I used Poway Driving School for my eldest back in 2022 and it was a great experience, so it was easy to immediately think of them for my youngest. We had Andrew Carnell who was amazing. He put my son to ease and helped build his confidence being behind the wheel. I would highly recommend this business for parents in Ramona and Poway! read more

Poway-Palomar driving school is the best!!! I highly recommend Emmanuel Amaro driving instructor. He is very calm and knowledgeable. Very patient and good at explaining things. You can ask him any questions, he has good advice. My son Sean passed driving test one time with 99% passing. They have a good system with online report cards to help drivers understand and practice. My son took drivers test on August 2025. read more

Really helpful and I got my license! However, Brandi was really rude and was on her phone for most of my lesson with her. I had a better experience and got more help with a different instructor from Poway Driving School though read more

We went to Poway Driving School in person and signed up for their 10-Hours Behind-the-Wheel Training package. It was worth every penny because our son passed his driving test on his first try. Chelsea at the front desk was wonderful in answering all of our questions and helping us with scheduling lessons. We would receive reminder emails and texts ahead of time and it was easy to contact the school over the phone whenever we needed to reschedule. Our son was initially a very nervous driver, but Andrew quickly put him at ease and steadily built his confidence. Our son always looked forward to his lessons with Andrew. After each lesson, we would receive an email linked to their portal with a detailed report card on what was covered during the lesson, how our son performed, and what areas he needed to focus on. It was very helpful for us to be able to monitor our son's progress each time he drove with Andrew so that we knew what we needed to concentrate on when he drove with us. We highly recommend Poway Driving School to anyone embarking on their driving journey. Thank you so much for all of your help, Chelsea and Andrew! read more

Poway Driving School is the Best When the Sun Goddess turned 16, it was time to drive! I raised her to be independent & a hard worker. Even though I teach her driving, yet by the law, you need to have at least 3 sessions of 2 hours each with a driving school. Soon she will be 17 & gets her license. People ask why Poway Driving School? There are schools with 15 hours of online courses, so why choose one with 30 hours of online courses to pass? I tell them because those 30 hours created to make sure that you will become a professional driver & pass the DMV written & driving tests! I chose them because they have 30 hours of online courses, 4 sample written tests with best questions which you will take as many times as you want, after passing the courses. They even have a sample DMV written test, made from the best asked questions. Each unit is loaded with information & then questions. You must take the online course, get the DMV driving booklet & study it, pass the written DMV test, take your driving permit, have 3 driving sessions, pass your driving test & get your provisional driver's license. The provisional driver's license is good for 5 years, but after a year, if you have no accident or tickets with clean records, you can pay & get your permanent driver's license, which Sun Goddess decided to do that. When Sun Goddess turned 16.5 & started to learn driving, I handed her a sporty red Mercedes Benz. She loves it. This is her first vehicle & I already taught her way over the minimum of 50 hours driving, 10 hours at night. She is a defensive professional driver. Next month she will go for her driver's license. I remember my first car was a 1970s piece of jalopy Dodge Dart with dents & dings plus faded paint job! I tell her that she is damn lucky to start off with a Mercedes Benz! I guess I spoiled her but then again, she is a great athlete & student, she is a good kid & she deserves it. I often tell her that as long as you do great in academics & athletics, you can do whatever you want! Once she asked me, what if I kill somebody, will you help me cover it up?! I told her, hey, if it is justified, why not?! I always support her, advise her, but I never tell her what to do. She is smart & raised independent to make her own decisions! Sun Goddesses driving lesson instructor from Poway Driving School was Emmanuel who was a professional & informing instructor. Their cars have dual breaks, so the instructor can break if needed. She was happy with online course, sample tests & instructor. When Sun Goddess is happy, I am happy. When it comes to Driving School for your loved one, you do not want to cut corners, you want the best with extra beef on courses & instruction. Poway Driving School is the best. Go for it because they passed my perfectionist test! read more

Absolutely the best driving school. Great customer service from scheduling to the actual driving instruction. Dion Moore is without question the greatest, well rounded instructor. Thank you Dion you made a huge impact on Jordan's overall learning to drive experiences and he was beyond prepared for his behind the wheel. Passed today with flying colors. book your appointments today and don't forget to personally request Dion Moore...you will not be disappointed! read more

