Drivers face brutal $400 fees under September ‘license law’ if they don’t think ahead – ‘class trick’ dodges payments

A NEW license law is now being enforced, and certain drivers may have to pay hundreds before getting behind the wheel.

People looking to get a driver’s license have to use a class loophole to dodge the eye-watering fees thanks to the new road law.

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Young drivers in a US state will have to go through new measures to get their license (stock)[/caption]

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Under the new law, drivers may have to shell out hundreds of dollars to take a driving course[/caption]

In Ohio, young drivers will have to go through extra measures if they want to get their license.

Under House Bill 96, anyone 21 or younger must complete a state-approved driver’s course before they can hit the roads by themselves.

Previously, 18-year-olds could get their license by only taking a written test at the Ohio BMV.

Starting September 30, young drivers will have to complete 24 hours of classroom learning, eight hours of behind-the-wheel training, and 50 hours of supervised practice. 

Legislators imposed the rules to reduce car crashes, which remain the number one killer of teens and young adults.

The law has sparked outrage among Ohioans as many driver’s schools are charging around $400 for state-certified courses, Ohio Capital Journal reported.

Some private schools can even charge up to $600 for a full program.

It’s especially frustrating for graduates fresh out of high school who haven’t obtained a license and didn’t opt to enroll in a driver’s education class.

Gabe Crenshaw, a mom living in the state, said that she had to shell out cash to get three of her children certified so they could get part-time jobs as teenagers.

“It was a significant cost,” she told the Journal.

But lawmakers stand by the decision, and stress that the fresh measures will make roads safer for teens.

Since 2020, 600 people have been killed in Ohio in teen-related accidents, with 200,000 total crashes overall.

The policy targets fatal crashes involving 18 and 19-year-old drivers, who accounted for 58% of teen driver-related fatalities in 2024.

Speaking on the bill, Governor Mike DeWine said, “We know young people who go through driver’s training become safer drivers.

“So many turning 18 never take training and only pass, sometimes after failing again and again.”

Governor DeWine, at first, planned to help fund driver’s education by supporting school-based programs and providing assistance to low-income students.

However, the final version of HB 96 removed these subsidies, Signal Cleveland reported.

Driving schools are preparing for an influx of new students thanks to the new law.

Gene Jarman, a driving instructor with Premier Driving School, said, “Our basic goal is preventing the tragedies that many of us have seen these families go through.

According to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, teens should try to enroll in high school programs to save cash.

There are also some options to take the coursework at high schools so that students only need to pay for the 8 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.