How to start a driving school?

You must:

• obtain a certificate and permit to become a driving school director

  • You have held a certificate as instructor in both theory and practice for at least 3 years.

  • You have passed an oral and written test.

• be recognised as a driving school

  • You have an operating permit for a place of business.

  • You have an approved practice site.

• have a permit to operate a place of business. Each place of business must have at least 1:

  • reception area with:

    • lockable toilets that meet the legal hygiene provisions

    • an administrative area

    • a computer for every 10 pupils with multiple choice questions on the theory test.

  • have a classroom for at least 10 pupils with:

    • material for giving presentations

    • boards and teaching diagrams

    • models of the most important parts of the vehicles you teach about

    • the latest regulations on the material taught.

• have at least 1 teaching vehicle

  • The conditions that your teaching vehicles must meet can be found in the Royal Decree on driving schools.

• have an approved practice site for vehicle categories A, C, D, E and G

  • You may use any public and private site.

  • Strangers must not be able to enter the site.

  • The surface must be solid and adapted to the teaching vehicles.

  • Nothing must be on the ground that could cause accidents.

  • A fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a rag to absorb oil must always be available.

  • If lessons are held after sunset, the site must have a permanent light installation.

  • You must equip your site differently depending on the vehicle category.

• have at least 1 instructor. You may perform this job yourself. Each instructor:

  • has a certificate and permit for the category in which they teach

  • has never been convicted

  • is permitted to drive a motor vehicle

  • has a medical certificate of driving aptitude

  • has held a category B driving licence (for certificates II, III and V) or a category A driving licence (for certificate IV) for at least 3 years

  • has a driving licence for the category in which they teach (for certificate V).

• Obtain a certificate and permit as driving school director.

  • First register for the tests.

  • Take the tests.

  • If you pass, request your permit.

• Have your driving school recognised.

  • Complete the application for recognition and submit it to the Department of Mobility and Public Works (Dutch: Departement Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken).

  • Include the following documents:

    • the articles of incorporation of your company

    • for each employee, a personnel file and an extract from the criminal records model 2 that is no more than 3 months old.

• Have your place of business recognised.

  • Complete the operating application and submit it to the Department of Mobility and Public Works.

  • Include the following documents:

    • a solemn declaration that you use the room for your administration

    • a scale diagram of the classroom

    • a certificate that your place of business meets the fire standards

    • the schedule of your theory and practical lessons.

• Have your potential practice site recognised.

  • Complete the approval application and submit it to the Department of Mobility and Public Works.

  • Include a scale diagram of your practice site.

• Have your teaching vehicles recognised.

  • Equip them as teaching vehicles.

  • Submit the registration certificate (or certificate of conformity for a vehicle with AM driving licence), inspection certificate and insurance certificate of each vehicle to the Department of Mobility and Public Works.

• Have your instructors recognised.

  • Complete an ‘Application for recognition of a staff member’ for every instructor and submit it to the Department of Mobility and Public Works.

• The Department of Mobility and Public Works publishes the recognition of your driving school, the operating permit of your place of business and the approval of your practice site in the Belgian Official Gazette.

Once you are a driving school director, you must follow at least 12 hours of mandatory refresher training every year to keep up with the latest developments.

• Royal Order of 11 May 2004 on the conditions for recognition of schools for driving motor vehicles

• Royal Order of 23 March 1998 on the driving licence.