FAQ

General driving school questions

• Do the instructors go through a background check? Yes, all of our driving instructors have been cleared by a DMV-required background conducted by the Department of Justice. We have both male and female instructors available. If you have a preference, please let us know when scheduling.
• Is your driving school DMV-approved, licensed, insured & bonded? Yes, Bay Area Driving School is DMV-approved, licensed, insured & bonded.  Our Driving School license # is E2125.  We maintain good standing with both the DMV & the Better Business Bureau.  We have been successfully serving the Bay Area since 1949. We incorporated in 2019.
• How do I schedule the actual driving lessons? You can schedule driving lessons over the phone or by email.  Self- scheduling is also available after you prepay a driving lesson through our website.  If you would like to request a special pick up for example at school and drop off at work, it’s generally easier to schedule over the phone. 
• How should I space out the lesson lessons?  For teens, we recommend setting up the first two lesson close to each other and ask for the instructor’s advice when to take the final lesson.  Some students like to save the third lesson closer to the test date.  For adults, discuss with your instructor.  Generally, the closer together the lessons, the faster you will be prepared for the DMV road test.  If you make a payment online and do not self-schedule, the driving school will reach out to schedule.  You will receive a confirmation for each scheduled appointment.
• What is Drive Scout? Drive scout is the name of our scheduling software.  Each student must be enrolled in drive scout to set up a driving lesson. One you select a service, you will fill out the registration details.  With the software, you can self – schedule, cancel appointments, make a payment, view report cards, etc.
• Can my parent or spouse come with me during the In-Car Training?
  No, we do not allow anyone to ride along or observe the lesson as it is against our insurance policy.   The Instructor will be happy to discuss the student’s driving performance at the end of the lesson, upon request.

• When will I receive my certificate?   The driving instructors will issue the driver’s training certificate on the last driving lesson.  Online Driver’s Ed certificates are mailed by regular mail, USPS and will receive their certificate in about 7 -9 days.  If you would like to pick up the certificate in person at our headquarters in Hayward please call the office right after you pass the class so that we do not mail it.  Traffic School certificates are sent electronically within 3 business days of class date.
• Do I need to bring a birth certificate to the driving school?  No, you do not need to bring your birth certificate to the driving school unless you are signing up for the Student License program.
• What if I have a learning disability or need special accommodations? Please discuss special needs with the office upon inquiring and scheduling.  We will do our best to accommodate and match student up with the appropriate instructor.  You may want to request one-on-one training with our Specialist.
• What is your cancellation policy?
  For In-Car training, we require a 24 hour notice of cancellation. Office is closed on Sundays.  Any changes to Monday appointments must be made on the Saturday prior to the appointment. Late cancellations, same day cancellations and “No-Show’s” will be charged a $95 Missed appointment fee. Students are expected to cancel lesson if they are exhibiting any signs of illness (i.e. fever, cough or shortness of breath) within 24 hours without a financial penalty.  Please call the main office to cancel or reschedule.
• For Payments made via PayPal, refund requests must be submitted by phone or email to Bay Area Driving School within 3 weeks of payment for services not rendered.  There are no refunds if refund request is submitted more than 3 weeks from payment via PayPal; however, the money may be transferred to a different student for In-Car and In-Class
• No transferring of payments for Online Classes.
• Payments made directly to main office (cash or credit card) may submit refund request to Bay Area Driving School for services not rendered
• We do not offer refunds for Traffic School; however, we allow 1 free transfer for Classroom Traffic School

• Where are you located?
  Our headquarters is located at 1070 A Street Hayward, CA in the “Safety Center Building.”  Our building is easy to spot because we have a large mural on the side of our building.  The exact cross street is Maple Court.  We are one block away from Foothill Blvd.