Over 1,800 euros difference: This is how expensive the driver's license is in Germany

Only 3 min.

Introduction

In 2025, around 1.04 million people in Germany took the practical driving test for a car license (class B) and around 185,000 took the practical test for a motorcycle license (classes A1/A2/A). The costs for a driver's license can vary greatly depending on where you live, as we discovered in a recent study. For this analysis, car and motorcycle driving school prices, as well as boat license providers, were evaluated across the 20 largest cities in Germany. On average, a car license costs 3,288 euros, a motorcycle license costs 3,019 euros, and a boat license for coastal and inland waters costs 522 euros, with price differences between cities reaching up to 1,828 euros (car) and 1,535 euros (motorcycle).

Getting a driver's license in Munich costs €1,828 more than in Berlin

The total cost for a car or motorcycle license is made up of the basic fee, driving lessons, exam fees, as well as mandatory costs such as a first-aid course and passport photo. The average cost for a car driver's license was calculated based on an average of 23 driving lessons. The driver's license is most expensive in Munich, where novice drivers have to pay an average of 4,329 euros. In second place is Leipzig with 3,856 euros, closely followed by Dresden with 3,801 euros. Driving schools in Hamburg and Nuremberg are also expensive, taking fourth and fifth place with averages of 3,480 euros and 3,435 euros respectively.

At the lower end of the ranking is Berlin. At an average of 2,501 euros, the driver's license is most affordable in the capital city. Second and third place are held by Hanover and Dortmund with 2,731 euros and 2,967 euros respectively. Duisburg (2,969 euros) and Wuppertal (3,036 euros) round out the top 5 most inexpensive cities.

Looking at individual price components, the biggest differences between cities arise in different areas. The costs for driving lessons vary the most out of all price components. On average, a regular driving lesson costs 69 euros. Berlin is the cheapest at 54 euros per hour, and Munich is the most expensive at 90 euros. The gap is even wider for special driving lessons (Sonderfahrten), which include the legally required overland, highway, and night drives. On average, these cost a bundled total of 872 euros. Here too, Berlin is the most affordable at an average of 699 euros, and Munich is the most expensive at 1,099 euros.

The fees for presentation for the practical exam also differ significantly, averaging 216 euros. Costs range from 177 euros in Berlin to 314 euros in Munich. Less pronounced, yet still noticeable, are the fluctuating costs for presentation for the theoretical exam. Here, the average cost is 68 euros. While Berlin has no fees for this, Frankfurt am Main charges 136 euros. On the other hand, the costs for the first-aid course are comparatively uniform, ranging between 40 and 50 euros depending on the city.

On average, getting your motorcycle license is 269 euros cheaper than getting your driver's license!

A motorcycle license costs an average of 3,019 euros nationwide, making it slightly more affordable than a car driver's license. Leipzig claims first place in the negative ranking: In this major city in Saxony, learner riders pay an average of 3,749 euros for their motorcycle license. Munich lands in second place just one euro behind at 3,748 euros, closely followed by Dresden in third place with 3,502 euros. Nuremberg (3,141 euros) and Bremen (3,130 euros), ranking fourth and fifth, also end up above the national average.

Aspiring motorcyclists pay the least in Mannheim: With an average of 2,214 euros, getting your license there is over 1,500 euros cheaper than in Leipzig! In second place is Berlin, where both car licenses and motorcycle licenses (at an affordable 2,531 euros) are among the most budget-friendly. Hanover takes third place among the most economical cities (2,552 euros), followed by Duisburg (2,835 euros) and Bonn (2,883 euros) in fourth and fifth place.

Just like with other licenses, the cost components for a motorcycle license vary by city. The biggest differences can be found in the actual driving lessons. On average, a regular driving lesson costs 76 euros. The highest prices are charged in Leipzig (96 euros), Munich (91 euros), and Mannheim, while driving students pay the least in Hanover (63 euros), Berlin (64 euros), and Dortmund (67 euros).

The fees for the registration and presentation for the practical exam also differ widely by city. On average, this will run you 234 euros. With an average of 298 euros, Munich is the most expensive of the analyzed cities, while Bremen is the most welcoming to your wallet at 185 euros.

By contrast, the other cost components vary only slightly between the cities. For instance, the average cost for presentation at the theoretical test is 67 euros—though Berlin charges no fees at all, and Frankfurt am Main charges the most at 134 euros. Similar to the car license, the costs for a first-aid course mostly range between 40 and 50 euros, depending on the city.

How Much Do Boating Licenses Cost in Germany? [anny]

A driving license isn't just required on land. The Sportbootführerschein (SBF) See and Binnen are the official recreational boating licenses in Germany for boats with more than 15 HP. The SBF See is valid for coastal waters, while the SBF Binnen is required for rivers and lakes. The highest prices for both licenses are charged in Stuttgart: 408 euros for the SBF See and 390 euros for the SBF Binnen. This puts the state capital of Baden-Württemberg in first place in both categories. Mannheim and Dresden follow in second and third place, respectively: costing 368 euros each for the SBF See, and 370 euros and 350 euros for the SBF Binnen.

The licenses are most affordable in Berlin, Hamburg, Dortmund, Hanover, and Nuremberg: in these five cities, the SBF See costs 308 euros and the SBF Binnen costs 290 euros.

"Price differences of almost 1,900 euros for the exact same driving license show how urgently this market needs more structure. With anny, we are creating exactly that structure: we give student drivers a full overview of their completed and remaining lessons at any time, and we provide driving schools with real-time visibility of their capacities. This is how we prevent double bookings and hidden costs before they even occur," comments Lucian Holtwiesche, Co-Founder of anny.

Empowering the world to share resources