Driver training rules in Connecticut

✓ Checked against official sources · 2026-10-18

Driver training rules in Connecticut for teen and adult driver's education, CDL schools, carriers that train their own drivers and school bus drivers, each with a link to the official source. Federal ELDT rules (49 CFR Part 380) apply in every state on top of these.

Driver education (teens)	Teens: 30 hours classroom at a commercial or secondary driving school (or 22 hours home training) incl. 8-hour safe driving practices course, plus 2-hour parent class; 8 behind-the-wheel hours with the school.source 1
Supervised practice (teens)	40 hours practice driving (any mix of school, secondary or parent instruction); permit held 120 days (driving school) or 180 days (home training). No night-hour minimum listed.source 1
New adult drivers	Yes. First-time applicants 18+ must take an 8-hour safe driving practices course and hold a learner's permit 90 days before the road test (2023 manual).source 2
Who licenses driving schools	Connecticut DMV licenses commercial (car) driving schools and commercial driving instructors.source 3 · source 1
CDL training: state rules beyond federal ELDT	No added state hours; DMV follows federal ELDT (no BTW hour minimum). Training must come from an Office of Higher Education-authorized provider.source 4
CDL schools: state license	Yes. CDL schools need authorization from the Office of Higher Education as private career schools (C.G.S. 10a-22a et seq.). DMV drivers' school licenses exclude professional-driver training.source 5 · source 6 · source 7
CDL schools: state hours or curriculum	No state hours; DMV says ELDT sets no BTW hour minimum.source 5
CDL schools: instructor rules	No state instructor license. OHE's evaluation team checks that instructors' qualifications fit the program (C.G.S. 10a-22b).source 6
Carriers training their own drivers: license	Exempt. Training a firm's own employees is not a private career school (C.G.S. 10a-22a); DMV says the OHE rule doesn't cover employers training their own employees.source 6 · source 5
Carriers: hours or curriculum	No state hours for anyone; federal ELDT only.source 5
Carriers: instructor rules	No. OHE instructor review applies to authorized schools; in-house employee training is excluded. Federal 380.605 applies.source 6
New school bus drivers	At least 10 hours training (behind-the-wheel and classroom, split by the approved instructor); as few as 4 hours for applicants who meet listed conditions, such as holding a valid CDL (DMV Reg. 14-276a-3).source 8 · source 9
School bus refresher	6 hours in-service training every year by an approved instructor; no more than 3 hours count per day.source 8 · source 9

Driving manuals and handbooks

Official publications from Connecticut, checked 2026-10-19. Read them here or download them; the state's own copy is always linked.

Driving jobs in Connecticut

Rules change. Always confirm with the state agency before you rely on a rule. Something out of date? Email terry@eldt.courses.

Federal rules in every state

CDL entry-level driver training must come from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, for a first Class A or B CDL, an upgrade to Class A or B, or a first P, S or H endorsement (49 CFR 380.609). See ELDT record keeping under 49 CFR 380.

Sources

1. https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/licenses-permits-ids/teen-drivers-license/driver-training-for-teens
2. https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/-/media/dmv/dmv-pdfs/drivers-manual-english.pdf
3. https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/commercial-and-industry-services/get-driving-instructor-license
4. https://portal.ct.gov/DMV/Licenses/Licenses/Commercial-Drivers/CDL-Entry-Level-Driver-Training-Requirement
5. https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/commercial-and-industry-services/get-commercial-driver-license
6. https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_185.htm
7. https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_246.htm
8. https://eregulations.ct.gov/eRegsPortal/Browse/getDocument?guid=%7BD09DE155-0600-C9A7-9649-D7E4F7C8F471%7D
9. https://portal.ct.gov/dmv/-/media/dmv/dmv-pdfs/r360pdf.pdf

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