Third-party drive tests with state-certified examiners.
Class, permit test, and 6 hours of lessons.
Course online, testing and lessons in person.
Behind-the-wheel lessons with patient and certified instructors.
Your teen takes Colorado's #1 online driving course, developed by American Driving Academy for new drivers across the state. Erie teens complete the state-approved, self-paced 30-hour program from home. The course is just the start. Family-owned since 1999, we strive for the best safety record in the country by exceeding state and industry standards. We prepare teens for safe, confident driving and support your family with permit testing, driving lessons, and the Colorado drive test toward a license. We look forward to serving your family.
Compare Your Options
Students can begin the State-approved 30-hour course as early as 14 years 6 months (14½). All three packages include that course. Compare what each one adds below.
400K+
Students Taught
Colorado family-owned since 1999
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Flexible scheduling. Open 7 days a week. | ||
| Online 30-Hour Course $39.85 Get started → | Course + Permit + Lessons $510 Get started → | + Colorado Drive Test $599 Get started → | |
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| Ready to Start? → | Enroll Now | Enroll Now | Enroll Now |
Need help choosing? Call (303) 623-1404 and tell us your teen's age, permit status, and planned licensing date.
At $39.85, this choice covers the State-approved course. Your family handles the permit test, driving lessons, and drive test separately. A teen licensing before 16½ still needs six hours through an approved school.
The $510 package brings together the course, Permit Test, and three 2-hour driving lessons. Those six hours meet the instruction requirement for teens who plan to receive a driver license before 16½.
At $599, this package includes everything already mentioned, plus the Colorado drive test. It is designed for families that prefer to purchase the road exam upfront, instead of paying more for it separately later.
Enroll in the 30-hour online course from home.
In every packageWritten knowledge test, with up to 4 attempts.
In $510 & upDMV appointment on or after the 15th birthday.
At the DMVThree 2-hr lessons, required to license before 16½.
In $510 & upPass the Colorado drive test and get licensed.
In $599Local Office
Your teen completes the online 30-hour course at home, then comes to 660 Briggs St in Old Town Erie for permit testing, three 2-hour driving lessons, and the Colorado drive test.
American Driving Academy operates 16 locations across the state.
Course Quality Matters
Our proven online course is built around licensing requirements, roads across Colorado, and the decisions new drivers face. Students receive local, in-depth driver education thoughtfully created by Colorado professionals, not a national test prep course thrown together.
Safe driving takes more than one voice. We are one of only two AAA Approved driving schools in Colorado and are recognized by MADD as a driver education partner, reinforcing the course's focus on vehicle safety and impaired-driving prevention.
Colorado instructors appear on screen for more than 10 of the 30 hours. Their teaching is supported by interactive learning, readings, quizzes, practice tests, and 100+ videos, so teens learn how to make safe choices and apply each lesson.
Permit ages, practice requirements, lesson timing, and testing rules can be hard to sort out. Parents can call our team or stop by the Briggs Street office, and we'll explain what their teen needs next.
Inside the Course
Every safe decision starts before a driver moves the wheel or presses a pedal. Teens learn to identify what is happening, predict what may happen next, decide on the safest response, and then execute that choice during behind-the-wheel practice.
A local trip can move from the narrower streets and pedestrians of Downtown Erie to Erie Parkway, County Line Road, or Highway 7 in minutes. The course teaches teens to identify the situations happening around them and use that information to decide what to do, building judgment they can use anywhere.
30 Hours, 15 Lessons
The curriculum has 15 connected lessons designed for new Colorado drivers. They cover the rules of the road and the safety concepts teens should understand before getting behind the wheel.
See It in Context
Driving concepts are easier to understand and remember when teens can see them in action. More than 100 videos combine classroom-style instruction from American Driving Academy instructors, on-location demonstrations around Colorado, and safety content from trusted sources such as CDOT.
Your Instructors
Our instructors come from different backgrounds, but they share one thing: years spent helping teens learn to drive.
Behind the Wheel
Both the $510 and $599 packages provide three private 2-hour lessons, giving your teen six hours with a patient and friendly state-certified instructor. Every drive takes place in a dual-controlled, state-inspected vehicle.
The first session starts with the fundamentals: vehicle setup, smooth braking, turns, lane position, scanning, and intersections. Lessons then progress to lane changes, parallel parking, multi-lane roads, complex intersections, freeway entry and exit, and downtown driving around pedestrians, cyclists, and buses.
Parents leave each session knowing what their teen did well and what should be practiced next. For students licensing before 16½, the three included lessons also satisfy Colorado's six-hour professional-instruction requirement.
Road Exam
Colorado State Driver License offices do not administer the road exam. American Driving Academy is a state-approved third-party testing center offering drive tests seven days a week.
The $599 package covers the course, permit test, six hours of lessons, and the Colorado drive test. Choose it when your family wants the exam accounted for from the beginning instead of adding another purchase later.
After a passing result is recorded, eligible students can usually upgrade their permit to a license online instead of scheduling another DMV appointment. The state mails the physical card to you.
Behind Every Package
Course completion is not the end of the support available to your family. Students can revisit the material, parents can ask us to review a lesson concern, and eligible graduates may qualify for insurance or AAA benefits.
Your teen may retake or review the 30-hour course free for life, subject to course, technology, platform, and program availability. They can return to the course before permit testing, during supervised practice, or ahead of the drive test. Students may also book time with an instructor to ask about a road situation or skill.
