How to choose a driving school across Latvia – everything you need to know about driving schools and the driver training industry as a whole. Transparent, shocking, intriguing – we expose all possible tricks. We provide comprehensive information on all criteria for choosing a driving school.

You have the option to watch a 40-minute video or use the time stamps to view only the topics that interest you, as well as read the video transcript.

• 00:05 Introduction.
• 01:15 Distance learning or in-person – which training method is better?
• 03:42 Results.
• 07:32 Program.
• 09:45 Driving school specialists.
• 14:27 Manual or automatic gearbox? Which to choose?
• 16:34 Theory course or driving lessons – which is harder?
• 18:22 Total driving school costs.
• 26:08 Payments for driving training.
• 29:27 Discounts and coupons.
• 32:58 Contract.
• 34:38 Presto Driving School.
• 40:00 Questions?

1. Introduction.

Welcome to Presto Driving School’s Open Door Days! With more than 20 years of experience and 6 years as market leaders, we know how important the decision to choose a driving school is. This is not just a path to a driver’s license – it is one of the first major purchases in life that must be made independently and thoughtfully.

Just 40 minutes with our experts will help you not only save months of study time but also hundreds of euros. These are not empty words – we will provide previously unheard information in great detail and with strong arguments.

We are here to ensure that your training experience is predictable, financially transparent, and positive. Below you will find a detailed list of topics to help you quickly find the answers to your questions.

So, get comfortable – we will introduce you to the most important criteria for choosing a driving school.

2. Distance Learning or In-Person – Which Training Method is Better?

The introduction of distance learning has significantly differentiated and increased the cost of in-person training, due to rising instructor and facility costs. Despite the higher cost, some younger clients choose in-person because their parents consider it a safe path, as they themselves have taken it before. Everyone still remembers the average quality of training during COVID times. Distance learning was online, with a shared online class. There were many technical and attitude problems that individually hindered learning.

Currently, the allowed form of distance learning is video training – a recorded instructor video with interactive elements. Only the road traffic rules section can be taught via video. A good internet connection is still important.

So, which is better – distance or in-person? We have summarized the pros and cons for you.

The table shows that the vast majority of people prefer video training, considering the above facts.

95% of driving schools now offer video training. Note that only 5 out of 200+ schools are video training content creators – Credo Autoprieks, Mustangs, Einšteins, BAVA, and Presto. Here is a table showing where these distance learning products are available and whether the creator sells them to other schools.

Pay attention to which provider’s distance learning product your chosen school uses. Each has very different learning outcomes. Since most schools use products not developed by themselves, they cannot improve or provide support for them. This affects both learning outcomes and related costs.

3. Results.

Let’s start with the most important thing – results. What’s the point of a driving school if it doesn’t give you the result you need?

Results can be divided into three categories: 

1. Short-term results – successfully passing CSDD exams.

2. Timeframes – the time needed to obtain a driver’s license.

3. Long-term results – how well your knowledge and skills remain after getting your license.

Short-term results: CSDD offers detailed statistics on successful state exam passes. You can find this by searching “driver training” on Google, which leads to csdd.lv/autovaditaju-apmaciba.

Currently, statistics combine in-person and distance learning results, but soon CSDD will separate e-learning platform results. Wouldn’t it make sense to choose a school with the highest statistics, reducing your exam costs? That’s up to you.

Timeframes: On average, it takes 6 months to obtain a category B license. Why are timeframes important? Because the longer you study, the higher the total costs and potential negative consequences. Some schools include extra fees or contract termination if you exceed time limits. Be careful, read the contract, and don’t agree to such terms if the law allows you a year for theory and three years for driving practice.

Long-term results: Will your knowledge remain after you get your license? Many students focus on passing the exam quickly, but what you remember and use in practice is what truly matters. Pay attention to whether the school discusses these results and how they argue for achieving them.

The number of road accidents in Latvia hasn’t significantly decreased for years, so it’s reasonable to think that driver training is at the root. CSDD is now focusing on this and, together with the largest schools, is developing major changes to training regulations to prepare more responsible drivers.

A well-organized, clear, and impressive training will be better remembered by students.

Note: Beware of schools (or those pretending to be schools) that post photos of students with new licenses on social media. The catch is that they don’t provide information on how long it took, how many attempts, or the cost – so the result may not be as good as it seems.

4. Program

People often don’t realize that the training program is the actual product they are buying when choosing a driving school. Have you thought about what you know about the program you’ll be trained with?

It’s a mistake to think that training follows the school’s program. No Latvian driving school has its own program in any category. Shocking, right? So, we can only talk about the training material or content.

Driving schools are just organizers of the training process; licensed instructors and teachers, who are independent entrepreneurs, provide the training and use their own programs. They often work with several schools at once.

