Supervised driving by lay instructors is not part of German driving licence law yet. It is part of a draft bill that is still going through the legislative process. Under the draft, learner drivers should be able to gain driving practice after passing the theory test, supervised by a person close to them. How this works in practice will be decided by the federal states and a later statutory order.
Short answer: The draft amending the Driving Instructors Act provides for supervised driving practice in section 2e of the Road Traffic Act, initially as a pilot. The federal states can introduce it by statutory order. The draft is dated 29 May 2026 (Bundesrat printed paper 330/26). The draft does not specify a minimum period of licence holding or a number of driving lessons.
The most important points at a glance
- The draft was submitted to the Bundesrat as printed paper 330/26 (29 May 2026) and is before the Bundestag as printed paper 21/7404. The Transport Committee held its hearing on 5 October 2026.
- Supervised driving practice is set out as a pilot in section 2e of the Road Traffic Act (StVG).
- A practice supervisor must accompany and instruct the drive and must hold a driving licence.
- The federal states decide for themselves whether to introduce the rule, so it is not a nationwide right with immediate effect.
- The minimum age, the minimum licence period and the number of driving lessons are not quantified in the draft.
What does supervised driving practice mean?
Supervised driving practice means that learner drivers gather practice outside the driving school while a suitable person sits beside them. According to the federal government’s answer, the supervision is carried out by a person close to the learner, and the practice is supplemented by practical training at a driving school. Under the draft, this person is designated as a practice supervisor.
Our overview of mobility and driving costs for students is available here. The idea is to make acquiring driving experience cheaper. The federal government links the draft to the goal of a more affordable and modern driving licence. Whether and to what extent the federal states will actually implement it remains open. In an answer to the Bundestag, the government expects that initially only a limited share of learner drivers will take this route.
Who may supervise and who may take part?
The draft separates the requirements for learners from those for supervisors. For learners, the draft requires that they meet certain conditions of the Road Traffic Act, observe the minimum age rules and hold liability insurance. A previous withdrawal of the driving licence excludes participation.
| Role | Requirement under the draft | What remains open |
|---|---|---|
| Learner driver | Meeting specified conditions of the StVG, liability insurance, no previous withdrawal of the licence | A concrete minimum age is not stated in the document |
| Practice supervisor | Holding a driving licence, accompanying and instructing during the drive | Further requirements such as close relationship, minimum age and years of licence holding are to be set by regulation |
| Supervision without payment | According to the federal government, only permitted without payment | The excerpt contains no further details |
The detailed conditions for the supervising person are to be set out in a statutory order. The topics include the personal closeness to the learner, a minimum age, how entries in the driver register are handled and limits on alcohol and drug use. Until that order exists, the requirements cannot be described in full.
Which steps come before driving practice?
According to the federal government, the theory test must be passed beforehand. Supervised practice therefore does not replace theoretical training but builds on it. How many practical lessons at a driving school are required beforehand is set by each federal state under the draft. The document does not state a specific number.
- Pass the theory test before you start supervised driving practice.
- Check whether your federal state has already introduced supervised driving practice by statutory order.
- Find a person who meets the requirements for a practice supervisor and clarify the insurance for the drives.
- Ask your driving school which practical training is additionally required.
What the draft does not regulate
The draft does not quantify the minimum age, the minimum licence period of the supervisors or the number of driving lessons before the start. The document also gives no date of entry into force, because the excerpt ends before the final article. Anyone planning around a specific rule should therefore wait for the outcome of the procedure.
There is nevertheless a timetable from EU law. In its answer to a minor interpellation, the federal government refers to the deadline for transposing the fourth EU driving licence directive, 26 November 2028, and to its application from 26 November 2029. The same answer states that supervised driving from the age of 16 is not consistent with applicable EU law.
Frequently asked questions
Does supervised driving apply from 2027?
No concrete date can be derived from the documents. The draft has been forwarded to the Bundesrat and is in the parliamentary process. The federal states must also introduce the rule themselves, so it does not apply automatically in every state.
Can any relative or friend ride along?
Not without conditions. The draft requires a person close to the learner who is designated as practice supervisor and holds a driving licence. The exact requirements, such as minimum age and years of licence holding, are to be set by regulation. Until that regulation exists, the question remains open.
Do I still need lessons at a driving school?
According to the federal government, practical training at a driving school supplements the driving practice. The federal state determines how many hours that means. If you want to take this route, ask your driving school early.
Is supervised driving by parents the same thing?
The draft speaks of driving practice with a person close to the learner, and the Bundestag gives parents as an example. The exact requirements for the supervising person are to follow in a regulation, so a binding answer is not possible today.
What changes for the theory test?
The federal government announces that the question catalogue will be smaller and that the scoring system is to be simplified. Attendance at theory lessons is to be dropped, so the knowledge can be acquired fully digitally, for example through an app. According to the preliminary remarks of printed paper 21/6974, roughly a third of the theory questions are to be deleted. The draft, as far as the documents evaluated here show, does not say which questions these are or how the points are distributed.
What happens if the reform does not come?
Then the current rules remain. The driving licence is then still obtained through the classic training with a driving instructor. You will find an overview of the costs of a driving licence in our article on the cost of a driving licence in 2026.
What you should do now
- Follow the legislative process and check whether the Bundestag passes the draft.
- Ask your driving school whether it offers or supports supervised driving practice.
- Clarify early who could act as practice supervisor, and check the insurance.
- Plan your training so that you pass the theory test with certainty as the precondition.
Further reading
- Getting by cheaply as a student: tickets, scooters and driving licence
- Driving licence reform 2027: what changes in theory and practice
- What does a driving licence cost in 2026?
Sources: Draft act amending the Driving Instructors Act, Bundesrat printed paper 330/26 (29 May 2026), Answer of the federal government, Bundestag printed paper 21/6974 (7 July 2026), Federal government: reform for an affordable and modern driving licence, German Bundestag, hib report on the hearing of 5 October 2026 (printed paper 21/7404, retrieved 2 November 2026)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
