Local Driving Lessons for Crespi Students

Before a California teen can apply for a license, two requirements must be met:

• Minimum 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed driving school (this is what our lesson packages cover)
• Minimum 50 hours of supervised driving practice with a parent, guardian, or licensed instructor. At least 10 hours must be at night

The 50 hours can be tracked using our free California driving log. Individual or custom lessons with our instructors count toward this total.

Students who want more time with an instructor beyond their standard package can book individual or custom lessons at any point. These are a great option for:

• Extra practice on specific skills (freeway driving, parking, canyon roads)
• Logging additional hours toward the 50-hour DMV requirement
• Night driving practice with a licensed instructor (counts toward the required 10 nighttime hours)
• Building confidence before the DMV road test

Ask us about individual lesson options when you sign up or after completing your package.

Stick with what was covered in the last lesson before moving on to anything new. Familiar Encino streets are perfect for this kind of low-pressure repetition.

• Quiet residential streets with minimal traffic
• Empty public parking lots (school or shopping center off-hours)
• Avoid jumping to busier roads or freeway until the instructor confirms the student is ready

Students who put in regular practice between lessons progress noticeably faster. Less time spent revisiting old material means more time learning new skills.

Spreading lessons across the full 6 months of the learner's permit is what we usually recommend. It gives families time for supervised practice between sessions, and each lesson can build meaningfully on the previous one. We know Crespi families juggle school, sports, and activities, so we plan around your schedule when needed.

It is more common than you might think, and completely understandable. Parents and students should not feel pressure to practice beyond their comfort zone. Wait for the next lesson, and your instructor will assess readiness and pick up from there.

A targeted lesson 1-2 weeks before your scheduled test. Your instructor runs through DMV expectations, conducts a mock road test, identifies habits that could cost points, and builds confidence before test day.

If you have already booked your DMV slot, let us know which office. We will plan the refresher to cover the roads around that DMV as much as legally possible. The DMV itself prohibits driving the test route during business hours, but our instructors know the streets around the DMVs near Encino and can prepare your student for what they are most likely to see.

Plenty of families use just this. Others combine it with the full test prep package below for end-to-end coverage.

Of all our options, this is the easiest one for families to manage. After you book the DMV Test Prep package, we work with you to land a DMV appointment that aligns with your schedule and our availability for instructor and vehicle. The scheduling burden lifts off you. Just one heads-up: if you choose this package, please skip booking your own DMV slot, since we may not be available on a self-selected date.

On test day, we pick your student up about an hour before the appointment, warm up with focused practice near the DMV, then drive to the test in our licensed, insured, and test-ready vehicle. Our instructor checks the student in, makes sure all paperwork is in order, and provides last-minute tips and a confidence boost right before the examiner arrives.

No need to provide a car, arrange a ride, or sort out DMV logistics. We take care of everything.

Most Encino families choose home pick-up, since it is the most convenient option. Your instructor arrives directly at your front door at the scheduled time, greets the student, and when a parent is around, briefly walks through the plan beforehand and shares progress at drop-off.

Each lesson has a 15-minute arrival window to allow for traffic. Once your instructor arrives, the full scheduled lesson time is taught in its entirety. No portion gets cut for a late start.

A convenient option on school days or after activities. Students can meet us at or near the corner of Santa Rita St and Alonzo Ave. Our vehicles have a large leaf logo on the side. The instructor will exit to greet your student when safe, or your student can approach and enter directly.

Pick-up and drop-off can sometimes be different locations. For example, picked up at Crespi Carmelite High School and dropped at home.

Pick-up spot: Encino

Following every lesson, your instructor sends a written assessment by email to both the student and parent. It covers what the student practiced, how it went, and the priorities for between-lesson work. When a parent is at drop-off, the instructor also takes a few minutes to talk through it in person.

Practice what was covered in the most recent lesson, ideally on familiar Encino streets where stress is lower. The progress report will give you specific guidance, but the rule of thumb is to master that skill before moving on to anything more advanced.

• Quiet residential streets, good for Level 1 review
• Empty parking lots, good for parking, turning circles, and low-stakes maneuvering
• Main streets throughout Encino once residential driving is solid

When a student and parent or guardian don't feel ready to practice a skill without an instructor, the best choice is to wait for the next lesson. Don't take on situations that feel unsafe.

You can choose between male and female instructors, and bios are available to read before booking. Vehicle preference is also yours to set: families pick between our Toyota Prius and Lexus SUV, each equipped with dual brake controls for instructor safety.

We accommodate instructor and vehicle requests based on availability. Assignments happen on a first-come, first-served basis when you book.

Meet all of our instructors

It is common for students to use both test prep options as a sequence: first a refresher lesson in the days before the road test to polish skills, then our full DMV Test Prep package on test day, when we coordinate the appointment, bring a licensed and insured vehicle, check the student in, and give a final confidence boost before the examiner arrives. Together they cover preparation and execution.

Book a DMV prep lesson