German driving licence reform 2027: what changes for the theory
Learning the theory with an app instead of compulsory lessons: what the planned reform of driver training in Germany means for learners, when it is due and what stays.
Last updated: November 2026 · Read this article in German
Key points
- Compulsory theory lessons at a driving school are to be dropped. You decide whether you learn in class, digitally in a group or on your own with an app.
- The planned start is 1 January 2027. The Bundesrat and the federal states still have to approve it.
- Driving lessons, the special training drives and the practical test stay with the driving school.
- From July 2027 the theory test is to be scored more simply: 30 questions, no more than 3 mistakes.
How it works today
For a car licence (class B), compulsory theory lessons at a driving school are currently part of the training, usually 14 double lessons of 90 minutes each. Only after attending them does the driving school confirm your training so that you can take the theory test.
What is to change
The draft ordinance states it plainly: the learner decides on their own responsibility which learning format to use for the theory. Classes at a driving school, digital formats in a group or entirely on your own, and any mix of these are allowed. According to the explanatory notes, learning completely on your own, for example with an app, is to be permitted.
Driving schools will no longer have to offer theory lessons. If they do, they choose whether to teach on site, online or both. As for content, only what you need for the theory test counts.
When does it apply?
Under the draft, the new training ordinance is to take effect on 1 January 2027 and most other changes on 1 July 2027, including the new test scoring and dropping the proof of training you currently need for the theory test. The Bundestag passed the related law in November 2026; the Bundesrat and the federal states still have to approve it and may ask for changes.
If you started your training before 1 January 2027, the draft allows you to finish it under the old rules. If in doubt, ask your driving school which rules apply to you.
What stays the same
You still learn to drive at a driving school: driving lessons, the special training drives and the practical test. Before the practical test, the driving school confirms that you are ready. So even after the reform there is no licence without a driving school; only the theory becomes free.
The rule that a passed theory test expires if you do not take the practical test within twelve months is also to be dropped, giving you more time between the two tests.
Is learning the theory with an app worth it?
For many people, yes: you learn at your own pace, wherever and whenever you like, and repeat exactly what has not stuck yet. It takes some discipline, though, because nobody sets dates for you. Aim to understand the rules rather than memorise test questions. drivevise is built for exactly that, with short lessons, comprehension questions and a final mock exam in the new format, available in English.