How many driving hours are mandatory for category B?
The number of hours is not chosen by each school: the training curriculum approved by OMT 733/2013 sets the minimum theory and practice for category B.
Short answer
- 1. Category B requires a minimum of 30 hours of practical (driving) training at an authorised school.
- 2. The mandatory theory training is 24 hours of road legislation and defensive driving.
- 3. The legal minimum does not guarantee passing: many students need extra hours, usually bought in packages.
- 4. The school must keep records of each student’s completed hours — without the full hours, the file cannot be submitted for the exam.
What the training curriculum requires
The training curriculum is an annex to OMT 733/2013, the order that also governs school authorisation and course methodology. For category B, the minimum looks like this:
The minimum mandatory training for category B
| Training type | Minimum hours | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | 24 hours | Road legislation, defensive driving, first aid, basic mechanics |
| Practice (driving) | 30 hours | Actual driving with a certified instructor, in a dual-control vehicle |
A concrete example: how the 30 hours are used
- A typical student takes 2-hour sessions, 2–3 times a week — the 30 hours stretch over roughly 5–7 weeks.
- The first hours cover basic manoeuvres and simple routes; the last ones rehearse exam routes and parking.
- The instructor logs every session, and the student’s hour balance decreases accordingly.
- If the student is not ready after the 30 hours, they buy an extra hour package before booking the exam.
Common mistakes
- Confusing sessions with hours: “30 hours” means training hours, not 30 sessions — one session can cover several hours.
- Tracking hours in a notebook or Excel: wrong balances lead to students booked for the exam without their full hours.
- Cramming the hours into the last week: the law allows the pace, but pass rates drop — and the school’s yearly visa depends on them.
How 4driving helps you
In 4driving, every student has an hour package with an automatically tracked balance: each scheduled and completed lesson is deducted, and extra hours are added as new packages.
You see at a glance who has finished the mandatory 30 hours and who still has lessons left, so you never again send an incomplete file to the exam.