In the live Zoom class, a certified instructor leads the session at a set time, and students can ask questions and participate in real time - this option is open to anyone 16 and up. The self-paced online course is exclusively for students 18 and older, letting them work through modules independently, with identity checks built in, on their own timeline. Both formats meet DMV requirements, teach the same mandatory topics, and qualify you to book a road test. One notable difference: live classes, including Zoom, award an MV-278 certificate, whereas the self-paced course sends your completion electronically to the DMV, so no physical MV-278 is given.