Lesson 1: How Much Does a Class B License Really Cost?
Complete cost breakdown: Official examination fees under GebOSt (TÜV/DEKRA: theory €24.99, practical €129.83), authority fees, eye test, first aid course, photo, and driving school costs — with official sources and typical estimates.
1. Official Examination Fees (TÜV or DEKRA)
The fees for the driving exam are legally fixed — in the Scale of Fees for Road Traffic Measures (GebOSt) — and are uniform nationwide. Whether you test with TÜV or DEKRA makes no difference to the price. The examination organizations determine the fees strictly according to the GebOSt (Source: TÜV SÜD fee schedule, valid from January 31, 2024):
- Class B Theory Exam: €24.99 (incl. VAT)
- Class B Practical Exam: €129.83 (incl. VAT)
- Both exams together: €154.82 — if you need to retake an exam, the fees are charged again.
2. Driving License Authority Fees (Example: Freiburg)
- First issuance of driving license with probation period: €45.90 (without probation: €45.10) — Source: freiburg.de, as of Feb 6, 2026. Fees may vary slightly in other cities.
- In addition, the fee for application processing (e.g. via the local registration office / Einwohnermeldeamt): approx. €5.10 (Baden-Württemberg Driving Instructors Association / flvbw, as of 04/2025).
3. Mandatory Certificates Before the Exam
- Eye test: approx. €6.50 (flvbw benchmark, as of 04/2025; typically €6–25 depending on optician or ophthalmologist). Legal basis: FeV § 12 — the eye test certificate must not be older than two years at the time of application (federal law, FeV § 12 para. 7).
- First aid course (9 teaching units): €70.00 at DRK Freiburg; typically €40–70 depending on provider (DRK, ASB, Johanniter, Malteser). Legal basis: FeV § 19.
- Biometric passport photo: approx. €6–15 (market price); a photo booth is available on-site at the Freiburg licensing office.
4. The Driving School — The Largest Expense
Driving school fees are deregulated (free pricing under the Driving Instructors Act, price disclosure regulated by PAngV) — there are no fixed official rates. The Baden-Württemberg Driving Instructors Association (flvbw, 04/2025) provides these rules of thumb:
- Basic registration fee (Grundbetrag) (includes theory lessons): should cost at most about 10 times the price of a regular driving lesson.
- Special mandatory drives (Sonderfahrten) (cross-country, highway, darkness — 12 are mandatory): at most around 1.5 times the cost of a regular driving lesson.
- Presentation fee for exam (theory + practical combined): at most around 5 times a regular driving lesson — charged by the school in addition to TÜV/DEKRA fees.
- How many driving hours you need depends on individual progress: as a rule of thumb, expect roughly 1.3 × your age in rural areas or 1.8 × your age in major cities (flvbw).
Nationwide, the typical total cost for Class B ranges from approx. €2,500 to €4,000 (market range, not an official statistic — compare multiple driving schools and ask for total package details before signing up).
5. Sample Cost Calculation (Class B, Passed on First Try, Freiburg Region)
- Exam fees (TÜV/DEKRA): €154.82
- Authority (first issuance + application processing): approx. €51
- Eye test + first aid course + photo: approx. €82–90
- Driving school (incl. theory, regular lessons, special drives, presentation): typically €2,500–4,000
- Total: realistically around €2,800–4,300 — in practice, costs may start lower depending on total hours and region.
6. Important Practical Advice
- All official fees are subject to change without notice — current price lists of testing organizations and authorities are authoritative. Market rates (eye tests, courses, driving schools) fluctuate over time.
- Review the driving school contract (Fahrschulvertrag) before signing up: mandatory price disclosure laws apply to both theory and practical instruction.
- To practice for your theory exam, use our free exam simulation (30 questions, 45 minutes, scoring with penalty points just like TÜV/DEKRA).