Durham Driving School: DMV-licensed lessons & test prep
In Durham, lessons start with pickup at home, school or work. Durham is about 8 miles from our Chico office, and lessons combine two-lane rural highway, farm traffic and the drive into Chico.
Roads we train on in Durham
Two-lane rural roads with passing and farm equipment.
School zones and four-way stops.
Transition from rural speed to city traffic.
School pickups
Durham High School. Pickup from the front office or pickup zone where the school allows it; class-hour slots are hidden for school pickups on school days.
Learning to drive in Durham.
Durham drivers spend much of their time on two-lane roads shared with farm equipment, then need to handle city traffic when they drive to Chico for school, work or the DMV. Lessons practice both: following distance and passing zones on the Midway and the Durham-Dayton Highway, school zones and four-way stops in town, and the change of pace on the way into Chico.
The drive test
Durham students can book the drive test at the Chico DMV office, or at any office they prefer, on dmv.ca.gov. Tell us which one, and with the DMV exam package, lesson 2 is on your appointment day. How DMV drive test prep works →
A typical 2-hour lesson in Durham
- Pickup at home, Durham High School or work
- Town center: four-way stops, school zones and scanning
- The Midway and Durham-Dayton Highway: speed control, following distance and farm equipment
- Into Chico when ready: signals, lane changes and busier intersections
- Drop-off in Durham, with written notes for home practice
The instructor adjusts the route to the student's level. Teens: 6-hour behind-the-wheel training. Adults: adult driving lessons.
Packages in Durham
Same prices in every town we serve.
Durham questions.
Is Durham inside the pickup area?
Yes. Durham is about 8 miles from our office, and lessons start with pickup at home, school or work in Durham.
Can you pick up from Durham High School?
Yes, from the front office or pickup zone where the school allows it. Class-hour slots are hidden for school pickups on school days.
Do Durham lessons include city driving?
They can. Once the student is ready, the instructor adds the drive into Chico so rural roads and city traffic are practiced in the same 2 hours.
How much are driving lessons in Durham?
Diamond · 6-hour teen training (teens under 18): $522.49, or $499.99 cash or check to your instructor at the lesson; Gold · single 2-hour lesson (adult learners; many use one Gold lesson as a road-test warm-up; for test day with our car, choose the DMV exam package): $208.99, or $199.99 cash or check to your instructor at the lesson; DMV exam · prep + exam day (4 hours of training (2 × 2-hour lessons) + our car for your DMV road test): $417.99, or $399.99 cash or check to your instructor at the lesson. Listed prices are for card payment online; paying cash or check to your instructor at the lesson costs less.
Do I need a permit?
Yes. Every student needs a valid California instruction permit (or license) to drive with us. Teens under 18 get the permit after finishing driver education (DL 400C) and passing the DMV written test, and bring the original permit to every lesson. Adults 18 and older can apply for a permit without driver education.