This means your results depend on whether you get a good and honest teacher or instructor.

The basics of driver training are regulated by law, but only superficially. Each teacher approaches the material and methods individually. The collected material is often small, poorly formatted, copied from others, and sometimes violates copyright.

The lack of synchronization between individual programs, theory, and practice is one reason why information seems complicated and contradictory, making training long and expensive.

The first signs of systematization appeared with video training, so there is hope that competition for the best content will improve training quality. This is also why some schools’ distance learning is better than most in-person training, and currently, it’s the only sign of where the best material is.

5. Driving School Specialists

There are two types of specialists: theory teachers and instructors. Sometimes, one person does both. Theory in practice – what could be better? Prefer such specialists.

a. Teachers – what should you know about choosing a teacher?

Some schools assign a teacher to a group, so you can know and evaluate them before choosing the school. But you usually can’t choose another, so it’s more like a lottery. Results are more likely to reflect CSDD statistics.

b. Instructors – what should you know about choosing an instructor?

A common mistake is expecting a cheaper instructor to be as good as a more expensive one.

A good instructor:

• Is an excellent teacher, can explain complex things simply
• Is a good communicator, easy and interesting to talk to
• Is systematic, guiding the student towards results
• Is ethical – won’t belittle other specialists’ work
• Is patient and calm – no reproaches or shouting
• Is tactful and respectful – respects your personal space

A cheap, average instructor will not meet many of these criteria. A highly qualified specialist will meet most and prepare you in 5 or more lessons less than a cheap instructor.

Often, people choose a school based on a trusted person’s recommendation of a good instructor. But can you blindly trust such advice? The short answer is NO. Why?

One person’s positive experience gives no guarantee you’ll have the same. If the recommended instructor now works at another school or under a different system, that’s a red flag. Many human factors can change, as training is long and every interaction is different.

Also, practical training should be evaluated together with theory, administration, and technology.

In many regions, instructor choice is limited. Most schools do not allow changing specialists or teamwork. Only a school where the teacher and instructor work in a strictly regulated system can guarantee quality. This also answers whether to choose a big or small school – in a small school, you’ll have fewer options in almost every aspect.

Most important tip: Quality can only be known by comparison. Never leave your driving training to one person’s discretion, because:

1. Only then can you find which instructors suit you best.

2. If the instructor knows there’s no competition, the process will automatically be prolonged, increasing your costs.

Finally, what do you know about the school’s training staff? Have you read reviews or seen videos showing their teaching style? Check their social media, analyze what and how they present themselves. The content they offer will help you understand their attitude and style.

6. Manual or Automatic Gearbox? Which to Choose?

As with the choice between in-person and distance learning, this topic has been discussed for at least 10 years. Many young people are funded by parents who insist on learning with a manual gearbox, thinking it’s important.

We have created a comparison table for training and car use to help you make an informed choice.

Training.

If your main goal is to get a license faster, with less stress and cost, automatic gearbox is a great choice. You can later take the manual exam at CSDD without a school..

However, if you want universal driving skills and to avoid the code 78 restriction, manual gearbox is still valuable.

Car Use

Conclusion:

Currently, manual cars are cheaper to maintain, but this only applies to older, popular models.

Automatic gearboxes are the future standard, as seen in the growing electric, hybrid, and premium car market. Maintenance costs will become more favorable, and manual gearboxes are expected to decline in the next decade.

7. Theory Course or Driving Lessons – Which is Harder?

Driver training has changed a lot over the years, and each student experiences it differently. You may feel that driving takes more time and nerves than theory. Some think driving is harder, but both are equally challenging. This is due to increasing CSDD requirements and changes in both theory and driving exams.

Driving is considered the hardest part because it requires practice and adaptation to real-life situations. You must learn technical skills and react quickly to unexpected events, maintaining emotional stability. Driving involves coordination, gear shifting, and handling the car in various conditions. Decisions must be made in a split second.

However, don’t underestimate the complexity of theory. CSDD exam requirements have increased, requiring deeper understanding and the ability to analyze complex situations, not just memorize rules. Modern training balances theory and practice, and successful drivers need quality in both.

8. Total Driving School Costs

Total costs are the biggest, most important, and most interesting information block. Let’s look at the cost positions.

1. Document Processing

This is also known as the registration fee. It includes registering the student in the CSDD database and administrative costs. The average is EUR 20, but some schools charge EUR 30-40, depending on the category.

Be careful! Some schools charge two registration fees – for school documents and CSDD documents, even though it’s the same service.

2. Theory Course

osts depend on the type: distance or in-person. In-person is more expensive due to instructor and facility costs. Distance learning averages EUR 40, in-person EUR 65

3. First Aid Course

The market price is EUR 55, but some schools charge up to EUR 75. This is mandatory. You can also take it elsewhere.

