how many Days will this take?
The State law requires 36 hours of classroom training and 7 days of behind the wheel. (I know some other schools require less time but what they are doing is illegal. Safety for each new driver and others that will be on the road with them should be considered on choosing which school to attend).
Can I Double up days on Driving?
Due to state law each student is only allowed one session of behind the wheel a day.
What Does a Driving Session Consist of?
There are seven driving sessions in Behind the Wheel. Each one will require the student to drive for 50 minutes and observe another student drive for 50 minutes.
Why do I have to do this?
The State of Virginia mandates that all new drivers under 18 must take Driver's education before obtaining a license.
Why Should I choose a commercial school instead of the one offered at the Public School?
We are able to work around and accommodate each students busy schedule. Also not taking it at school will allow the student to take a different course that might not have been possible before. All of our classes are 9 days instead of semester long. For the driving part we work around school and extra curricular activities. We can pick up after school and we do weekend sessions too!
Do the days for behind the wheel have to be consectutuive?
No we know students are super busy and have a lot going on. We will do everything we can to accommodate you as best we can.
Do I have to have my learners permit before taking an in-class or Online Drivers Education Class?
No,s not necessary. If you do have one, bring it to class on the first day, or for online students, on the day you come to the office to take your final exam, so we can take a copy of it for our records.
Do i have to have my learners permit to start behind the wheel sessions?
Yes. We also recommend 15-20 hours of practice with a parent or guardian before beginning your Behind the Wheel driving sessions with your instructor.
What are the steps to complete the Drivers Education class and behind the wheel to recieve your temporary license?
This is a questions we get a lot! It can be a confusing process but here are the basic steps to begin:
1) Student must in enroll in either our in-class Drivers Ed Course or our online Drivers Ed Course. To enroll, you click "Register New Student" on the homepage which directs you to your application where you provide general contact information, email address, date of birth, etc. The Drivers Ed Course is $250. At the time of enrolling, you may pay just the $50 dollar deposit, but the remaining $200 must be paid within 7 days of enrolling. Once that is completed, the application is sent to us, we create your file, and you are al set for either your in-class or online class.
-Summer Drivers Ed in-class is Monday-Friday 10:00-1:50 PM with a 30 minute lunch break. The second week is Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM-1:50 PM. The last day is the final exam and once you have passed you will be eligible to schedule Behind The Wheel Driving Sessions.
-Fall Drivers Education Courses are held in the evenings as well as weekend mornings. The exact times and dates will be announced when the fall class schedule is posted.
-If you choose to take the online Drivers Education Course, you submit your application on the website by clicking "Register New Student" and fill out the same application, just like stated above, but instead of picking a class starting date you choose Online Driver Education class on the scroll down menu on the application. That information is then submitted to us, and we will promptly send you an email with the link for the class for you to begin. It is 7 Chapter Modules and once you get close to completing the modules, you can call our office, 804-288-2338, and set up a time to take your final test on our computer. Once passed, you will be eligible to schedule Behind The Wheel Driving Sessions.
2) If you have completed and passed your driver education classroom course at another school and are ready to set up driving sessions with us, you need to submit a Behind The Wheel application on our website. If you completed the classroom course with us another application isn't necessary you can submit one or just reach out and let us know you are ready to schedule Behind the Wheel as we will already have everything required by the state laws. When filling out the application you just need to select Behind The Wheel on the scroll down menu on the application. The total cost of the sessions is $350. If signing up as a new student for the Behind the Wheel course payment can be made on the application as well and is advised. If we just recieve a payment without an application it will delay the process of getting scheduled as we comply with rules and regulations VA and the DMV have for Driver Training Schools. Also without an application and only a payment it's not only an incomplete registration but could be for a payment due or for one of our other services like private lessons. Once your application is received, we will call you to set up the times and days of your driving sessions! Also if you took the classroom at another school by state law we will need to obtain the certificate of completion from the other school. If taken at a public school it is the DEC-1 often referred to as the Green Card. If taken at another commerical driving school its the DTS 36. We are required to have a signed application and that certificate before beginning Behind the Wheel according to Virginia Law and I will need it for the the students file for my yearly DMV audit. We can start scheduling without the classroom certificate but will need it by the first driving session. It is required by DMV law that each student drive a total of 7 driving sessions. DMV law also requires you to observe other students driving so there will be 1 to 2 other students in the car with you for all of you to observe each other. On the 7th session is when your final road test is administered. Once you complete the last driving session, a parent or guardian needs to come into the office to sign the required paperwork and discuss DMV laws, rules, and regulations because we submit you your temporary license! The parent or guardian will also need to bring their license as well. So no need for another trip to the DMV! You will then receive the hard copy license in the mail from the DMV in about 3-4 months from the students eligilty date.
1) Student must in enroll in either our in-class Drivers Ed Course or our online Drivers Ed Course. To enroll, you click "Register New Student" on the homepage which directs you to your application where you provide general contact information, email address, date of birth, etc. The Drivers Ed Course is $250. At the time of enrolling, you may pay just the $50 dollar deposit, but the remaining $200 must be paid within 7 days of enrolling. Once that is completed, the application is sent to us, we create your file, and you are al set for either your in-class or online class.
-Summer Drivers Ed in-class is Monday-Friday 10:00-1:50 PM with a 30 minute lunch break. The second week is Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM-1:50 PM. The last day is the final exam and once you have passed you will be eligible to schedule Behind The Wheel Driving Sessions.
-Fall Drivers Education Courses are held in the evenings as well as weekend mornings. The exact times and dates will be announced when the fall class schedule is posted.
