COLUMBUS, Ohio — One year after expanding mandatory driver education to include all new drivers under the age of 21, Governor Mike DeWine announced record-breaking growth and capacity expansion across Ohio’s driver training industry.
The legislative change, which took effect on Sept. 30, 2025, requires new drivers ages 18, 19, and 20 to complete official driver training before earning a license. Prior to the law, formal driver education was only required for first-time drivers aged 16 and 17.
Record-Breaking Growth Metrics
Data released by the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) highlights significant administrative and industry expansion over the past year:
- Instructor Surge: The number of licensed driving instructors statewide increased by nearly 50%, surpassing 1,900 certified instructors.
- New Businesses: A total of 45 new driver training enterprises launched across Ohio, bringing the statewide total to 225 active programs.
- Increased Completions: An additional 25,000 individuals completed driver training before receiving their license—a nearly 30% increase year-over-year.
- Historic Trajectory: Ohio is on pace to issue nearly 130,000 driver training certificates in 2026, marking the highest annual total in state history and a 43% increase over the five-year average.
“To meet the increased need for training more drivers, Ohio’s driver training capacity expanded rapidly to meet demand. The growth we are seeing shows how seriously Ohioans are taking road safety and how our training community is stepping up to meet this need.”
— Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio
Incentive Programs and Digital Tools
State officials attribute the rapid scale-up in part to targeted financial support, including OTSO’s Instructor Development Grants and the Instructor Incentive Program, which assist with credentialing costs and retention. Furthermore, the state’s Drive to Succeed scholarship program has funded driver education for more than 10,000 low-income students statewide.
The announcement also marks the one-year milestone of RoadReady Ohio, a mobile application developed in partnership with J.F. Griffin that uses telematics to track driving behaviors such as braking, speed, and acceleration.
- 81,000+ Downloads: The app averaged over 221 downloads per day during its first year.
- BMV Integration: RoadReady Ohio automatically logs and syncs the state-required 50 hours of supervised driving practice directly with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
State public safety officials emphasized that combining updated legal requirements with accessible digital logging tools is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing traffic crashes and roadway fatalities across the state.