4. Medical Certificate

Usually EUR 40-45 at the driver’s medical commission. You can get it from your family doctor, but it may be less convenient or more expensive.

5. Driving Lessons

This is the largest cost, up to 90% for many. Prices vary by region, with Riga being the highest. Costs depend on the car, instructor’s experience, and supply/demand.

Important! The number of lessons is most important, not the price per lesson.

A highly qualified instructor can prepare you in 5 or more lessons less than a weak or average one. While lessons with a good instructor may be more expensive, total costs will be lower.

Example.

If you struggle with driving, the number of lessons may be higher, making a good instructor even more valuable.

Also, pay attention to how the school organizes driving:

1. School assigns you an instructor, and changing is difficult.

2. Electronic system allows you to freely choose and change instructors.

Very important: 98% of schools that give you a list of instructors or promise to find the best one actually sell your contact to the instructor for EUR 40-150. This means both sides fix their income from day one.

This amount puts you at a disadvantage from the start, and you don’t know about it.The instructor will try to recover this money by prolonging the process. Students can’t tell if lessons are being artificially extended.

How to protect yourself? As mentioned before – NEVER leave your training to one instructor. The only solution is information. Look for a school with an electronic system for instructor choice, ensuring healthy competition. Only competition and the ability to “vote with your money” will ensure fair conditions and help you avoid excessive costs.

Benefits of free instructor choice:

• Good instructors are more available (no need to wait for one)
• Intensive lessons allow faster completion, as frequent lessons reinforce practice and reduce the total needed
• You don’t get used to one instructor, improving psychological readiness for the exam
• Experience with different instructors and cars improves skills and understanding

6. Theory and Driving Exams

Don’t forget about school and CSDD exam costs. Each retake costs money. Poor preparation or strict exam rules will increase attempts and costs. School statistics, programs, and systems matter here.

How to get the best costs:

Experts agree: complete the theory course before starting practical driving. Finish theory as quickly as possible, so fresh knowledge is reinforced in practice.

If you’re short on time, start driving in traffic after the 5th lesson. Before that, use the school’s practice area to learn the car’s technical and ergonomic basics.

9. Payments for Driving Training

You may have heard of instructors offering cheap lessons and preparing you individually for exams, usually for cash.

According to Cabinet Regulation No. 358, Sections 36 and 36.1, all payments for driving school services must be made only through the school and on the basis of a written contract.

If an instructor accepts individual cash payments, it is illegal. Usually, the instructor does not pay taxes on these transactions.

Important! If you have a valid contract with the school, individual training is not valid. Both cash and receipt payments are illegal. Claims that the contract ends after 10 minimum lessons and individual training starts are legally incorrect.

Why is this risky? If you make such payments, you lose all legal protection. If there are problems with training quality, you cannot defend your rights with the school or CSDD.

By removing competition and oversight, the instructor will prolong training for more income.

Such lessons are often not registered with CSDD. Unregistered lessons may prevent you from taking school or CSDD exams. According to CSDD, at least 50% of lessons are not registered, distorting statistics and leading to unprepared drivers and accidents.

CSDD and police conduct joint raids to catch dishonest instructors. The penalty is loss of the instructor’s license and cancellation of your training. No matter how the instructor encourages you to risk it, it only benefits them.

For the school, such an instructor is both stealing and committing fraud. All costs for acquiring and serving the client are borne by the school, but the instructor keeps all income. This behavior has both civil and criminal consequences.

State and municipal institutions purchasing driving school services should consider their reputation if the provider’s specialists are caught in such practices.

Report such cases to your school, CSDD, and the tax authority to protect yourself and others. Your rights are important, and official payments are the best way to ensure quality training and keep instructors under supervision.

10. Discounts and Coupons

Every day we hear absurd advertising slogans from various schools:

• "Free theory"
• "Spin the wheel of fortune"
• “Theory for only 1 EUR”
• “Price depends on the day”
• "Name your price"

Is it really possible for a school to offer up to a week’s work completely free? Of course, NO. Where there are sheep, there are shearers. Thousands are deceived every year. Almost all schools, even the largest, do this openly.

The theory course discount is recovered by increasing other service prices – document processing, first aid, medical certificate, etc. Many people have trouble adding up costs and are easily deceived. We offer a table to help you calculate total costs.

Our observations over the last 10 years show that many schools offer discounts almost every day. This clearly indicates a different true value, systematic fraud, and low-quality training that will cost much more in the long run. You may think you found a cheap and good deal, but in reality, you have become a victim of ignorance and fraud.