Poway Driving School - He passed! thank you Dion for making it possible. - Driving Schools Near Me - Poway, California

I learned to drive with Poway-Mira Mesa Driving school over 21 years ago. When it was time for my child to start driving there's no other company I trusted but Poway Mira Mesa Driving school. Brandi did such a fantastic job preparing my child for her test that she passed on the first try. Anytime I needed assistance booking a lesson they were easy to contact and communicate with. I highly recommend this school to help anyone prepare getting their license. read more

Very good report card process helps you know what to work on. Very patient and kind. We had two different instructors and both were really good read more

We got the 6-hr package that comes with three separate 2-hr lessons. It was easy to schedule the lessons on line. All three instructors were super patient and nice. You could choose your lesson by time and/or instructor. We should've placed the third lesson closer to her actual DMV driving test, but it's ok because she had a great time and got a lot of valuable driving experience. We will schedule one more lesson right before her DMV test. read more

Such an amazing school to learn from. I overcame my fear of driving in just one lesson. Dion is the best instructor!

We had a great experience with Poway Driving School! No issues! Very easy to schedule, there were a variety of times available, and my son loved each instructor.Thank you Luis, Cameron, and Bryon! read more

I did four lessons and passed my driving test! Brandi was an awesome instructor and I was so lucky to have Garry, the owner for my final lesson before the test. I borrowed the school's car for the test which was great. Highly reccomend this place. read more

Last night was supposed to be my son's first behind the wheel. They call and confirmed the day before and the instructor no showed. They didn't call us and it was after 6 so there was no way to contact him then. I find this EXTREMELY unprofessional. It is 9:15...they are open... let's see IF they cal us & what the heck they have to say. An exciting milestone for a teen got squashed! Update... the lady said they called and left a message. I have no record of them calling I always view my history because my voice mail is messed up and you can NOT leave a message even tho this lady SWEARS she did. She also said she left a message with my son while he was still in school. They did call.....my son did not answer it because we were out to dinner celebrating my husbands bday....BUT NO they did not leave a message or this wouldn't have been such a big deal. It was obvious this lady was lying... she couldn't keep her story or times straight. read more

Emmanuel was great at teaching me the basics of driving. He's patient and gives good pointers on how to better your driving and get you ready for the dmv test. Highly recommend :) read more

I had an amazing 6 hours lessons. Am truly positive that I will pass my driving test, very soon. My highest appreciation to my instructor for so very patient, friendly, encouraging, and her professionalism. Two thumbs up & thank you Brandi Matthews. Great driving school read more

Disappointed we can only give 5 stars. My daughter has been very anxious about driving and she's had her permit for some time and has been driving with my wife but she was still nervous about driving. We decided to invest in a 2 hour behind the wheel lesson and it was the best money we could have spent. Diego was absolutely fantastic! He showed up right on time and they took off. He took her on the Poway driving test route several times and was so calm and supportive that it really put our daughter at ease. He made a point of indicating how the things other drivers were doing would fail them on the test. When they were done our daughter was just brimming with excitement and confidence! And, I just heard she passed her test up in San Marcos! (A more difficult DMV to pass, they fail quite a few). We are so appreciative of Poway Driving School and cannot recommend Diego highly enough! read more

I used Poway Driving School for all of my behind-the-wheel lessons and there are no other words to describe this company other than truly exceptional. Amazing customer service, kind and informative instructors, excellent preparation, the list goes on. Thanks to this company, I passed my driver's test with flying colors on the first try! My instructors prepared me so well for my test, I certainly could not have done it without them. I truly cannot recommend this service enough!! read more

Schedule your lesson with Chelsea! She's wonderful and makes sure that you feel safe while driving. She definitely helps with improving your confidence in driving, and she makes sure to explain everything throughout the lesson. You can tell that she is confident in her driving and teaching abilities, and she makes each lesson a safe and welcoming environment. read more

My fourth child recently completed his lessons and passed his driving test! We've been through the six hours of lessons FOUR TIMES with Poway driving school and each time has been a great experience. All the instructors were professional and on-time, and scheduling has always been fast and easy. Their prices are competitive with other schools. Our family highly recommends Poway Driving School! read more

