The owner license is the license for the school itself: your name, your modality (classroom, home study, or internet), and your lesson plan all get approved under it. It is the biggest lift of the three TVS licenses, so the fastest path is doing the two pre approval steps early and filing everything else complete.
The short version: get your school name and lesson plan approved first (this is the long pole), then file the application package with a $15,000 surety bond and about $201 in DMV fees, and pass inspection. Allow 120 days or more end to end.
Before you apply: two approvals that gate everything
1. Name approval. Submit form OL 612 to have the DMV approve your school’s name before anything else references it.
2. Lesson plan approval. Two routes:
- Write your own: submit form OL 764 with your course materials. Review fee: $475 for classroom, $800 for home study or internet.
- Use a previously approved plan: submit form OL 766 with the plan owner’s authorization letter. Review fee: $25. This is the fast, cheap route most new internet schools take.
Mail to: Department of Motor Vehicles, Occupational Licensing, TVS Unit, PO Box 932342, MS L224, Sacramento, CA 94232-3420. Allow at least 120 days for a response, which is why these go first.
The application package
- Application for TVS Owner License (OL 713)
- Personal History Questionnaire (OL 29B)
- Property Use Verification (OL 140)
- ADA Assurance of Compliance (OL 142)
- Classroom lease or rental agreement (OL 144) if teaching off site
- Surety bond of $15,000 (OL 704 B) or deposit agreement (OL 25E)
- Live Scan fingerprinting (DMV 8016) for each owner
- Your approved lesson plan documentation
Then contact your local Occupational Licensing Inspections office to schedule submission; the DMV emails inspection scheduling instructions and an inspector reviews your business office and records.
Fees at a glance
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Owner application | $200 |
| Family support program | $1 |
| Lesson plan review | $25 to $800 depending on route |
| Surety bond | $15,000 bond, small annual premium via a surety broker |
Your application stays valid for one year from submission.
Do not forget the other two licenses
Your school also needs a licensed operator (8 hour course plus exam) and an instructor. One person can hold all three, and when you apply for owner and operator or owner and instructor together, only the owner fee is due. The 8 hour operator course is the piece you can finish this week, before the DMV paperwork even starts.
Start the 8 Hour Operator Course free »
Frequently asked questions
What is the total cost to open an internet traffic school?
Using a purchased lesson plan, roughly $500 in DMV fees plus your bond premium, fingerprinting, and the operator course. Writing your own plan adds $775. Full breakdown in our guide to starting a traffic school in California.
How do students find my school?
Once licensed, you appear on the DMV’s official list, and by law its order randomizes daily (CVC 11205), so every school gets rotation with courts and ticket holders.
How long until I can operate?
Realistically several months: lesson plan and name approval, then the application investigation. Sequence the approvals first and file complete.
