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.
Erie teens take Colorado's highest-rated 30-hour classroom course with American Driving Academy. The five-day class meets teen permit requirements, with our expert-written workbook and videos filmed on Colorado roads. The class is just the beginning. Family-owned since 1999, we strive for the country's best safety record by exceeding state and industry standards. We prepare teens for safe, confident driving and support your family through permit testing, lessons, the Colorado drive test, and the licensing process.
Three Ways to Start
All three Erie packages start with the five-day, 30-hour class and the permit test, which teens can begin as early as 14 years and 6 months.
400K+
Students Taught
Colorado family-owned since 1999
|
In-person classes. Open 7 days a week. | ||
| Permit Ready $195 Enroll now → | Road Ready $535 Enroll now → | License Ready $625 Enroll now → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| — | ✓ | ✓ | |
| — | ✓ | ✓ | |
| — | ✓ | ✓ | |
| — | — | ✓ | |
| — | — | ✓ | |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Ready to Enroll? → | Enroll Now | Enroll Now | Enroll Now |
Questions about what to purchase now? Call the Erie team at (303) 623-1404 and tell us your teen's age, permit status, and licensing goal.
Your teen needs the class and the permit test now, and you would rather buy lessons and the drive test later, closer to when your teen uses them.
Your teen wants a license before 16½ and needs the six professional hours Colorado generally requires, with three private lessons included.
You would rather add the drive test up front, since bundling it here costs your family less than buying that same exam separately later on.
Complete the live 30-hour class across five days.
In every packagePass the written permit test on Colorado road rules.
In every packageVisit the DMV on the 15th birthday or later.
At the DMVFinish three private 2-hour lessons that permit year.
In Road Ready & upPass the Colorado drive test and apply for a license.
In License ReadyClassroom in Old Town
The classroom sits on Briggs Street in Old Town Erie, so the 30-hour class and the appointments that follow all share one local address. Families come back for the permit test, three private lessons, and the Colorado drive test when each one comes up.
The Erie office is backed by American Driving Academy's statewide network of 16 Colorado locations.
What Parents Get Locally
Colorado defines the curriculum. We extend it with a workbook written for Colorado drivers, professional videos filmed on Colorado roads, discussion, review games, and work that asks teens to defend a safer decision.
American Driving Academy is one of only two AAA Approved schools in Colorado, and we partner statewide with MADD Colorado and Bachus & Schanker on impaired driving and roadside readiness.
Permit timing and the year of supervised practice raise questions long after class ends. Call 7 days a week or stop by Briggs Street for a plain answer about what is done, what is required, and what comes next.
The certificate is not the end. Course re-enrollment stays open, progress notes shape home practice, and dash-camera review lets families hold us accountable for the quality of behind-the-wheel training.
Notice What Changes
Knowing a rule is different from noticing when it matters. In a live room, an instructor can freeze an example, ask what changed, and compare several answers before revealing the safest one. Students hear where classmates looked first and learn how speed, space, or another driver's mistake alters the decision.
The same rule changes with the road, and that is what the class spends time on. Following distance that is fine on an Old Town side street will not hold on Erie Parkway or Highway 7. A left turn onto County Line Road needs a bigger gap than one downtown. A mountain grade punishes late braking. Your teen thinks those differences through with an instructor before meeting them from the driver's seat.
The Full Curriculum
Fifteen connected topics give new drivers a full foundation, with time to question, discuss, practice, and review.
People Who Can Explain
We value people who stay calm, prepare carefully, and turn serious experience into instruction a teenager can use.
Three Coaching Checkpoints
Road Ready and License Ready include six hours of lessons, split into three 2-hour visits. Your teen practices at home in between, and the next visit starts from what changed. Every lesson runs in a dual-control, state-inspected car with a patient, state-certified instructor.
There is no fixed Erie route. The instructor starts from what your teen can actually do, not from a lesson plan. An early visit might work on how far ahead they are looking, not just how they steer. Later work can move to lane changes in real traffic, parallel parking, merging onto the freeway, or mountain roads where grades, curves, and weather demand different choices.
After each visit you hear what went well and what still needs work, so your own practice drives have a focus instead of just adding miles. The six hours satisfy Colorado's professional-training rule for licensing before 16½. Every package lesson includes the progress tracker and the Lesson Review Promise.
When the Permit Year Ends
Colorado driver license offices no longer give the road exam. American Driving Academy does, as a State-approved third-party testing center. We give more than 35,000 of them a year, so the examiner in the car has done this thousands of times.
License Ready covers the exam inside the $625 package. The drive test is not booked at enrollment: you pick the date once your teen meets Colorado's rules on age, permit-holding, practice and training. Permit Ready and Road Ready families may purchase the exam separately later.
The examiner gives directions without coaching, then goes over the result at the end. A passing result is sent to the state, and eligible students can often upgrade online.
Help You Can Return To
Finishing the class is not the end of what your family can use. The course stays open for a full review, a lesson concern can be examined, and eligible graduates may qualify for insurance or AAA benefits.
The 30-hour certificate does not close the door on the course. The original student may re-enroll at no charge when a full review would help, using whichever classroom or online format is running. Families may also schedule instructor time to talk through a new vehicle, an Erie intersection, or the next practice priority.
If an included lesson raises a concern, contact us within 7 days while dash-camera footage may still be available. We will look at the experience and follow up. The review does not promise a license, test result, refund, replacement lesson, instructor change, schedule change, or any other outcome.
