Learn digitally, fewer compulsory requirements, practise with your parents: the federal government wants to restructure driver training. Here, you can see what is planned, how far the legislation has progressed and what it means for you – honestly and without scaremongering.
The Federal Cabinet adopted the draft bill on 20/05/2026, and the Bundestag debated it at its first reading on 24/09/2026. It has not yet been passed.
Everything on this page is PLANNED and may still change as the process continues. Until the law enters into force, the current law applies.
This is what the draft law and the reports on it say:
20.05.2026Completed
The Federal Cabinet adopts the draft amendment to the Driving Instructors Act and other laws.
24/09/2026Completed
First reading in the Bundestag. The draft is referred to the committees for further deliberation, with the Transport Committee taking the lead.
05/10/2026Completed
Public hearing in the Transport Committee. The ADAC supports the draft, while representatives of the driving school sector raise concerns about road safety and the quality of training.
09/10/2026Open
Further consultation in committee as well as votes in the Bundestag and Bundesrat are still pending. A date has not yet been set.
This is how it is now – and this is how it is supposed to be:
Lessons at the driving school are mandatory.
The requirement for in-person lessons will be abolished. You can learn the theory entirely digitally, e.g. via an app. Driving schools will no longer have to provide classrooms.
The question catalogue contains 1,169 questions.
The catalogue is set to shrink to around 840 questions. According to ZDFheute, each question will then count for just one point, but safety-relevant questions must not be answered incorrectly.
12 fixed special driving lessons are mandatory: 5 on country roads, 4 on motorways, 3 in the dark.
The fixed number will be removed. You will still be required to drive on country roads, on the motorway and in the dark. How many driving lessons you need will depend on your skills.
The actual driving time exceeds the EU minimum.
The actual driving time is set to be reduced to 25 minutes, which is the EU minimum requirement.
You only practise on public roads with the driving instructor. Accompanied driving with BF17 only begins after you have passed the test.
An experimental clause is intended to allow practising with people close to you, such as your parents, once you have passed the theory test. This practice is intended to supplement driving school training.
Each driving school sets its own prices.
The prices and pass rates of all driving schools are to be published online in the Mobilithek. Consumer and comparison portals can process this data.
Early 2027 is the target. This requires the Bundestag and Bundesrat to pass the law promptly. There is no date for the vote yet.
No. So far, the Federal Cabinet has approved the draft (20 May 2026). The Bundestag discussed it at its first reading on 24 September 2026. The law has not yet been passed.
The plan is to abolish the requirement to attend in-person lessons, allowing you to learn entirely digitally. However, the current law still applies.
The reform aims to reduce costs. Whether and to what extent this will succeed has not yet been determined.
Until it possibly comes into force, the previous rules for driver training and examinations will continue to apply.
This page summarises publicly available information:
We summarise the state of the legislation to the best of our knowledge. Only the promulgated law is binding. This page does not constitute legal advice or a guarantee.
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