Texas PTDE Driving Log: Tracking the 30 Practice Hours

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

A texas ptde driving log is the TDLR form where a parent-taught student and the parent instructor record the 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, with at least 10 of those hours at night. The 14 hours of in-car instruction are a separate part of the course, and TDLR says they are typically not logged by the parent instructor. A parent or guardian signs the finished log, and the student brings it along when it is time for the provisional license.

Key Facts

What gets logged: the 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice. See what the log covers.
Night hours: at least 10 of the 30 hours must be at night. See day and night hours.
Daily limit: only 2 hours of practice a day count. See daily limits.
Who signs: the supervising adult signs each session, and a parent or guardian certifies the total. See who signs.
When it is used: TDLR lists a completed log among the papers for the provisional license. See when the log is done.

What the Texas PTDE Driving Log Covers

TDLR’s behind-the-wheel page is clear on this point. It says, “Students and parent-instructors must complete a special log for the 30-hours of behind-the-wheel practice.”

The page links to the form. It is the TDLR 30-Hour Behind-the-Wheel Log, form DES150N. The copy we checked on October 26, 2026, was marked revised December 2024.

The log is for practice hours only. The same TDLR page says, “The 14 hours of in-car instruction are typically not logged by the parent-instructor.” It adds that some parent-taught courses may include a log for those hours.

So follow your course provider’s instructions for the 14 lesson hours. Use the TDLR form for the 30 practice hours.

How the 44 In-Car Hours Break Down

The parent-taught in-car phase totals 44 hours under 16 TAC 84.50. Only one part of it goes on the 30-hour log:

In-car part	Hours	Who is in the car with the student	On the 30-hour log?
In-car observation	7	The parent instructor	No, typically not logged
Behind-the-wheel instruction	7	The parent instructor	No, typically not logged
Behind-the-wheel practice	30, at least 10 at night	An adult 21 or older, licensed at least one year	Yes
Total	44

The 7 observation hours and the 7 instruction hours make up the 14 hours of in-car instruction. The 30 practice hours come on top of them.

None of these hours can start early. Under 16 TAC 84.50, behind-the-wheel instruction and practice may begin only after the learner license is issued.

What Is on the TDLR Form

The form is a simple table. At the top, you fill in the student’s name and driver license number.

Each practice session gets its own line. These are the columns on the form we checked:

Lesson time. The hours set for that lesson.
Practice session date and time. Write the date and mark a.m. or p.m.
Daytime hours. Hours driven in daylight.
Nighttime hours. Hours driven at night.
Adult’s signature and DL number. The supervising adult signs and adds a license number.

A totals row sits at the bottom. It shows “20 hours minimum” for daytime and “10 hours minimum” for nighttime.

Summary card of the Texas parent-taught 30-hour driving log: total hours, night minimum, daily credit limit and who signs

The Ten Lessons on the Log

The form splits the 30 hours into ten lessons. Each one names a page in TDLR’s 30-hour guide. Here are the lessons and their hours as printed on the form:

Lesson on the TDLR log	Hours
Getting ready, starting, placing the vehicle in motion, and stopping	2
Moving, stopping, steering, knowing where you are	3
Backing	1
Turning, lane position, and visual skills	4
Searching intended path of travel	3
Parking	1
Turnabouts	2
Multiple lane roadways	4
City driving	5
Expressway and freeway driving	5

Add them up and you get 30 hours. The lessons build from basic car control to city and freeway driving.

TDLR also posts a 30-Hour Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Guide on the same page. Use it to plan each session before you drive.

Day and Night Hours

At least 10 of the 30 practice hours must take place at night. TDLR’s behind-the-wheel page says so, and the form’s totals row backs it up.

The certification line on the form says the student “has completed 30 hours of guided practice which includes at least 10 hours at nighttime.”

Here is the math. If your teen logs exactly 10 night hours, the other 20 hours are daytime. Logging more than 10 night hours is fine, as long as the total reaches 30.

Mark each hour in the right column as you go. Sorting hours later from memory is harder.

Daily Limits That Shape the Log

The rules cap how much driving counts each day. TDLR’s behind-the-wheel page limits students to two hours a day of in-car instruction and two hours a day of supervised practice.

The log form says it plainly. “Only two (2) hours of behind-the-wheel instruction per day will count towards the 30 hours regardless of the number of hours the student actually drives in a day.”

That sets a floor on the calendar:

30 practice hours at 2 hours a day take at least 15 driving days.
14 instruction hours at 2 hours a day take at least 7 days.
The in-car course cannot be finished in fewer than 15 calendar days.

A long road trip still counts for only 2 hours that day. Our guide on how long PTDE takes shows how these limits fit the full timeline.

Who Supervises and Who Signs

The practice hours do not have to be with the parent instructor. TDLR’s behind-the-wheel page says the practice may be taught by anyone 21 or older who has been licensed for at least a year.

