50% increase in driving exam cheating in Germany since 2020
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The number of people caught cheating on their driving theory test in Germany has doubled since 2020, according to figures from TÜV Verband.
More people cheating on driving theory exams in Germany
Some integrate hidden headphones or a camera into their clothing, others go so far as to send a dopppelgänger in their place. Since 2020, there has been a 50 percent increase in the number of people caught cheating on their driving theory exam in Germany.
According to figures from the Technical Inspection Association (TÜV or Technischer Überwachungsverein) and reported by ZDF, 4.200 people were caught cheating in 2024, and 2.193 people have already been caught cheating in 2025.
The TÜV suspects that organised criminals who help students cheat by giving them a hidden camera, headphones or a fake ID to send someone in their place are behind the sharp rise.
“Collaboration with third parties, passport fraud, document forgery and the use of sophisticated technical aids demonstrate a high degree of criminal energy,” a TÜV spokesperson told ZDF.
Learning to drive in Germany costs between 2.500 and 4.500 euros, compared to around 1.000 euros in France. Alongside this hurdle to a licence, there are too few teachers and waiting lists are long.
Driving licence office employee on trial in Kassel
In another similar case in Kassel, an employee at the driving licence issuance office was found to be working as part of an organised group. The 26-year-old is suspected of having sold driving licences to at least 112 people in the city in Hesse.
The public prosecutor's office now suspects that the now former employee integrated others into his illegal business model. Another 35-year-old member of the group is on trial for 47 cases of serious bribery and 44 cases of incitement to falsify documents.