1.1 Definition

Driving schools assist their clients to theoretical and practical training required to drive a motor vehicle. The theory test includes several questions on the Highway Traffic Act, and the practical test is validated by an examiner after several hours of driving lessons. There are different types of driving licences, including:

The B licence to drive a car;
The A licence - motorcycles;
The C licence - trucks;
The D licence - bus, coach.

Since 2013, the European driving licences have the same classification: this harmonization provides greater clarity on driving licences issued throughout the European Union and makes it easier to combat fraud. Therefore, the European driving schools are grouped together in European Association of Driving Schools (EFA) which represents their interests at the European level.

The German driving school market seems to be in good health, since the number of driving licence tests taken is increasing in a fairly homogeneous manner throughout Germany.

The majority of driving licence examinations concern young people wishing to obtain a B licence, followed by applicants for the extension of their driving licence, i.e. wishing to extend their driving licence to another category of vehicle.

The same trend can be observed in Germany as at the European level, i.e. the development of the hybrid and online module driving courses. Digital solutions are made available to the candidate to train online for the theoretical part of the driving licence exam. The whole training process is also digitized for a simpler and more efficient use: the driving courses are programmed on an online platform according to the availability of the student and the teacher.

1.2 The dynamism of the German market

The German driving school market is estimated at *,*** billion in ****. The number of employees is expected to increase by **.*% over the ****-**** period.

Turnover generated by driving schools Germany, ****-****, billions of euros Source: ****

According to a Moving **** report on driving schools in Germany, there are about **,*** driving schools nationwide and ...

1.3 Le dynamisme du marché allemand

Le marché allemand est estimé à près de *,** milliards d'euros en **** et est en constante croissance depuis ****.

Chiffre d'affaires généré par les auto-écoles Allemagne, **** à ****, milliards d'euros Source: ****

On comptait en **** près de ** *** auto-écoles dans tout le pays avec **.*** personnes au total qui possédaient un permis ...

2.1 Driving School Student Profile

According to the MOVING Fahrschul-Klima-Index **** survey, the number of students per driving school has risen in recent months and currently stands at around *** students per semester. [***]

The majority of the exams are taken by new students

In ****, **% of all driving tests were for new students, i.e., those who had never ...

2.3 Demand trends in Germany

The increase in the number of driving tests taken

Since non-vocational driving instruction is prohibited by German law, it is interesting to analyse the upward trend in the number of driver examinations (***) spent in the country in recent years, indirectly linked to the demand for driving courses.

According to the KBA ...

3.1 Evolution du nombre d'auto-écoles et d'examens

Malgré un chiffre d'affaires qui augmente d'année en année, le nombre d'auto-écoles est lui en constante diminution, notamment en raison d'une pression concurentielle très forte dans ce secteur. En effet, le nombre d'auto-écoles a diminué de

Evolution du nombre d'auto-écoles Allemagne, **** à ****, en unités Source: ...

3.2 Strong regional and local disparities

One of the characteristics of the driving school market is that it is geographically small: driving schools supply customers in the locality surrounding their establishments. It is very difficult to provide their services over long distances, especially internationally because of different regulations. Nevertheless, new trends in online driving schools are bringing ...

3.3 Répartition géographique

La carte ci-dessous reflète le nombre de permis voitures (***) au sein de l'Allemagne. On y observe que l'ouest et le sud possèdent d'un plus grand nombre de permis que le nord et l'est.

3.4 Evolution du nombre de permis enregistrés

Le nombre de personnes disposant d'un permis dans le pays est en constante progression depuis **** et est passé de ** *** à ** *** en ****, soit une augmentation de **,*%.

Nombre de personnes titulaires du permis de conduire Allemagne, **** à ****, en millions Source: ****

près de ** et ** millions en ****

Nombre de licences générales par le ZFER ...

4.1 Services offered by driving schools

Driving schools offer a particular type of education and training exclusively focused on obtaining a driving licence. Because of their specific purpose, the services offered are based on both theoretical and practical assistance.

The exam is based on the successful completion of a theory test and practical training:

To test all ...

4.2 Types of permits

Since ** January ****, the European Union (***) has introduced a harmonized permit model via the so-called "*" Directive ****/***/EC th European directive" on driving licences. One of the objectives of this reform was the harmonization of driving licence categories at European level, which are made equivalent to the previous national categories by the Member ...

4.3 Total costs of obtaining a driving licence

With regard to the costs associated with obtaining a driving licence (***) with those practised in Luxembourg, which are on average €****. The study was conducted among ** driving schools in ** different cities. The calculation in Germany is based on an average of ** ordinary driving lessons and ** special lessons per person. Germany is therefore ...

4.4 Distribution of expenditures in the industry

The costs involved in running a driving school are divided between personnel costs (***).

Breakdown of driving school expenditure Germany, ****, % of total expenditure Source: ****

In total, expenditure related to personnel and material management increased by almost **% between **** and ****, i.e. an increase of **% for personnel costs and **% for material costs. The main ...

4.5 Age moyen des moniteurs d'auto-école

Enfin, nous pouvons nous intéresser à l'âge moyen des moniteurs au sein des auto-écoles en Allemagne. Nous obsevons alors qu'il s'agit d'un métier effectué par des personnes plutôt âgées, près de **% ayant plus de ** ans.

Répartition des moniteurs en fonction de l'âge Allemagne, ...

5.1 Requirements for obtaining a driving licence in Germany

The first mandatory regulation, the Driving Training Regulation In ****, the "Driving School", which dates back to ****, specified for the first time the content and scope of theoretical and practical training in a driving school. But it was only in **** that it became mandatory to follow a driving training course in a ...

5.2 Market harmonisation at European level

Since ** January ****, the European Union (***) has introduced a harmonised permit model and other minimum requirements for obtaining a permit via the so-called "* th european directive" on driving licences. From now on, all driving licences issued by EU countries are identical. Licences are printed on a piece of plastic the size and ...

6.1 Segmentation

The driving school market in Germany is highly fragmented and consists mainly of small companies. According to the International Road Safety Association, there are about ** *** driving schools in Germany and in **** the number of valid driving licences was ** ***, i.e. almost ** *** people working as driving instructors.

The International Road Safety Association ...