Rule 375-5-2-.10 - Location of Driver Training School or Limited Driver Training School(1) A branch office of any driver training school and/or limited driver training school shall be licensed in the same manner and subject to the same qualifications as the principal office of the school. Paragraph (1) through (7) does not apply to a limited driver training school offering a virtual program only. (a) The fee for a license for a branch office shall be the same as required for any original application.(b) Any location containing a classroom separate from the licensed facility shall be considered a separate branch office.(2) No driver training school and/or limited driver training school shall not be located within 500 feet of any building or portion of any building that is used for the purpose of conducting examination for a driver license or for the issuance of a driver license.(3) No billboard of a driver training school may be displayed within 500 feet of any building or portion of any building that is used by the Department for the purpose of conducting driver examinations or the issuance of driver licenses, unless such sign or advertisement existed prior to the Department establishing a new facility. The Department may approve other advertisements within or nearby a DDS facility.(4) Any school or classroom facility utilized for or approved for the purposes of a driver training school shall comply with the requirements set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, before a permit is issued. The owner shall certify to the Department that the facility complies with the Act and its implementing regulations.(5)(a) A licensed driver training school and/or limited driver training school that provides instruction via distance learning methods in a classroom of a secondary school, or approved driver training school classroom shall not be required to obtain a separate license for the use of that classroom; provided that prior notice must be given to, and approval granted by, the Department prior to the use of such a facility. Such approval will be considered only if requested by a licensed driver training school and/or limited driver training school that has held a license in good standing for the preceding five years prior to the application.(b) A classroom used for distance learning must be staffed by a licensed instructor or proctor at all times during the provision of instruction. The school must ensure that adequate equipment is provided at the remote site to enable students to view and hear the instructor and to enable the instructor to hear comments and questions from the students at the remote site. In the event the equipment ceases to function at any time, no further instruction may be provided at the remote site unless a licensed instructor is present to continue instruction in person. Only a licensed instructor may issue certificates of completion.(6) If a licensed driver training school and/or limited driver training school closes a facility, the school must furnish thirty (30) days' advance written notice of the closing to the Department. A copy of said notice shall be posted on the exterior door of the facility so as to be visible to the school's customers or students. Any license for that facility must be surrendered to the Department. Unused Certificates of Completion must be transferred to another school facility or returned to the Department. Class rosters must be transferred to another school facility or submitted to the Department prior to the closure of the facility.(7) All classrooms shall provide the necessary films, brochures and other printed and/or electronic materials to be used in providing all courses of instruction.(8) All Virtual Driver Training Programs shall provide a student workbook approved by the Department.(9) Driver Training Schools that provide classes of instruction via distance learning methods must also provide at the same location, six (6) hours of behind the wheel instruction by a licensed driver training school instructor.(10) Limited Driver Training Schools will not be required to comply with (9) above.(11)(a) The Department may develop policies and procedures for the delivery of remote classroom instruction for certified Driver Training programs in the event of a public health state of emergency, natural disaster, or man-made disaster.(b) A certified Driver Training program may utilize remote services for classroom instruction. Such instruction and training may be done via web services, such as, but not limited to, Skype, Zoom, or Web Ex. Instruction must be synchronous instruction allowing for real-time instruction and interaction in a specific virtual place, through a specific online medium, at a specific time.(c) Schools utilizing such methods must notify and obtain prior approval from the Department and keep rosters and required documents of students enrolled in these programs pursuant to existing rules and regulations of the Department. Such programs shall continue to be subject to all monitoring, training, and auditing pursuant to existing rules and regulations of the Department.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 375-5-2-.10
O.C.G.A. §§ 40-16-2, 40-16-3, 40-5-4, 43-13-4, 43-13-8.
Original Rule entitled "Location of School" adopted. F. Oct. 25, 2004; eff. Nov. 14, 2004.Amended: F. Sept. 11, 2006; eff. Oct. 1, 2006.Amended: F. Dec. 21, 2016; eff. Jan. 10, 2017.Amended: New title "Location of Driver Training School or Limited Driver Training School." F. Aug. 12, 2020; eff. Sept. 1, 2020.