The live Zoom class is a scheduled, real-time session led by a certified instructor, open to learners ages 16 and up, where you can interact and ask questions. The self-paced online course is only available to students 18 and older; it allows you to work through modules independently, on your own schedule, with identity verification steps. Both formats are DMV-approved, teach the same required curriculum, and qualify you to schedule a road test. The key difference: live courses, including Zoom, issue an MV-278 certificate, while the online self-paced version does not - completion is reported electronically to the DMV and no paper certificate is provided.