Becoming a driving instructor in New Jersey
The NJ Motor Vehicle Commission licenses instructors, and the license only covers lessons given through a licensed driving school. Here is what the MVC asks for, and where DMVZone training fits.
Steps
Line up a school
Your instructor license is tied to a licensed NJ driving school, so you need one to sponsor you. Not placed yet? Finish DMVZone training first; it shows a school you take the job seriously.
Apply to the MVC
Download the Initial Driving School Instructor License application from the MVC site, complete it and mail it to the Business Licensing Services Bureau, Driving School Unit, in Trenton.
Pass MVC testing
Expect a traffic-law knowledge exam, a driving test and a vision check. Review the NJ Driver Manual and our free NJ practice tests the week before.
Rules once you are licensed
- Carry your instructor license during every lesson.
- Stay in the car whenever the keys are in the ignition during behind-the-wheel instruction (motorcycle lessons excepted).
- Do not validate a student's learner permit until they have completed six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and an authorized person at the school has endorsed it.
Where DMVZone training fits
New Jersey does not require a private teaching course, so our twelve modules are not a substitute for the MVC process. They cover what the MVC exam does not: how to actually teach a nervous 16-year-old, plan a lesson, use the dual brake, handle highways and weather, and keep records that protect you and the school. Many schools ask new hires to complete it before their first solo lesson.
Sources
NJ MVC: Driving School Instructor License · N.J.A.C. 13:23-3.3. Checked October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the MVC before applying.