I am a big mean mom..

[tzolkin]

I have no clue what the cost of a license is. Isn't it something that just requires a nominal fee? Maybe this is one of those "Prices may vary in Canada, Alaska, & Hawaii" things. We paid for them to go to college, I'm guessing a fee for DL is a drop in the bucket comparatively.

The license fee is nothing, but insurance is expensive (ours increased by about $300 per month). Our DD had her permit for several years. She didn't "need" to drive so we saved the insurance money. She had the skills and could get her license when she/we decided it was a necessary expense.

She's now 18 and in her second year of college. She got a car and her license this summer. She has a job and is paying most of her own insurance. ($200/ month) We purchased the car and she is paying us back monthly. (We are actually just saving the money and will give it back to her when she graduates, but she doesn't know that)

 

[kuhltiffany]

I must be mean too. I feel if a child wants that kind of responsibility, the way to start is by taking charge of the process themselves...

 

[pearlieq]

It would never occur to me that this wasn't a routine expense of having a teenager that would be covered by a parent. Would you pay for AP exams? SAT/ACT? College application fees? This is one more education expense. Did you make her pay for swim lessons when she was a kid?

Unless you live in NYC or the equivalent, driving is not a luxury. Is a necessary skill needed by adults to function in most of modern North America.

 

[ronandannette]

@kimblebee, I don't think it's mean (or whatever). Every family sets their own priorities. We took care of the driver's license and currently provide DS with the use of a vehicle including insurance. OTOH, he's totally on his own for a cell phone and has been for years. When he's not been able to afford it - oh well. He's currently on a cheap plan with no data, which he laments frequently. Again, oh well.

Here in Ontario Canada it is $148.75 . It's expensive.

This includes $15.50 to write the test...if you fail that will be another $10 each time to write again. $51.75 for the road test ...if you fail it will be another $51.75 to try again. And the final thing included that cost is $81.50 for license for 5 years.

That's not a bad deal, actually...here it's $40.00 per try at the written test for a Learner's permit and $95.00 for a road test for a Graduated Class 5 license. {{sigh}} My DS took a couple of whacks at both the written and the road test. We also paid for professional driving lessons through AAA - about $1,200.00 for 20 hours classroom and 20 hours on the road. (This did qualify us for a reduction in his insurance rates though.)

I have no clue what the cost of a license is. Isn't it something that just requires a nominal fee? Maybe this is one of those "Prices may vary in Canada, Alaska, & Hawaii" things. We paid for them to go to college, I'm guessing a fee for DL is a drop in the bucket comparatively.

{{another heavy sigh}} I wouldn't call it nominal. I don't even want to add up all we spent, but I agree with everybody else - driving is a non-negotiable life skill that we wanted to equip him with.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I'm glad now, but at the time I wish my parents made me pay for myself. I probably wouldn't have gotten a license until almost 30 haha.

My parents forced me to get my DL. I never wanted to drive when I had my permit so it was "nobody is going anywhere unless you drive" haha.

I still don't love commuter type driving but I do love cars and car mods, I guess I'm really a boy

 

[dosekies]

Yes as their parent, of course I paid for the permit. And insurance and gas. I consider it my responsibility to support those things during their high school years amd their responsibility to work hard at school. And I want to help them.

This is how my parents did things too. They paid for Driver's Ed, I rode my bike there every day during the summer for class. I bought a beat up car for like $700, but they paid insurance and gas as long as I did well in school, kept my job, and didn't have an attitude with them. Once I got to my Sr. year of college they gave me their extra car to use for the year to come home and continued to pay for insurance, but I paid for gas. They continued to let me use that car with the same rules for a year after graduation until I decided on my own to by my own car.

Heck, my mom texted me today that she mad BBQ pulled pork and wished I was there to have some (she's still not used to me being moved out), so she drove to my apartment after dinner to bring me the leftovers so I didn't have to make dinner for my fiancé and I hahahaha

 

[CdnCarrie]

The license fee is nothing, but insurance is expensive (ours increased by about $300 per month). Our DD had her permit for several years. She didn't "need" to drive so we saved the insurance money. She had the skills and could get her license when she/we decided it was a necessary expense.
)

We have socialized car insurance in the province that Kim and I live in. As in the only car insurance you buy is from the government. There is no way you would ever pay $300 a month to insure your car unless you have major demerits on your license. Wow I can't even imagine $300 a month. We only pay $240 for 2 SUVs.

