How many driving lessons do I need?

The honest answer first: nobody prescribes a fixed number of driving lessons. The law only sets out how many special drives you must complete at minimum before you can take the practical exam. How many regular practice lessons you additionally need depends on your prior knowledge, your talent, and how regularly you practise.

For class B, that means five rural road drives, four motorway drives and three night drives – twelve special drives of 45 minutes each in total. These drives are mandatory, regardless of how confident you already feel. On top of that come the ordinary driving lessons, in which you practise basic manoeuvres, traffic situations and your feel for the vehicle.

Experience shows that most learner drivers need around 20 to 30 additional driving lessons – some need fewer, others considerably more, and that's completely normal. Anyone who has already gained a lot of traffic experience as a passenger, or who uses accompanied driving from age 17, is often confidently on the road faster than someone sitting behind the wheel for the first time.

The biggest lever is in your own hands: if you take breaks between lessons, you forget what you've learned more quickly. If you practise regularly – ideally also with an accompanying person in your own car – you often end up needing fewer paid lessons with us.

At Fahrschule Dexheimer we talk openly with you about where you currently stand. Our instructors in Heilbronn and our other branches tell you honestly when you're ready for the exam – without selling you unnecessary lessons. In the end, what counts isn't the number on the invoice, but that you drive safely and confidently.