Getting a driving licence in Germany could become more digital, flexible and potentially cheaper under a reform now being considered by the Bundestag. The Federal Government wants to modernise driving-school training, reduce bureaucracy and lower the costs associated with obtaining a driving licence. The bill was discussed in its first reading on 24 September 2026 and has now been referred to the Bundestag committees for further consideration. The proposed changes are therefore not yet law.
If the bill is approved, the following changes could be introduced.
One of the biggest proposed changes concerns theory training. The current requirement to attend theory lessons in person would be removed. Learners could acquire the required knowledge entirely digitally, for example through an app.
Driving schools would decide whether and in what form they continue to offer theory lessons. The government also wants to simplify the theory test's assessment system and reduce the size of its question catalogue, while keeping road-safety issues a particular focus.
The reform would also change practical training. At present, car learners have to complete 12 legally prescribed special journeys: five country-road journeys, four motorway journeys and three journeys in darkness. The proposal would remove the fixed number. Driving on country roads, motorways and in darkness would still be required, but the amount of training would depend on the learner's abilities and the driving instructor's assessment.
A planned experimental provision would allow learners to gain driving practice on public roads under the guidance of a close person, such as a parent, after passing the theory test. This supervised practice would supplement professional driving-school training, rather than replace it. The proposal is intended as an experiment and would operate under defined conditions.
The government also wants to make driving-school prices more transparent. Driving schools would submit their prices electronically for publication through a transparency portal, making it easier for learners to compare costs. The wider bill would also reduce administrative requirements and modernise procedures involving driving schools and instructors.
The bill would restructure rules governing further training for driving instructors and simplify certain administrative procedures. It would also change rules concerning driving instructors with professional qualifications from other EU member states. The government says these changes are needed, among other reasons, to correctly implement EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications.
Alongside the government bill, the AfD parliamentary group has submitted a separate proposal called a “€1 Driving Licence”, aimed at reducing Germany’s high driving-licence costs. It says even the minimum cost for a Class B licence can reach €1,605, while extensive practice can push the total to €7,500–€8,000. The proposal links affordable access to mobility and employment, particularly for young people and those in rural areas.
It argues that limited prior knowledge among learners can also increase training costs. The AfD therefore proposes an interest-free KfW loan of up to €4,500 for people aged 15 to 25 obtaining licences in categories AM, A1, A2 or B. The loan would be repaid at €1 per day, with associated costs covered by federal funds.
The AfD proposal also calls for several changes intended to make driving training and testing less expensive and more flexible. These include allowing a return to a 45-minute practical driving test, combining classroom and digital theory learning while retaining the option of fully classroom-based teaching, creating clearer rules for the use of driving simulators, and digitising driving-licence and examination-admission applications.
It also proposes reforming driving-instructor training to reduce its scope and costs and make it more attractive to career changers. Another proposal is to promote earlier road-safety education in schools, with the aim of improving young people's knowledge before they begin driving school.
The government bill and the separate AfD proposal have both been referred to the Bundestag committees, with the Transport Committee taking the lead in further discussions. The government's draft currently provides for the main provisions to enter into force on 1 July 2027, subject to the legislative process. That means the proposed changes should not yet be treated as new driving-licence rules.
For future learners, the reform could mean a more digital theory phase, greater flexibility in practical training and a new way to gain supervised driving experience outside the driving school. But whether and in what form these proposals ultimately become law will depend on the remaining parliamentary process.
Germany’s driving licence reform could change how learners complete theory training, take driving lessons and obtain their licence. Watch the video to see what the government bill and AfD’s €1 driving licence proposal would change, when new rules could take effect and how much learners could potentially save.
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