If Kim's daughter does get her license there will be no change in the car insurance.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I will pay for my daughter's drivers training, permit and license, as well as any insurance she needs but she has to get her grades up to a B average first. She is one of the few kids in her grade who isn't driving yet because of this but if she can't show responsibility with her grades, I don't trust her to drive a car.

 

[CdnCarrie]

It would never occur to me that this wasn't a routine expense of having a teenager that would be covered by a parent. Would you pay for AP exams? SAT/ACT? College application fees? This is one more education expense. Did you make her pay for swim lessons when she was a kid?

Unless you live in NYC or the equivalent, driving is not a luxury. Is a necessary skill needed by adults to function in most of modern North America.

No such thing as SAT up here. That's an American thing.

 

[DawnM]

I would pay and have paid. I have even tried to BRIBE my oldest to get a DL, but so far, he isn't biting. But I pay for my middle son.

 

[ashley0139]

No such thing as SAT up here. That's an American thing.

That couldn't possibly have less to do with this thread. It was clearly just an example of an education expense.

 

[pearlieq]

No such thing as SAT up here. That's an American thing.

But pedantry knows no borders.

 

[low-key]

pay for it, its a right of passage, BUT if ya anit got it, ya aint got it

 

[CdnCarrie]

That couldn't possibly have less to do with this thread. It was clearly just an example of an education expense.

Lol. True. Just popped out at me that's all. And yes if we had SATs I agree parents should pay for them.

ETA - OP what does it cost for driver's ed? I have to face this next year. Is it free at high school and you just pay for the test and beginner's permit?

 

[runwad]

Well if you're mean, I am too! All 3 of our kids paid for their own permits, their drivers training and licenses. We didn't even buy them a car! But their grandparents gave them their old one. We pay the insurance but they have to pay for gas, and gasp, some years I might even actually make them renew the plates. Why not? It teaches them responsibility.

Oh and they pay for their own cell phones, the horror.

 

[tzolkin]

We have socialized car insurance in the province that Kim and I live in. As in the only car insurance you buy is from the government. There is no way you would ever pay $300 a month to insure your car unless you have major demerits on your license. Wow I can't even imagine $300 a month. We only pay $240 for 2 SUVs.

If Kim's daughter does get her license there will be no change in the car insurance.

DH and I were actually only paying less than $100/mo for our two vehicles combined ($590/6mos). But adding an inexperienced driver is a huge price jump--- now $2100/6mos. So here a teen getting their license more than triples the cost.

She could have gotten her license two years ago, but we figured if she wasn't going to be doing $300 worth of driving each month it was not worth the expense.

 

[Magpie]

No such thing as SAT up here. That's an American thing.

Not quite true. While it's not required for admission to a Canadian university, it's still really important if you're planning on applying across the border.

My son opted to take the SAT. Since we really didn't want him going to the US for school, we declined to pay for it. So, he paid for it himself. And did quite well, too!

As for the driver's license thing, I honestly can't remember if we paid for our daughter's learner's permit or not. She did the course, but she hasn't been practicing at all. So I expect she'll let it lapse, since there's really no need for a license in our town. Our son just straight up decided he couldn't be bothered. Few of his friends have licenses.

I don't have a license myself, mostly because my eyes are bad. But, it hasn't hampered my ability to get around, as we have excellent public transit.

I don't personally see it as being on the same level as swimming lessons or even First Aid courses. Not in my town. But, I do also understand that it can be a critical skill for people living elsewhere. There are some folks for whom a working vehicle is the line between being employed and losing their job.

 

[dotfurio]

It hasn't happened yet but I'll pay. DD is busy with studying and band and I'd rather her focus on that than on a minimum wage job.

 

[Vicki926]

They take drivers ed, including the written test, in school.
We pay for the necessary 6 hours of lessons, plus whatever fee for the actual permit, plus the fee for the instructor to take her for her test with a brush up lesson the day before. Registration, license, insurance, car (not new or expensive)all paid for by us. Her having a license is a huuuge convenience for me.
Will do the same for my son in a few months.

 

[kimblebee]

Lol. True. Just popped out at me that's all. And yes if we had SATs I agree parents should pay for them.

ETA - OP what does it cost for driver's ed? I have to face this next year. Is it free at high school and you just pay for the test and beginner's permit?

I have no idea how much it is. Becaue she's over 15 1/2 she doesn't have to take drivers ed. When I took it (1991) it was free but I'm sure it's changed since then LOL