Such schools systematically train students worse because they want you to ignore theory quality and learn it during driving lessons. Why? Because one driving lesson costs as much as the whole theory course. These schools also rush practical training with deadlines and penalties. CSDD statistics hide this with overly difficult school exams – many attempts lead to unexpected costs.

Since real data on time and costs is not public, this is carefully hidden. You can’t know what you haven’t experienced. Those who realize they’ve been tricked usually don’t want to talk about it. Industry experts understand and have compiled this information for you.

Schools that constantly offer discounts promote incomplete training for quick profit and to avoid disputes. For example, by breaking the law, the school exam is not held at all or is passed even if your knowledge does not meet state requirements. This endangers your life, health, and car. Such schools’ work style is dangerous for society. Choose socially responsible schools. The sustainability of your license justifies the theory course fee.

11. Contract.

In our experience, 90% of clients underestimate the importance of the contract with the school. This is unjustified and leads to unrealistic expectations and disputes if the school does not act as you wish. In the adult world, everything is determined by contracts.

The contract usually covers the entire training process and costs, so it can serve as a checklist for your progress.

The contract also sets out all possible consequences for non-compliance. It is unreasonable to think that you joined a school for a 1 EUR theory course promotion and everything will be fine. To recover lost money, you will face about 10-20 types of penalties for missing deadlines and may have to start over.

A contract should be evaluated for fairness – does the school have all the rights and you none? Is there at least one point where the school is responsible for poor service? Is there a complaints procedure? Is the school willing to compensate if there are problems?

We insist that you review the contract before signing. Requesting to see the contract is your right! After reviewing, you’ll see that only a few schools out of 200 allow you to freely view the contract. Most likely, the contract terms will affect your choice if you review them in time.

12. Presto Driving School

Although this story is about you and your choice, we want to highlight how Presto meets all the most important criteria.

Our main motto is Driver’s University. Presto has unique organizational, structural, and pedagogical systems in driver training, comparable to higher education. The slogan emphasizes that our programs and content are the best on the market.

Presto has been among the top 3 largest and statistically leading schools in Latvia for 6 years.

Results speak for themselves: Presto is 1st place in CSDD theory exam statistics and 1st place in e-learning platform results, being the best among 200+ schools. Our students are best prepared for both exams and real life.

Innovation Leader

Presto has introduced 95% of training technologies in Latvia, offering the most modern methods for effective training. Some competitors win IT awards for copying our technology, but we remain ahead.

The electronic driving organization system has existed at Presto since 2016, the first in Latvia.

Team

Our outstanding team of teachers and instructors is one of Presto’s greatest assets. Teacher of teachers Ēriks Griģis and instructor of instructors Rūdolfs Jākobsons are pioneers in their fields, trusted by specialists across Latvia.

They lead the development of programs and systems that guide specialists’ work. The team includes carefully selected experienced and new specialists who together provide the best results. You can read real student reviews about each instructor and teacher on our website, and many specialists actively participate in content creation on popular platforms. You can get to know and choose the right specialist for you.

Program

Presto offers a world-class training program available only at our school. Our program director Ēriks Griģis is the only specialist in Latvia who has combined the best European experience and adapted it to Latvia.

The included methodological examples and exam tips help students find the right answers in both theory and driving exams.

Our goal is to make training more transparent and reduce student costs.

Distance Learning

Presto is the only distance learning product creator that does not sell its product to other schools. It is exclusive, and the results can only be achieved here.

It was created by a large team of specialists, and the product quality far exceeds any individual program in Latvia, including in-person.

Presto is the only school in Latvia offering extensive consultations for its video training product. Our students can get help online or by phone, making remote learning convenient for everyone.

Social Responsibility

Presto is a socially responsible school that never offers discounts at the expense of your costs and safety. Instead, you get the best training content and system in Latvia.

Costs

We invite you to compare our costs with competing schools.

Contract

Presto was the first school in Latvia to offer remote contract review before enrollment and is still among the few that do. We encourage you to review it in detail.

• Training periods comply with legal requirements.
• Clear complaints procedure: administration → management.
• The only school in Latvia to compensate with money if a driving lesson is missed due to our fault.

Just follow these steps to quickly and easily sign a contract:

1. Visit our website: presto.lv

2. Choose the category you need

3. Review and select the most convenient group<

4. Click “Sign contract”

5. Fill in personal data

6. Confirm and make payment

If you wish, our administrator can prepare the contract for you – this service is available for EUR 10 (Note: The document registration fee when signing in person is EUR 30 (remotely – EUR 20)).

13. Questions?

If you have additional questions after the presentation, we recommend first visiting our FAQ section for your chosen category.

If you don’t find the answer, please call or write. You can also leave your questions in the comments below this article, and our administration will respond within 2 working days.