My son just completed the 4 day 8am -3pm class and said Jay, the instructor, was really great! My son said, "He taught me more in four days then any teacher has ever taught me!" He has a unique way of helping kids remember a lot of facts, with chants and repeated reminders, all with a focus of safety. On the last day of class, I took my son right over to Poway DMV, waited only 30 min and he passed the test no problem. No experience yet with behind the wheel driving instruction, but will post a review when that's done. read more

This is the best driving school out there!!! I used them when I got my permit and I passed my test the first try back in 2018!! I really recommend going here if you're learning how to drive it makes you so much of a better/ safer driver. read more

This is the 2nd time using Poway driving school. Once 3 years ago for my daughter and recently for my son. We spread the 6 hours of driving instruction over the 6 months and scheduled the last one a few days before his actual test. Richard was the driving instructor for both kids. He is patient and makes the kids feel comfortable while also teaching the kids what they're doing incorrectly and how to improve. My son passed his behind the wheel test today and I attribute a lot of that to Richard. Thanks Richard! read more

Don't use these guys. My son took driver's training through Mira Costa College in November, and Poway-Mira Mesa Driving School was the subcontractor for the behind the wheel training. Last night WAS going to be his first driving class. After calling, and saying that he might be 5 minutes late, the driving instructor showed up over 30 minutes late, complained to us about the office screwing up his schedule, and then cancelled the session, with a weak, "well, we could do it now....but you won't have a full session...and it might rain...and I'll be late for my next session..." Seriously?? This is a 15 year old's FIRST session behind the wheel. The driver as a consolation prize offered a make-up session for my son for the following week, picking him up at our house. Ok, that's a reasonable accommodation, given that we had to drive 30-40 min to the location that they cancelled. This morning the school called and said that they would not be able to make the rescheduled session, and that the driver wasn't aware of his full schedule when he scheduled the makeup session. What a logistical joke! Furthermore, while canceling the session last night, the driver was complaining to me, my wife and son, about his recent divorce, and exit from the legal field. Seriously??? WTF, I DON'T CARE. He's a driving instructor! He's supposed to teach 15 and 16 year olds how to use turn signals. Not piss and moan about his personal life, and his troubles at the office, especially in front of my son. I wouldn't want my son to learn anything from this teacher. I don't know if the issues he presented in his failure to plan for adequate scheduling and subsequent followup are issues solely with the driver, or if these are logistical issues inherent with the school. From an earlier Yelp post about an instructor driving aggressively, and cutting off others on the freeway, perhaps Poway Driving school has an issue with vetting instructors. One of the more frustrating experiences trying to help my kids. Now we've gotta find a new driving school. On a somewhat good note, Mira Costa College reimbursed me for the behind the wheel fee, but they didn't reimburse the bundled discount. i.e, $90 for classroom training, $300 for behind the wheel, $30 discount for both, I was reimbursed for $270. :-/ read more

I took driving lessons from Josh (ponytail) about two years ago. He was terribly unprofessional talking about politics and how Hillary Clinton was on drugs. On my third (and supposed to be final lesson), he kinda gave me a meek look with a "good luck." He knew I was unprepared going into the test but didn't recommend more lessons or suggest further practice. I failed the test twice and specifically requested a different teacher. She (a blond lady with glasses) was very helpful. Now, two years later, my siblings had him for one lesson and he is just as poor of a teacher. Now, this isn't all the instructors but please be wary! read more

Please book your behind-the-wheel practice lessons with instructor Kathleen. She was pleasant, patient, and knowledgeable about everything driving, tips & tricks to drive safely, etc. I loved our chats on our drive and feel much more confident and competent as a driver. Thanks to her guidance. I would definitely recommend learning with Kathleen! read more

***THANK YOU RICH E.! You are extremely knowledgeable and have a fantastic demeanor! My son felt quite confident and prepared when he passed his behind the wheel test today! THANK YOU AGAIN!*** read more

