The driving school market in Germany

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.