The German Federal Ministry of Transport has unveiled a sweeping reform package aimed at making driving schools more affordable and accessible. Under the plan presented by Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU), future learners could save “several hundred euros” when obtaining their license. The initiative promises to simplify training, reduce bureaucracy and harness digital learning tools without compromising road safety.
In recent years, the cost of a driving license has soared by almost 6 percent annually, with many students now paying up to €4,500 depending on region and training hours. The new proposals target exactly these pain points — long courses, costly practice hours and outdated training methods.
Shorter exams and transparent prices
A core element of the reform concerns the testing process. The current theory test contains more than 1,100 questions — a number officials now plan to cut by one-third, focusing on real-life traffic safety rather than rote memorization.
Practical exams would also be shortened to the EU’s minimum requirement of 25 minutes, reducing testing fees and waiting times. In addition, a new public database would allow learners to compare prices and failure rates across driving schools — introducing a level of transparency long absent from the sector.
Today’s fees typically combine registration charges, training materials, exam presentation, and dozens of mandatory lessons and special drives. By simplifying requirements, officials hope to cut costs without lowering standards.
Digital learning instead of classroom time
One of the most modern changes is the end of mandatory in-person theory classes. Instead, students could complete their learning digitally — for example through an official app or certified e-learning platform. Driving schools would no longer need to maintain physical classrooms, eliminating state inspection duties and reducing fixed costs.
Simulators are to play a larger role as well. Skills such as handling a manual transmission vehicle could be trained entirely on a digital driving simulator, with final tests conducted in automatic cars. The proposal also calls for fewer mandatory special drives — such as night or highway sessions — many of which could be completed virtually.
Cutting red tape for driving schools
Beyond cost relief for learners, the ministry wants to ease the administrative load on driving schools. Documentation requirements and auditing duties would be reduced, while instructor training programs could move online. There would no longer be strict rules on teaching rooms or lesson order, allowing schools to adapt freely to digital formats.
A controversial idea: Parents as co-trainers
One concept still under discussion is whether trusted individuals — such as parents — could assist with practical driving experience. The so-called “lay training” model is based on the belief that extra practice time in familiar conditions enhances road confidence and safety. Such an option would mark a major departure from Germany’s strictly regulated driving school system.
Outlook: Cheaper and smarter driver education
The planned reforms are expected to be incorporated into a new draft law within months. If approved, they could reshape how Germans learn to drive — with shorter exams, flexible digital training, and hundreds of euros in savings.
For a country where mobility is vital and bureaucracy often heavy, the idea of a “Driver’s License 2.0” may soon become reality — simpler, cheaper and finally fit for a digital age.