The page adds that the hours are “required to be certified by a parent or guardian.” The log form points to Section 521.222(d)(2) of the Texas Transportation Code for the adult’s requirements.

Two kinds of signatures go on the form:

Each session. The adult who rode along signs and writes their driver license number.
The final total. A parent or guardian signs the certification and dates it.

The form says a student over 18 signs the certification instead.

Six steps for filling in one session on the Texas parent-taught 30-hour driving log

How to Fill In the Log, Session by Session

A steady routine keeps the log clean. Use these steps for each drive:

Pick the lesson. Choose the next lesson on the form and read its pages in the TDLR guide.
Check the clock. Plan no more than 2 hours of practice that day.
Drive with a qualified adult. The adult must be 21 or older and licensed at least one year.
Write the date and time. Mark a.m. or p.m.
Enter the hours. Put them in the daytime or nighttime column.
Sign the line. The adult signs and adds a driver license number.

Keep the log in a safe place between drives. A torn or lost page means rebuilding the record.

Keep a Backup Copy

A photo or scan of each finished page is a simple safeguard. Take one after every few drives, and store it apart from the paper log.

Keep the original paper with its signatures. The copy is only for your own records.

Practice Rules While Your Teen Holds a Learner License

Every logged hour happens on a learner license. The DPS learner license rules apply on each drive:

A licensed adult 21 or older must sit in the front passenger seat.
No cell phone use, including hands-free, except in an emergency.

The Texas Driver Handbook covers the traffic laws your teen will practice. TDLR says every student needs access to a current edition, which is online only.

When the Log Is Done

A finished log has 30 hours, at least 10 of them at night. It also has a signature on every line and the parent or guardian’s certification.

TDLR’s provisional license page lists “a completed 30-hour driving log” among the documents the student brings to DPS. The log form also says to take it with the DE-964 certificate and the other required documents.

Follow the instructions from your course provider and TDLR for anything else the log needs. The DE-964 driver license portion comes from your provider after the full course. Our DE-964 guide explains it.

Stay in One Program for the Phase

Logged hours belong to the program you started. Under 16 TAC 84.50, hours in one phase must stay in one program.

If the method changes before a phase is finished, the earlier hours in that phase must be repeated. Talk to your course provider before you switch anything mid-phase, so logged hours are not lost.

Common Driving Log Mistakes

These mistakes come from the official rules and the form itself:

Logging before the learner license. Practice may begin only after the license is issued.
Counting more than 2 hours a day. Extra time that day does not count toward the 30.
Coming up short at night. The form needs at least 10 nighttime hours.
Driving with an adult who does not qualify. The adult must be 21 or older and licensed at least one year.
Leaving lines unsigned. Each session line has a space for the adult’s signature and license number.
Forgetting the certification. A parent or guardian signs the final statement.
Mixing up the two logs. The 30-hour form is for practice, not the 14 lesson hours.

How Requirements Can Vary

Texas driver education rules come from TDLR, and driver license rules come from Texas DPS. They apply statewide, but what you need depends on the student’s age, the course method, and whether the classroom part comes from a parent-taught course, a driving school, or a public school.

Fees, forms, and office procedures can change. Check the TDLR parent-taught pages and the DPS driver license pages before each step, and follow the instructions from your course provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

What goes on a Texas PTDE driving log?

Each practice session goes on its own line. You record the date and time, daytime or nighttime hours, and the supervising adult’s signature and driver license number.

How many hours does the Texas PTDE driving log need?

It needs 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice. At least 10 of those hours must be at night, and the form lists a 20-hour daytime minimum.

Do I log the 14 hours of in-car instruction?

TDLR says those hours are typically not logged by the parent instructor. Some courses may include a log for them, so follow your provider’s instructions.

Who can supervise the logged practice?

Any adult 21 or older who has been licensed for at least a year. A parent or guardian must certify the hours.

How many practice hours count per day?

Two. The form says only 2 hours per day count toward the 30, no matter how long the student drives.

When can my teen start logging hours?

Only after the learner license is issued. Under 16 TAC 84.50, behind-the-wheel practice may not begin before then.

What do I do with the log when it is finished?

TDLR lists a completed 30-hour driving log among the papers to bring to DPS for the provisional license. Follow your course provider’s and TDLR’s instructions for the rest.

Can a grandparent supervise the practice hours?

Yes, if the grandparent is 21 or older and has been licensed for at least a year. A parent or guardian still certifies the finished log.

Conclusion

The texas ptde driving log is where your family proves the 30 practice hours, with at least 10 at night and no more than 2 hours counted per day. Fill in a line after every drive, have the adult sign it, and finish with the parent or guardian’s certification. Driving Logic’s Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed course is coming soon, and the TDLR behind-the-wheel page has the official log form in the meantime.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Texas and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Texas driver education and licensing rules are set by TDLR, Texas DPS, and Texas law, and can change. Check the official TDLR and DPS websites for current requirements.