Personal driving supervisor

When taking a driving course, you can practice your driving skills with a personal driving supervisor in addition to your driving instructor – the supervisor is an experienced driver who will help you develop your driving skills.

Drivers who have held a driving licence for category B motor vehicles for at least five years can get a personal driving supervisor’s certificate. Personal driving supervisors must not have valid penalties for driving while intoxicated or for other violations the penalty for which is the withdrawal of the right to drive (for example, exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 km/h or running a red light if this caused a dangerous situation).

A personal driving supervisor must apply for a certificate of a personal driving supervisor in the e-service of the Transport Administration. You can add up to three trainees to the certificate. The online environment conducts a background check and issues an electronic certificate of a personal driving supervisor if all the aforementioned conditions have been met. You must also pay a state fee of 12 euros (or 16 euros when applying at the bureau).

A personal driving supervisor must carry the certificate issued by the Transport Administration, which remains in force for one year (the certificate is issued electronically). If the trainee is under 18, then only their parent or guardian can be their personal driving supervisor.

Unlike a driving instructor, no special requirements apply to the vehicle of a personal driving supervisor. The only requirement is marking the front and the back of the car with a driving lesson signage.

During driving lessons, the trainee must carry an identity document and a learner’s form where their driving instructor has added a note of authorising the trainee to travel on the road. The supervisor must carry an identity document.

What is the difference between a personal driving supervisor and a driving instructor? An instructor is a professional who is required to complete a special course at a higher education establishment and pass the final exams. In contrast, any driver can become a personal driving supervisor if they meet certain basic criteria. Therefore, a personal driving supervisor is not responsible for teaching, but for supporting a novice driver and helping them practice driving.

Can any driver supervise a novice? Definitely not. Supervising requires patience, helpfulness, courage, and other characteristics that many people lack. A personal driving supervisor must have realistic expectations of the novice driver and be ready for any mistakes made by the latter. If a personal driving supervisor is unable to accept mistakes, panics, or gets angry, it is better to forego the supervision.