Vehicles used for behind-the-wheel lessons have dash cameras. Tell us within 7 days of a concern, while the footage is still available, and we will review it. The Lesson Review Promise reflects our commitment to accountability; it does not guarantee a license, test result, refund, free lesson, instructor change, schedule change, or any other outcome.
Some insurers offer driver discounts after an approved course, professional lessons, or another recognized safety program. Requirements and savings vary by carrier and policy, so families should ask their insurer what is needed before expecting a discount.
Eligible teens who complete one of our courses may receive a free AAA membership when they are dependents of an active AAA Primary Member in Colorado. Full restrictions appear later on this page and on our AAA information page.
Beginning January 1, 2027, HB24-1021 changes what new drivers must complete before receiving a first permit. Applicants ages 15 through 17 will need a 30-hour driver education course, while ages 18 through 20 may complete either that course or a 4-hour driver awareness program.
The State-approved online course offered here already meets the new 30-hour requirement.
Professional training is a separate requirement. Students who plan to receive a license before 16½ will still need six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction from an approved driving school.
Read Colorado's 2027 Driver's Ed Guide for Parents →Reviewed by Kevin Hughes, Owner. Kevin is a Colorado driver-education expert who has created extensive Colorado-specific driver's ed content and provided driver-safety expertise to local news outlets. Information provided for Erie online students was checked against HB24-1021, Colorado DMV requirements, published state guidance, and direct communications with regulators. Last reviewed: August 2026
Straight From Families
Parents and students describe instructors who put nervous teens at ease, lessons that build confidence with clear feedback, and calm professional support that makes the experience easier.
We had a great experience with American Driving Academy. My grandson was very nervous, but his instructor was super patient. She had grace, empathy, and compassion for this young man. He passed and achieved this important milestone in his life. Very grateful!
Instructors were always kind and patient, giving good feedback and encouragement that helped build confidence behind the wheel. The lessons were clear, supportive, and made learning to drive much less stressful.
I will recommend American Driving Academy to anyone, anytime, any day. My instructor Carole is a professional at what she does. She was so nice and calm, and her presence made me feel comfortable, confident, and very focused.
A teen who completes an American Driving Academy course may qualify for a free AAA membership when they are a dependent of an active AAA Primary Member living in Colorado, and the teen membership expires on the Primary member's renewal date. The benefit is not a standalone membership, is not automatic for every student, and remains subject to AAA eligibility rules, enrollment, territory, and program terms. Already an AAA Member? Call 877-244-9790 to add your teen driver.
See AAA Eligibility and Membership DetailsLocal Online Driver Education
American Driving Academy helps teens complete the State-approved 30-hour course from home, then use our Briggs Street office in Old Town Erie for permit testing, behind-the-wheel lessons, and drive testing. It serves Erie and surrounding areas.
We serve students from St. Vrain Valley School District, Boulder Valley School District, private, charter, online, and homeschool programs, including Erie High, Centaurus, Peak to Peak, Holy Family, and Vista Ridge Academy. Families also come from the nearby communities of Lafayette, Louisville, Dacono, Firestone, and Frederick.
Prefer face-to-face instruction? Explore our Erie classroom driver's ed packages for a lively in-person learning environment.
Yes. The State-approved 30-hour course is self-paced and completed at home. Permit testing, driving lessons, and the Colorado drive test are in-person services at our Briggs Street office when included in the package.
Students may currently begin at 14 years 6 months (14½). They can take the written permit test at 14 years 11 months and receive an instruction permit at a DMV appointment once they turn 15.
The $510 and $599 packages include Permit Test (4 Attempts) by appointment at 660 Briggs St #2. The $39.85 Online 30-Hour Course does not include permit testing.
The $510 and $599 packages include three private 2-hour lessons. Those six hours generally meet Colorado's professional instruction requirement for students who plan to receive a driver license before age 16½.
Yes. American Driving Academy is a state-approved third-party testing center and offers drive tests seven days a week across its network. Appointments at 660 Briggs St #2 are handled by state-certified examiners, and the exam is included in the $599 package.
Beginning January 1, 2027, applicants ages 15 through 17 will need a 30-hour driver education course before receiving a first permit. Ages 18 through 20 may complete that course or a 4-hour driver awareness program. The course offered here already meets the 30-hour requirement. Check final CDOT and DMV procedures when applying.
American Driving Academy does not guarantee permit approval, license approval, insurance discounts, AAA membership, or drive-test results.
If under the age of 16, you need to first complete a driver's ed course. In-person and online options are available.
This 25 multiple-choice test is offered at many of our locations.
After passing the course and the permit test, you will need to go to the DMV to get your driving permit. To make a DMV appointment…
If you are under 16.5 years of age, you are required to take six hours of driving lessons before getting your driver's license. Learn to drive with our state-certified, friendly, and patient instructors.
After holding your permit for one full year, it is time to take your driver's license test.
You need to pass this test to get your permit. It is 25 multiple choice questions. We offer this test at many of our locations.
After passing the permit test, you will need to go to the DMV to get your driving permit. To make a DMV appointment…
If you are new to Colorado or you don’t have driving experience, we offer driving lessons 7 days a week. These are 2-hour lessons with state-certified, patient, and friendly instructors.
You are required to pass the driver's license test in order to get your driver's license. After passing, you may be eligible to get your license that same day without even having to visit the DMV.
