The traffic police and Rosobrnadzor are tightening control over driving schools

The Government of the Russian Federation has tightened the requirements for the activities of driving schools: from April 1, all educational organizations are required to have a traffic police conclusion on the compliance of classes, cars, playgrounds, simulators, and literature with established standards. Without this document, driving school graduates will not be allowed to take the exams. Corresponding amendments have been made to the government decree and federal law.

The Russian government introduced amendments to the regulation on licensing of educational organizations (Resolution No. 1490 of 2020). From April 1, 2024, driving schools are required to have a valid conclusion “on the compliance of the educational and material base” issued by the traffic police. Without this document, an educational license will not be issued and the old one will not be renewed.

The traffic police has inspected the educational and material base of driving schools before: inspectors checked classrooms, playgrounds, literature, teaching materials, simulators, and cars. Based on the results, educational organizations were issued an appropriate conclusion. In 2021, the requirement was canceled because Rosobrnadzor decided that the rule should be enshrined in federal law. For three years, the conclusions were checked only from license applicants. The Ministry of Internal Affairs prepared a package of amendments to the law “On Road Safety,” but it took three years: the document was adopted only in mid-2023. We are talking about a large package of changes, about which Kommersant told. The law comes into force on April 1, along with a new licensing provision.

Tightening licensing requirements will make it possible to remove “gray” organizations from the market, which in fact do not have sites, classrooms, or teachers, says Tatyana Shutyleva, president of the Interregional Association of Driving Schools. According to her, the pre-existing gap allowed them to dump, training in illegally reduced and therefore cheaper programs. She also reminds that from April 1, according to the new law, a driving school graduate who does not have a traffic police certificate will simply not be allowed to take the exam. This, according to Tatyana Shutyleva, will be a more effective tool than tightening licensing requirements.

According to the traffic police, at the end of 2023 there were 7.2 thousand driving schools in Russia; over the year their number decreased by 339.

The law, which comes into force on April 1, contains a number of significant innovations. Foreigners will be able to use foreign driving licenses for a year after receiving a residence permit or Russian passport, after which they need to obtain Russian driving licenses. Citizens who do not have experience (minimum one year) driving a passenger car or truck will no longer be able to open a bus category D. Drivers who simultaneously have open categories B and CE (passenger car and truck with trailer) will automatically, without passing exams, receive the right to drive a passenger car with a trailer (category BE). Must have at least one year of driving experience.

Ivan Buranov