now and avoid delays once the new law takes effect.

Read the Full Parent Guide →

Colorado Driver’s License and Permit Questions

What is the first step to getting a driver’s license in Colorado?

The first step is passing the Colorado written permit test to receive your learner’s permit. If you are 15 years old, you must also complete a state-approved driver’s education course before you can receive your permit.

Once you have your permit, you can begin practicing driving and completing behind-the-wheel training before taking your Colorado drive test.

Do I need to take driver’s education in Colorado?

It depends on how old you are when you apply for your permit. At 15 to 15½, Colorado requires a 30-hour driver’s education course from a state-approved school. At 15½ to 16, you must complete either the 30-hour course or a 4-hour driver awareness program. From 16, no course is required to get the permit.

Course or not, every driver under 18 must hold the permit for at least 12 months and log at least 50 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian. Anyone who gets a permit before 16½ must also complete six hours of behind-the-wheel training with an approved driving school.

Adults 18 and older are not required to take driver’s education today. That changes on January 1, 2027, when every new driver under 21 must complete a course before getting a permit.

What services does American Driving Academy offer?

We offer a full range of driver’s education services in Colorado, including:

  • In-Person and Online Driving Classes
  • Permit testing
  • Behind-the-wheel driving lessons
  • Driver’s license testing (drive test)
  • Teen and adult driving programs
  • Spanish driver’s education, our escuela de manejo en español
Where are your driving school locations in Colorado?

American Driving Academy offers convenient locations across Colorado, making it easy to find a driving school near you. Our locations include Aurora, Centennial, Colorado Springs, Denver, Erie, Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland, Pueblo, and Westminster. If you do not see your town, you are probably closer than you think. Lakewood is a short drive from our Denver office, Arvada, Thornton and Brighton from Westminster, Parker and Highlands Ranch from Centennial, Boulder from Longmont or Erie, and Monument from Colorado Springs.

We also run drive tests at two more sites, in Cañon City and Trinidad. Those two are testing sites rather than driving schools, so they hold no classes or lessons, but they put a Colorado driving test within reach of southern Colorado.

How long does it take to complete driver’s education?

Our full program typically includes the permit test, 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training. The timeline depends on scheduling and the student’s pace.

Timing your completion of driver’s education also depends on your age and specific goals. A teen driver may take over 12 months to finish everything, not only because they might need to take our class and driving lessons, but also because they must hold their permit for 1 full year.

Do I need a permit before taking driving lessons?

Yes. You must have a valid learner’s permit before participating in behind-the-wheel driving lessons.

Colorado Driving Guides and Tips

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