The practical driving test of 40 minutes is one of the core points of the planned reform of car driver training. According to the federal government, the total duration of the class B test is to fall from 55 to 40 minutes and the actual driving time from 30 to 25 minutes. This is draft and planning status, not current law.
In short: For class B the federal government names a shortening of the practical test from 55 to 40 minutes in total and from 30 to 25 minutes of driving time (Drucksache 21/4853, reply to question 19). Bill 21/7404 does not contain this duration and is being debated in the Bundestag. Last updated: November 2026.
Key points
- The plan is 40 minutes in total instead of 55 and 25 minutes of driving instead of 30, each for class B.
- The bill itself names no test duration. The figures come from the federal government’s reply to a parliamentary inquiry.
- The statutory requirement of twelve special drives is to be dropped. It remains required that drives take place on rural roads, on the motorway and in darkness.
- An experimentation clause is to trial driving practice with persons close to the learner, after passing the theory test.
- The documents give no date of entry into force. The current test times apply until then.
How long is the practical test supposed to last in future?
On 18 March 2026 the federal government answered a parliamentary inquiry on the reform. In its reply to question 19 it says the actual driving test for class B is to be shortened from 30 to 25 minutes and the total duration from 55 to 40 minutes (Drucksache 21/4853). The questioner had spoken of a cut from 45 to 25 minutes. The reply gives different starting values, which are the ones that count.
| Feature (class B) | Currently | Planned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total duration of the test | 55 minutes | 40 minutes | plan, reply of the federal government |
| Actual driving time | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | plan, reply of the federal government |
| Special drives | 12 required by law (5 rural, 4 motorway, 3 darkness) | number dropped, drives remain mandatory | draft, hib 618/2026 |
| Entry into force | not applicable | not stated | open |
Is the test duration in the bill?
No. The Bundestag’s news item on the bill names no test duration (hib 618/2026), and Bundesrat Drucksache 330/26 contains no minute figures. The figures therefore belong to the federal government’s plans without being in the draft text. In the hearing of 5 October 2026 an expert welcomed the planned shortening. A motion of the AfD group (Drucksache 21/3558), by contrast, calls for a return to the 45-minute practical test, as the Bundestag page reports (hearing in the transport committee).
What changes for the special drives?
At present the law prescribes twelve special drives for the car licence: five rural, four motorway and three darkness drives. In future the requirement on the number is to be dropped. It remains regulated that drives on rural roads, on the motorway and in darkness must take place. Germany would thereby follow EU law, says the Bundestag’s news item. No fixed number of hours is planned, and the necessary number depends on the learner’s skills and the instructors’ assessment.
The key points of the federal-state working group mention one teaching unit per type of special drive for class B. This figure is not in the bill either and should be read as a draft.
What role does driving practice with persons close to the learner play?
The draft contains an experimentation clause (§ 2e StVG in the draft version). It is meant to trial whether learners can gain driving practice on public roads under the guidance of persons close to them. Passing the theory test is a prerequisite. According to Drucksache 21/7404 the supervising person is to act unpaid, and the Federal Highway Research Institute is to evaluate the trial. The practice supplements driving-school training. The details are covered in Supervised driving by lay persons.
Where does the legislative procedure stand?
| Date | Step | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2026 | Bill in the Bundesrat, Drucksache 330/26 | Bundesrat |
| 29 July 2026 | Bundestag Drucksache 21/7404 | Bundestag |
| 24 Sept 2026 | First reading in the Bundestag | Bundestag |
| 5 Oct 2026 | Hearing in the transport committee | Bundestag |
| open | Vote and entry into force | not stated |
The Bundesrat has suggested changes, some of which the government wants to examine and others to reject. The sources do not mention a committee vote or final adoption. The Federal Ministry of Transport informs about the status on its page on the reform of car driver training (in German).
What does this mean for your driving test?
In practice: as long as the reform is not in force, expect the current 55 minutes with 30 minutes of driving. The shorter test mainly reduces the length of the test appointment. How much this affects your total cost depends on the driving school’s prices and the number of lessons, and driving-school fees are to be reported to a transparency register in future. See What does a driving licence cost in 2026? for orientation. For theory, see New theory test.
What relief does the bill link to the reform?
The bill aims to lower the cost of obtaining a licence through digitalisation and less bureaucracy (Drucksache 21/7404). The federal government puts the annual relief for businesses at about 73.5 million euros. The largest share, about 57.4 million euros, comes from dropping the requirement to keep classrooms, and about 2.3 million euros relate to teaching materials. For citizens it expects about 74,500 fewer hours of effort a year, because the signature on the training record is dropped. The bill gives no fixed figure for how much cheaper your licence will become.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the practical driving test at present?
According to the federal government’s reply, it currently lasts 55 minutes in total for class B, of which 30 minutes is actual driving. The plan is 40 and 25 minutes.
Does the 40-minute test apply already?
No. The figures are the federal government’s planning status. The bill is being debated in the Bundestag, and no entry into force is stated.
Does the shortening also apply to motorcycles and lorries?
The federal government’s reply on which this guide relies gives values for class B. Other classes have separate rules, which you should ask your driving school about.
Will special drives be abolished?
Only the statutory number of twelve special drives is to be dropped. Drives on rural roads, on the motorway and in darkness remain mandatory.
Does the reform also shorten the training at the driving school?
The draft provides no fixed number of hours. According to the Bundestag, how many lessons are needed depends on the learner’s skills and the instructors’ assessment. That is already how it works in practice, and what is new in law is the dropping of the rigid number of special drives.
Will the shorter test make the licence cheaper?
The draft names no amount. The test itself is only one part of the total cost. The number of lessons and the driving school’s prices are what matter.
What to do now
- For planning, assume the current 55 minutes until the reform is promulgated.
- Ask your driving school about transitional rules and the arrangement of the special drives.
- Follow the procedure through Bundestag Drucksache 21/7404.
- Read the guides on theory and supervised driving to get the full picture.
Related guides
- Getting around on a student budget
- Driving licence reform 2027: theory and practice
- New theory test
- Supervised driving by lay persons
- What does a driving licence cost in 2026?
Sources: Bundestag, Drucksache 21/4853 of 18 March 2026, reply of the federal government; Bundestag, Drucksache 21/7404 of 29 July 2026; Bundesrat, Drucksache 330/26 of 29 May 2026; Bundestag, hib 618/2026 of 30 July 2026; Bundestag, hearing in the transport committee on 5 October 2026.
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
