Information for Driver Education Applicants

You can apply for free driver's education if you meet at least one of these criteria:

• You are younger than 18 years old and residing in foster care now
• You are at least 18 years old, but younger than 21, in foster care being paid for by the Department of Family and Protective Services
• You experienced dating violence, or you are a child of someone who experienced dating violence[1]
• You experienced family violence, or you are a child of someone who experienced family violence[2]
• You are younger than 26 years old and aged out of the Texas Foster Care system or have experienced homelessness [3]
• You are younger than 26 years old and have experienced or are experiencing homelessness[4]

If you think you may be eligible for the program, complete the application and eligibility verification forms, even if you are not sure. The application will be reviewed within five (5) business days to determine if you are eligible.

[1] as defined by Section 71.0021, Family Code

[2] as defined by Section 51.002, Human Resources

[3] as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 11434a

[4] as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 11434a

Get Proof—Eligibility Documentation

If you want to apply for the program, you have to show that you belong to one of the groups listed above. Pick the group that describes you best. Then, when you apply, you’ll need to provide PROOF that you belong to that group. Read the requirements below for your group.  Each group requires a different type of Eligibility Document.

Foster Care: 

If you are in foster care or extended foster care right now, you can get your PROOF in this way:  

• Ask your caseworker or Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) staff to fill out one of the following:
  • Youth or Young Adult in Foster Care Residency Verification for a Driver License or State Identification Card Fee Waiver (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Form K-908-2042)  
  •  Foster Care Verification Form (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Form K-908-4200).  

If you are younger than 26 years old and aged out of foster care in Texas, you can get PROOF one of these ways:  

• Ask your PAL staff to fill out one of the following forms:
  • Foster Care Verification Form (Texas Department of Family Protective Services Form K-908-4200).
  •  Youth or Young Adult in Foster Care Residency Verification for a Driver License or State Identification Card Fee Waiver (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Form K-908-2042)    
• If you do not have a PAL staff or don’t know how to contact them, contact the staff at the State Office staff of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services PAL Program for assistance.

Homeless: 

If you are younger than 26 years old and have experienced or are experiencing homelessness    you can get your PROOF one of these ways:  

• Certification of Homeless Status for Texas Birth Certificate and Texas Identification Card and Driver License form
• If you can’t find the specific form, you can use the TWC Eligibility Verification Form instead. Just keep in mind that an adult * who can verify your eligibility will need to fill out this form for you.  

*This form can be completed by your school’s homeless liaison or staff at a program that provides services to people experiencing homelessness, such as a drop-in, emergency shelter, transitional living or housing programs. See more information at 42 USC CHAPTER 119, SUBCHAPTER VI, Part B: Education for Homeless Children and Youths (house.gov). 

Family/Dating Violence: 

If you have experienced family violence2, dating violence3, or are the child of someone who experienced family or dating violence you can get your PROOF one of these ways:  
 

• The Certification Letter for Family or Dating Violence signed by one of the professionals listed on the form
• If you can’t find the specific form mentioned above, you can use the TWC Eligibility Verification Form instead. Just keep in mind that an advocate * will need to fill out this form for you.  

*Advocate at a family violence center who assisted the victim, a licensed medical care or mental health provider, the director of an emergency shelter, transitional housing, or the director of a transitional living program. 

To apply, you will need to choose an approved driving school. You can find a list of TWC vendors here. If the driving school you want to go to is not on the list, email us and we will reach out to them to join the program.

Once you select an approved driving school, follow the TWC Application Instructions (coming soon!) to:

1. complete the TWC Online Application (coming soon!); and
2. submit proof of eligibility. 

Email Your Proof of Eligibility Documentation to DriverEducationProgram@twc.texas.gov. 

If you do not have a computer, you can go to your Local Workforce Solutions Office to get an application and/or use a computer. You can also go to your local library to use a computer.

After TWC receives your Proof of Eligibility Documentation by email, you will receive an email about your approval or denial status within five business days.

Note: Keep in mind that this program cannot pay for fees that the driving school may charge for late arrivals, no-shows, and other fees for not finishing the program within a certain time frame.

DO NOT make any prepayments to the driver education school.

After you submit the online application and email your Eligibility Documentation, TWC will email you within 5 business days after the Eligibility Documentation is received.  This email will give you the reason your application was denied.

Common Reasons for Application Denial: 

1. You are not eligible.  This means you do not meet requirements for eligible people who identify with the groups listed under the website section “Am I Eligible”. These groups of eligible people also have different age limitations.  If you receive this notice, unfortunately, your driver education cannot be funded by this program, and you will not be invited to submit another application.

   If your application is denied for one of the following reasons, you will be invited to resubmit another online application and provide the requested corrections:

2. You did not email your Eligibility Documentation within 10 business days from submitting your online application.
3. You did not submit the correct type of Eligibility Documentation for the eligibility group you identify with.  
4. The wrong (unauthorized) person completed/signed your Eligibility Documentation.  
5. You provided incorrect information on your application or the Eligibility Documentation, such as an incorrect birthyear.  
6. You left out important information on your application or Eligibility Documentation.