Overview

• In 2024, 666 learners in Hamburg lost their valid theory test results after failing to take the practical exam within the required one-year timeframe.
• The CDU has called for the number of practical examiners in Hamburg to be raised from 41 to at least 60 to address growing backlogs.
• Examiner shortages, exacerbated by 21 average annual absence days per examiner, have been blamed for delays in scheduling practical tests.
• The CDU is also pushing for full reimbursement of costs incurred by learners who lost their theory test validity due to missed deadlines.
• The Hamburg Senate has not provided data on wait times for practical exams, citing a lack of transparency in current scheduling systems managed by driving schools.