Learning to drive should soon be cheaper in Germany

A new law should make learning to drive in Germany simpler and more affordable. Here’s what we know so far:

German cabinet passes driving lesson reform 

Germany’s CDU/CSU-SPD cabinet has passed a draft law that should make the process of learning to drive simpler and more affordable.

According to the new law, driving schools will be obliged to offer more theory lessons digitally and will have more freedom to choose which teaching methods they use.

The existing driving theory catalogue of over 1.100 questions will be downsized by a third. The prices and success quotas of all driving schools will also be published online.

People who are learning to drive will have greater opportunities to practice with another driver, for example, a parent or a friend, rather than with a driving instructor. The duration of driving tests will also be reduced by a few minutes.

New law should make learning to drive cheaper

According to Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU), the entire process of learning to drive a car currently costs an average of 3.400 euros in Germany. The minister hopes the changes will reduce these costs.

“The combination of digitalisation, reducing bureaucracy and more transparency should significantly reduce these costs in the near future,” Schnieder said, according to a Tagesschau report.

Now that cabinet ministers have passed the draft law, it will face a vote in the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. If it passes these legislative stages, the new law will come into force in 2027.