My daughter took her behind-the-wheel driving instruction through this school. We spread it out over the six months with her final lesson taking place about a week prior to testing. She was given a lot of tips to help her pass the test and utilized each if them. She passed the first time. The school was very helpful with scheduling lessons and called back when I left a message. I was pleased with their customer service. I would definitely use them again!! read more

I can't say enough about this place, specifically the instructor Kathleen!! My twins took lessons with Kathleen and they both passed their tests! Kathleen was so wonderful and they both bragged about her teaching method nonstop. I could tell that they had learned so much from her after each lesson and their driving/confidence greatly improved. She was so patient with each of them. The world needs more people teaching our children like Kathleen! read more

My son just finished a 4 day classroom training program. He said that the instructor, Jay, was entertaining. It's pretty dry material so that's saying something! He passed the computer test at the DMV on the first try with very little studying at home needed. I would recommend the 4 consecutive day series and head to the DMV to take the test as soon as you're done. Cost of the 4 day class was extremely reasonable. read more

My best friend (who doesn't YELP) went here. His wife was furious she did. An instructor was really rude, and she said when her son told a few of his friends, they said "Oh yeah, everyone hates that guy." Well if that's the case...why is that guy still employed there? Perhaps kids and parents just chalk it up as to their child being overly sensitive. Either way, it's not very professional. I told her she should YELP her experience, but she didn't want to create an account. She gave me a lot of details about the experience her child had, but I don't feel like sitting here and typing them all out. Let's just hope this company can up their game. Especially since I went there decades ago, when my old high school basketball coach owned the business. read more

Great price.. they were in my normal driving area and home DMV office. My littles will also be using this school.

My friend brought their child to this school. It went horribly. They had a woman that didn't talk. AT ALL ! Kids are supposed to be given instruction, not just drive around. Since my friend didn't have a Yelp account and didn't want to bother, I told her I'd write about her experience. When I told her I went to I-5 Driving School, she went to that school, and asked for an instructor named Josh. He has taught both my kids now. We were very happy with him. She is, too. The experience went perfect. I won't write about all the things they learned and how well it went, as that's not the point of writing a review on this company site. It's just disappointing that driving instructors that don't do a great job aren't fired. It'll eventually hurt your business. read more

Been a good experience so far for my daughter. Her first instructor was Marie and she was great but she is retiring. Next lesson is with Rich E. Heard good things about him. They pick up your kid from home which is nice. read more

Reasonably priced and easy to work with. We had to make a couple of changes to my son's schedule due to unforeseen circumstances and the company accommodated our requests without issue. We received confirmation/reminder calls the day before our scheduled appointments which was a plus for a parent with a busy calendar. The instructor (Josh) made our son feel comfortable behind the wheel and he passed on his first try at DMV. Request Josh as your instructor and your teen will do fine! read more

Another great experience with Susan from Poway Mira Costa Driving School. She is dedicated in ensuring that all the students' needs are met in regards to their driving education. Her follow through is exceptional; she is flexible, and made this complicated experience worth every penny. My son passed his test and I couldn't be happier. read more

Had a great experience with this school. My daughter was initially very intimidated about driving. David Ortega was her instructor and he was the BEST! He helped build her confidence and encouraged her with positive feedback. Thanks to him, her first drive on the freeway was a breeze. The office staff is very helpful. My other daughter will be ready for her first lesson next month and we will definitely be requesting Mr. Ortega again! read more

I had one lesson with Josh, it's a mock lesson in Poway. Josh took me around test area 4-5 times to practice and corrected my impropriety. Huge helpful! I passed my test with two errors. read more

Had two kids attend this school and happy with our experience overall. My children were instructed well. I can't give it 5 stars because it bothered me that the instructor was late and would then drop my child off early. I did pay for two full hours after all. read more

My daughter just had her 1st drive with them. The instructor is a lady. She is very nice. She arrived early. $90 for 2 hours. Very affordable. My daughter had a wonderful experience. read more

I took four behind the wheel driving lessons and three of them were with an instructor named Elmer. He helped me get ready for my behind the wheel test at the DMV and I passed on the first try. He's a great instructor, he answered all my questions, gave me a lot of tips to use, wasn't overwhelming or intimidating at all. Definitely would recommend him for anyone looking for a calm and helpful instructor. It doesn't get any better than him. read more