-If you choose to take the online Drivers Education Course, you submit your application on the website by clicking "Register New Student" and fill out the same application, just like stated above, but instead of picking a class starting date you choose Online Driver Education class on the scroll down menu on the application. That information is then submitted to us, and we will promptly send you an email with the link for the class for you to begin. It is 7 Chapter Modules and once you get close to completing the modules, you can call our office, 804-288-2338, and set up a time to take your final test on our computer. Once passed, you will be eligible to schedule Behind The Wheel Driving Sessions.
2) If you have completed and passed your driver education classroom course at another school and are ready to set up driving sessions with us, you need to submit a Behind The Wheel application on our website. If you completed the classroom course with us another application isn't necessary you can submit one or just reach out and let us know you are ready to schedule Behind the Wheel as we will already have everything required by the state laws. When filling out the application you just need to select Behind The Wheel on the scroll down menu on the application. The total cost of the sessions is $350. If signing up as a new student for the Behind the Wheel course payment can be made on the application as well and is advised. If we just recieve a payment without an application it will delay the process of getting scheduled as we comply with rules and regulations VA and the DMV have for Driver Training Schools. Also without an application and only a payment it's not only an incomplete registration but could be for a payment due or for one of our other services like private lessons. Once your application is received, we will call you to set up the times and days of your driving sessions! Also if you took the classroom at another school by state law we will need to obtain the certificate of completion from the other school. If taken at a public school it is the DEC-1 often referred to as the Green Card. If taken at another commerical driving school its the DTS 36. We are required to have a signed application and that certificate before beginning Behind the Wheel according to Virginia Law and I will need it for the the students file for my yearly DMV audit. We can start scheduling without the classroom certificate but will need it by the first driving session. It is required by DMV law that each student drive a total of 7 driving sessions. DMV law also requires you to observe other students driving so there will be 1 to 2 other students in the car with you for all of you to observe each other. On the 7th session is when your final road test is administered. Once you complete the last driving session, a parent or guardian needs to come into the office to sign the required paperwork and discuss DMV laws, rules, and regulations because we submit you your temporary license! The parent or guardian will also need to bring their license as well. So no need for another trip to the DMV! You will then receive the hard copy license in the mail from the DMV in about 3-4 months from the students eligilty date.
Should i schedule my Behind The Wheel Sessions directly after i have completed my Drivers Ed Course?
Students must hold their learners for 9 months before becoming eligible for their license, so we recommend students to wait to do their Behind The Wheel Sessions until it gets closer to the time they can get their actual license but if they have about 20 hours of practice and their schedule is busy I suggest scheduling for the times that work best for you. Signing up early like a month or two is also highly suggest in the summer time. This gives you more at home driving practice with your parent or guardian, as well as, helps us be able to schedule your sessions in a timely and efficient manor that fits your schedule.
How does the Driver improvement class work?
As of now, we only offer our Driver Improvement course online. To sign up, log on to our website, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "Register New Student". It will then take you to an application where you fill out your name, email address, telephone number, and other basic information. On the scroll down menu on the application click "Driver Improvement". You will then get an email with the link to begin the Driver Improvement Course. It is an 8 hour course, the same as it would be as an in-class course, but in the comfort of your own home! Once you have completed the course and all chapter tests you just pay for the certificate and it will be emailed to you within 1-2 business days if not sooner. The fee for the Driver Improvement class and certificate is $50 and is paid upon passing the course and required to receive your Certificate of Completion.
AS FAR AS THE CLASSROOM PORTION AND IN-PERSON VS ONLINE
THE SCHEDULE FOR THE IN-PERSON CLASS CAN BE LOCATED UNDER THE TEEN DRIVER TAB. AS FAR AS COMPARING THE TWO I THINK THE STUDENTS BENEFIT MORE FROM THE IN-PERSON CLASS. ALSO THE ONLINE CLASS ISN'T FOR EVERY STUDENT. THE ONLINE CLASS IS ALSO SELF PACED SO IT TYPICALLY TAKES LONGER THAN THE IN-PERSON CLASS.
CAN BOTH THE CLASSROOM AND BEHIND THE WHEEL BE DONE AT THE SAME TIME.
YES THEY CAN BE TAKEN AT THE SAME TIME THE FINAL EXAMS JUST HAVE TO BE ON THE SAME DAY OR THE CLASSROOM PORTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN ON OR BEFORE THE FINAL BEHIND THE WHEEL SESSION.
WHAT IS THE ADULT WAIVER COURSE AND WHY DURING COVID IT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT GETTING YOUR LICENSE.
IT HAS THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS THE UNDER 18 DRIVERS ED COURSE. IF YOU PREVIOUSLY HAVE TAKEN THE CLASSROOM THEN ALL YOU NEED IS THE DRIVING PORTION IF YOU NEED BOTH I WOULD REGISTER ON THE ADULT WAIVER APPLICATION AND SELECT THAT YOU HAVE NOT TAKE THE CLASS ROOM BEFORE.
Refund Policy
No refunds will be given unless services are not rendered because River City Driving School is unable to and at fault. If payment is made and we do not recieve one or all of the following we are not at fault and only obeying the laws for Driver Training schools in Virginia: an application, the certificate of completion if class was taken at a different school or we are unable to make a copy of the students learners permit. All of which is required for each students file that we submit to the DMV to comply with our yearly DMV audit. A dispute of payment is also against the TOS without a written explanation on why it is RCDS's fault and all payments will be forfeited if the customer does not comply with our TOS and the requirements set forth by Virginia and the DMV. Regardless of how payment is made without the other requirements we are unable to render services due to being compliant with the Rules and Regulations set forth by the state and DMV.