Frequently Asked Questions by Instructors
Q I’ve been teaching driver education for a long time. Do I still need to be certified?
A Yes. Everyone teaching driver education to persons under the age of 18 as of January 1, 2001, must be certified by the Department of Transportation.
Q How long will the certification process take?
A It depends on many things. You will need to take a certification course. You will also need a criminal background check. Both can take up to six weeks.
Q Where can I take a certification course?
A The certification courses are offered through Windward Community College and are held on all islands. The courses are offered when a minimum number of students are interested. Fees vary, depending on the number of students.
Q How much can I charge students who take my courses?
A The state has set maximum fees that you may charge through the Hawaii Administrative Rule process. The maximums, per person, are:
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30-hour classroom course in driver education–$250
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Behind-the-wheel instruction–$50 per hour
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Simulator course–$250
What you actually charge will be based on your business requirements and what your students are willing to pay, but it cannot exceed the maximums listed above.
Q Who supplies the cars for behind-the-wheel driving?
A Each instructor is responsible for providing their own car.
Q Do I need special equipment on the car I use for behind-the-wheel driving?
A Yes. You must have dual brakes, an instructor mirror, and a sign on the vehicle indicating that a student driver is behind the wheel.
Q Do I need additional insurance?
A Yes. You are required to carry $1 million in commercial general liability insurance naming the State of Hawaii and the counties as additional insureds. You are also required to carry a bodily injury minimum of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence, and property damage of $20,000 per occurrence on each vehicle that is used for behind-the-wheel driving. State Farm is one insurance company writing driver education vehicle policies. You should check around for other companies offering these policies.
Q Do I have to teach both classroom and behind-the-wheel courses?
A No. Your Driver Education Instructor Certificate will permit you to teach both, but you may teach one course or both. If you only have your behind-the-wheel course certified, then you will only be able to teach behind-the-wheel courses.
Q What curriculum does Hawaii use?
A Hawaii uses the American Driver & Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA) curricula. It may be downloaded from ADTSEA's website.
Q How do I get students?
A It will be up to you to develop your business. You may advertise your service in the telephone book or in newspapers. The DOT will provide lists of all certified instructors to high schools, DMV’s and on its web page at no charge to you.
Q Can I open a driving school and have other instructors work for me?
A Yes. However, the DOT does not certify driving schools, only instructors. Each instructor would have to obtain an Instructor Certificate before they could teach anyone under the age of 18.
Q What is the procedure to get Driver Education Student Completion Certificates and Behind-the-Wheel Student Completion Certificates?
A When you have fully completed the Driver Education Instructor Certification process, you will be able to obtain the completion certificates and other materials from the DOT. Each certificate will be numbered and you will be responsible for keeping the certificates safe.
Q Does a student need a learner’s permit to take my course?
A A student does not need a learner’s permit to take a classroom course. A student does need a learner’s permit to take a behind-the-wheel or simulator course.
Q Why does a student who takes a simulator course only need two hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, when others need six?
A Some of the required course content for behind-the-wheel is included in the simulator curricula. The two lessons that are not possible in a simulator, parking, backing up, blind spots, etc. must be taught in behind-the-wheel classes.
Q How long is my Driver Education Instructor Certificate good for?
A It is good for one year. It must be renewed annually. It is your responsibility to renew the certificate before it expires. If it expires you will be required to start the process from the beginning. For the first three years after the initial certificate is issued, you may renew it by submitting to the DOT a traffic abstract that records no more than one moving traffic violation within the past year, not more than two moving traffic violations within the past three years; and not more than three moving violations within the past five years, as well as a copy of a current Certificate of Insurance and State Tax clearance as required in the administrative rules. Every fifth year, the certificate will be renewed upon completion of all requirements in the initial application and proof that you’ve completed a professional development course approved by the department.
Q Where can I purchase driving books for my students?
A The two most commonly used books are Responsible Driving by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Drive Right by Scott Foresman & Addison Wesley. The local reps are Robert Ho, 947-5837 and Gene Yokota, 732-5865, respectively.
Q Where do I get videos and other materials to use in my classes?
A There are a number of videos and other materials available. You will find a recommended list in the ADTSEA curriculum. You can purchase them from various sources, including the AAA Foundation and the National Institute for Driver Behavior (nifdb@aol.com)
Q Will the Department of Education or Department of Transportation hire me as a driver education instructor?
A No. The driver education program has been privatized. DOT certifies instructors and curricula but does not hire instructors. DOE only hires certificated teachers for its program.
Last updated: February 3, 2003
