Question 1

How long does a complete driving course take?

Accepted Answer

A complete driving course takes on average around 43 lessons, based on the national average. This number can vary depending on factors such as the student's aptitude and experience. If you take one lesson per week and each lesson lasts an hour, you'd be doing the driving course for roughly a year. Keep in mind that this is just an estimate — the actual duration depends on individual progress and learning speed.

Question 2

How long does a driving lesson take?

Accepted Answer

Our driving lessons last 60 minutes. Because we don't drop off other students during your lesson, those 60 minutes are used effectively. For some lesson topics it can be useful to plan a 90-minute lesson.

Question 3

How many lessons do I need?

Accepted Answer

The average number of lessons needed for the driving licence is around 43 (according to CBR research among exam candidates in 2021). The number of lessons you need is different for everyone — not everyone learns at the same pace.

Question 4

When can I start taking lessons?

Accepted Answer

This depends a bit on how busy we are. Usually you can start within 3 weeks after your trial lesson.

Question 5

Where do you teach and drive?

Accepted Answer

You take driving lessons in Leiden and surrounding area, where you'll also take your practical exam.

Question 6

Can I be picked up somewhere other than home?

Accepted Answer

Yes, that's possible. You can also be picked up at your school or at the train station, for example.

Question 7

Can I cancel a driving lesson at any time?

Accepted Answer

You can cancel a planned lesson free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. That gives us enough time to offer the slot to another student. If you cancel within 24 hours of the lesson, we have to charge a fee:

In case of illness we charge 50% of the lesson fee. We understand that being ill is not your choice. At the same time, your instructor remains available and no lesson is given during that time. The cost of this unused time would otherwise fall entirely on us, so we share it: you pay half, we cover the other half.

If you don't show up without cancelling, we charge the full lesson fee.

Question 8

Can I make up a timely-cancelled lesson within the same week?

Accepted Answer

Making up a cancelled lesson can be arranged in consultation with your instructor.

Question 9

Can I immediately start lessons again after a long pause?

Accepted Answer

Our driving instructors are all motivated to coach their students, and we expect you to be just as motivated. If you haven't taken any lessons for more than a month without prior arrangement, you'll automatically be moved to our Time-Out list. A new student will then take your slot — we cannot keep a weekly slot reserved for you indefinitely.

This means that if you sign up again, you may have to wait until a slot opens up. You will of course have priority over brand-new students, but the wait can be up to 3 months. If you don't want to wait, you're free to switch driving schools — but pre-paid lessons will not be refunded.

Note: if you haven't taken any lessons for more than a year, your prepaid lesson credits expire. See also 'What if I have lessons left over?'.

Question 10

Are the lessons structured from easy to difficult?

Accepted Answer

Your driving lessons are built up using the RIS method (Rijopleiding in Stappen). The lesson plan is shown on your digital progress card. This card tracks your progress so you always know where you stand. Through the digital progress card you can see which topics still need to be covered and how far along you are within each topic.

Question 11

Do I have the same instructor and the same car every lesson?

Accepted Answer

You get the same instructor and the same training car every lesson. You'll also take your exam in the same familiar car. In case of illness or other special circumstances, you may occasionally have a different instructor.

Question 12

Can I take lessons at my own pace?

Accepted Answer

Your instructor adjusts the lessons to your learning pace. We do recommend taking at least one lesson per week. Lessons that are too irregular slow down your progress — and standing still is not moving forward.

Question 13

How does payment for the lessons work?

Accepted Answer

At Route 71 we don't work with large lesson packages. You pay per individual lesson or choose a bundle of 4 or 8 lessons. After the trial lesson you can easily buy lessons yourself through our driving school app. Payments go via invoice and iDEAL, so you stay flexible and only pay for the lessons you actually take.

Question 14

What if I have lessons left over?

Accepted Answer

Passed your practical exam and have lessons left? You'll be refunded pro rata for the remaining lesson fee, minus €15 administration costs.

Not passed yet but stopping the course? The remaining lessons stay valid for one year. With a temporary interruption (in consultation) this can be extended to a maximum of two years.

⚠️ If you continue later and the lesson price has gone up in the meantime, you pay the difference.

Needed fewer lessons than expected? If you ended up needing fewer lessons than you bought before the practical exam, you get the amount of the unused lessons back. We take into account: the number of lessons taken, and whether you were still entitled to a possible bundle discount.

Question 15

Why do you charge €15 administration costs for refunds?

Accepted Answer

We charge €15 administration costs for refunds of unused driving lessons because processing a refund involves more work than people often think:
• Calculating the correct refund amount.
• Checking the number of lessons taken.
• Drawing up and processing a credit invoice.
• Communicating with the student and answering related questions.
• Processing the refund in our accounting system.
• Costs of our accountant per invoice/processing.
• Bank transaction fees.

All in all this takes us on average half an hour per refund and there are direct costs involved. To share these costs fairly, we charge a fixed administration fee of €15. Many driving schools don't offer this refund option at all, but we believe in transparency and fairness — this fee allows us to keep offering this service responsibly.

Question 16

How old do I have to be to start driving lessons?

Accepted Answer

You can officially start driving lessons from the age of 16½. You're allowed to take your theory certificate from age 16. The theory certificate is valid for 1.5 years.

Question 17

I've already had lessons at another driving school — can I still come to Route 71?

Accepted Answer

Yes, definitely! We start with a few lessons in which we look together at where you stand and which topics you already master. At Route 71 we work with a lesson card so that you and your instructor always have an overview of your progress. Because every driving school uses its own lesson plan and explanations, we go through every topic step by step. That way you and your instructor 'speak the same language'. So keep in mind that you can't just continue exactly where you left off at your previous driving school — a good restart always takes a few lessons, but ultimately leads to a stronger and more structured learning process.

Question 18

I failed my practical exam at another driving school — can I still come to you?

Accepted Answer

Yes, that's possible. In that case you'll need to withdraw the authorisation from your previous driving school and authorise our school via mijn.cbr.nl. Together we'll evaluate why you failed and make a plan for your re-exam.

Question 19

Do you offer the Driving Course in Steps (RIS)?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the driving course has a fixed structure. You learn to drive step by step in four modules. There are four assessment moments during your course, the last two with a CBR examiner. This way you arrive at your practical exam extra well prepared. Your instructor uses a personal progress card on which you can see exactly how far along you are with each topic and with the course as a whole.

Question 20

What happens if I fail the practical exam three times?

Accepted Answer

After failing three times, the driving school may end the course. This measure helps prevent disappointment, unnecessary costs and frustration. After three exams it often turns out that there are deeper issues at play and a different approach or guidance is needed. In that case it's fairer and better for the student to make a fresh start elsewhere. We always discuss this personally and carefully with you.

Question 21

How does authorising us with DigiD work?

Accepted Answer

Before we can request your Interim Test (TTT) or practical exam, we need your permission. For that we need an authorisation. You can arrange the authorisation for the driving school via mijn.cbr.nl.

Question 22

What is your driving school number?

Accepted Answer

8573H2

Frequently asked questions