Two different types of driver's education instructors work in Texas: the Teacher Assistant-Full (TA-F) and the Driver's Education Teacher (DET). A driver's education instructor may teach the full course of driver's education to both teens and adults. A teacher's assistant may only give in-car instruction. If you are a licensed driver's education instructor from a different state, you will have to earn a new license in Texas. Although driver's education instructor licenses are not transferable in Texas, the driver education teacher preparation course that you complete may accept your previous training credits.
Earn a high school diploma or GED. While a bachelor's or associate degree from a university is not required to teach driver's education in Texas, having a degree will improve your chances of being hired.
Meet all driver education instructor prerequisites. Prerequisites include no more than six points on your driver's license and no driving while intoxicated convictions (DWI) within the past seven years.
Attend a Texas Education Agency (TEA) approved driver education teacher preparation course. In Texas, driver education teacher preparation courses are nine semester hours long. After completing the course, you can become licensed as a Teaching Assistant-Full (TA-F) or a Driver Education Teacher (DET).
Download and complete an instructor application form from the TEA website. The application and application fee ($75 as of 2010) can both be submitted online. The TEA will issue you a driver's instructor license.