Some carriers consider driver education or a record of professional lessons when pricing a young driver's policy. The insurer alone decides eligibility, proof, and savings, so confirm the details before you budget around a discount.
A teen graduate may qualify for a complimentary AAA membership through an active Colorado AAA Primary Member. Dependency, enrollment, territory, renewal timing, expiration, and all other program rules control the benefit.
HB24-1021 changes the education step for first permits beginning January 1, 2027. Applicants ages 15 through 17 will need a 30-hour driver education course. Those ages 18 through 20 may use that course or a 4-hour driver awareness program.
Completing Erie's five-day classroom program satisfies that education step, even when the student finishes before the new rule begins.
Behind-the-wheel training remains a different requirement. A teen seeking a license before age 16½ still needs six professional hours through an approved driving school during the permit year.
Read Colorado's 2027 Driver's Ed Guide for Parents →Reviewed for accuracy by Kevin Hughes, Owner and Colorado driver-education expert. Kevin has created extensive Colorado-specific driver's ed content and provided driver-safety expertise to local news outlets. Erie classroom and licensing information reflects Colorado driver-education requirements, HB24-1021, DMV guidance, and details American Driving Academy has reviewed directly with state regulators. Last reviewed: August 2026
What They Told Us
My Driver's Ed instructor, Kevin, was patient and helpful throughout the class. He explained things clearly, answered questions, and helped me feel more confident while learning to drive.
Instructors were 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.
Ilse was very great to work with! She was professional, patient, and made the whole process smooth and stress-free. She explained everything clearly and made me feel comfortable and confident throughout.
For a family that already belongs to AAA, finishing the course may open a roadside-assistance benefit for the new driver. An eligible teen dependent can receive a complimentary membership tied to an active Colorado AAA Primary Member, ending on that member's renewal date. The benefit is neither automatic nor standalone. AAA controls dependency, enrollment, territory, and all other terms, so confirm current eligibility before relying on it. Existing Primary Members can call 877-244-9790 to request enrollment for an eligible teen.
See AAA Eligibility and Membership DetailsChoose How They Learn
Both paths fulfill the same Colorado requirements for a permit and license.
A classroom can fit a teen who stays engaged through live questions, group discussion, a fixed pace, and examples the instructor can pause and revisit.
All 30 hours run in one five-day Erie session on Briggs Street, with a workbook, games, video, and live explanation.
Online can fit a teen who studies independently and needs to place coursework around school, work, sports, travel, or changing family plans.
Erie online packages keep the same Colorado focus and still cover permit testing, lessons, and the drive test.
Erie classroom packages cost $195 for Permit Ready, $535 for Road Ready, and $625 for License Ready. Every package includes the five-day, 30-hour class and permit test. Road Ready covers six hours of lessons, while License Ready also covers the Colorado drive test and $25 sibling discount.
Students may begin the 30-hour classroom course at 14 years and 6 months. Starting around 14½ gives a teen time to finish class, take the permit test at 14 years and 11 months, and receive the permit on the 15th birthday or later.
A minor can first become eligible at age 16. The student generally must hold the permit for 12 full months, record 50 supervised hours including 10 at night, complete any required professional instruction, pass the drive test, and satisfy current DMV rules.
Classes are scheduled on weekends during the school year and in fall, winter, spring, and summer breaks. Each class spans five days and usually meets from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Current Erie dates appear when a package is selected.
Six hours through an approved driving school are generally required when a teen plans to receive a license before age 16½. A student licensing later may not need them, although professional lessons can still improve observation, control, confidence, and readiness.
Lessons are tailored to your teen's current skill. As control improves, instruction may include busier roads such as Erie Parkway, freeway entry, and mountain driving with grades, curves, and changing conditions. No single route or skill sequence is promised for every appointment.
ADA Safety Advantage™ belongs only to the original student and cannot be transferred. Complimentary re-enrollment applies to the American Driving Academy 30-hour driver education course and may be completed online or in person, subject to course availability, platform availability, and enrollment policies. It does not include permit tests, behind-the-wheel lessons, drive tests, private tutoring, state fees, third-party charges, or other paid services. Instructor support must be scheduled and remains subject to availability.
The benefit carries no cash value. It remains available during the original student's lifetime while American Driving Academy continues operating and continues to offer the applicable course or support service.
The Lesson Review Promise applies to behind-the-wheel lessons provided by American Driving Academy. When a student or parent is dissatisfied, American Driving Academy will examine the lesson experience and follow up with the student or parent. The promise does not guarantee a license, drive-test result, test eligibility, skill level, refund, free lesson, instructor change, schedule change, or another specific outcome. Documentation, footage availability, scheduling, and program policies govern the review and follow-up.
Colorado permit and license requirements vary with the student's age, permit date, training history, supervised hours, documents, and current DMV rules. A student may begin the 30-hour driver education course at 14 years and 6 months and may take the permit test with American Driving Academy at 14 years and 11 months. The permit may be issued at age 15 after course completion, a passing permit-test result, and the required DMV process.
A Colorado minor must hold the permit for 12 full months before applying for a license. A student seeking a license before age 16½ generally needs six hours of behind-the-wheel training through an approved driving school. Exceptions may apply. Families must confirm current Colorado DMV requirements before permit issuance, drive testing, or licensing.
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.
