The Best Driving Schools in Silver Spring, MD — What Makes Circle Different (2026)

Silver Spring is an unusually good place to learn to drive. It sits at the intersection of Montgomery County and Prince George's County, within 10 miles of White Oak MVA, and draws a genuinely diverse mix of students — teens taking driver's ed for the first time, adults refreshing skills, and international license holders navigating Maryland's conversion process. That diversity shapes what a good Silver Spring driving school actually needs to offer.

This guide covers what to look for when choosing a driving school, what Circle Driving School specifically offers, and who we serve best.

What to look for in a Silver Spring driving school

Not every school is the same. Here are the factors that matter most:

MVA certification — Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration sets the standards for driver education. Any school teaching 30-hour programs or issuing completion certificates must be MVA-licensed. Always confirm certification before enrolling.

Instructor credentials — Who actually teaches the classes? Some schools rotate substitutes or bring in temporary instructors. Knowing who will be with your teen in the car matters.

Schedule flexibility — Teens, working adults, and parents all have different scheduling constraints. A school with only one class format — say, weekday mornings — will not work for most people.

Transparent pricing — Hidden fees erode trust. Reputable schools list their prices clearly before you book: class program price, BTW lesson cost, road test prep packages. If a school says "contact for pricing," that is a red flag.

Verified reviews — Check Google and Yelp for reviews that mention the instructor by name and describe specific experiences. Vague 5-star reviews with no detail are harder to trust than detailed accounts.

White Oak MVA familiarity — If you plan to test at White Oak MVA on Industrial Pkwy in Silver Spring, a school familiar with those specific test routes will give you a meaningful edge.

What Circle Driving School offers

Circle Driving School was founded in 2016 by Mr. Mekonnen at 8115 Fenton St, Suite 202, Silver Spring. In nearly a decade, we have trained over 1,000 students across Montgomery County and the DC metro area.

Mr. Mekonnen teaches personally. This is not a franchise. Mr. Mekonnen is present in the classroom and on the road. Students are not handed off to rotating staff.

Three schedule formats. Evening Online Classes (Mon–Fri, 6–9:15pm) let students attend from home. Morning In-Person Classes (Mon–Fri, 9am–12:15pm) run at our Silver Spring office for those who prefer a classroom. Weekend Classes (Sat & Sun, 4pm) work around five-day-a-week schedules.

Metro-accessible location. Our office is a 5-minute walk from Silver Spring Metro Station on the Red Line — accessible from Wheaton, Glenmont, Takoma, and DC.

International drivers welcome. If you hold a valid foreign driver's license, you may qualify for the 3-hour RSEP program instead of the full 30-hour course. Mr. Mekonnen is familiar with this pathway and can confirm whether you qualify. Behind-the-wheel lessons are available in Amharic for students who prefer instruction in their first language.

We provide the car for your road test. Our road test preparation packages at White Oak MVA include the vehicle and instructor. You do not need to arrange your own car.

Pricing — all 7 programs

We publish our prices upfront. No hidden fees.

| Program | Price | |---|---| | Evening Online Driver Education | $385 | | Morning In-Person Driver Education | $395 | | Weekend Driver Education | $400 | | Behind-the-Wheel Lessons (1 hour) | $65 | | Behind-the-Wheel Lessons (10 hours) | $580 | | Road Test Preparation (test only) | $120 | | Driver Improvement Program (DIP) | $120 | | Drug & Alcohol Education (RSEP) | $100 |

All class programs include 6 hours of behind-the-wheel practice.

Who Circle serves best

Teens starting fresh — If your teen is 15 years and 9 months or older and ready to get their learner's permit, all three of our class formats work. Evening online is the most popular for students who are still in school.

Adults returning to driving — Whether you need to refresh skills, satisfy a court order (DIP), or simply haven't driven in years, we accommodate adult students at all experience levels.

International license holders — If you're a new Maryland resident with a foreign driver's license from Ethiopia, Nigeria, India, Mexico, or anywhere else, call us first. You may qualify for a significantly shorter pathway than full driver's education.

Montgomery County and DC-area students — We serve Silver Spring, Wheaton, Takoma Park, Hyattsville, Langley Park, and Washington, DC. The school is on the Red Line.

The bottom line

When evaluating driving schools in Silver Spring, the most important factors are MVA certification, instructor consistency, scheduling flexibility, and transparent pricing. Circle Driving School has been MVA-certified since 2016, Mr. Mekonnen teaches every class personally, we offer three schedule formats, and every price is listed on our website.

If you're ready to get started, view all programs or book a lesson online.