Learning to drive with ‘Mum & Dad’ now legally possible

Portugal has moved away from the rigid (and increasingly expensive) rules on teaching people to drive, allowing for parents, grandparents, friends or other approved tutors, to step in and take some of the load.

The new rules, which came into force on July 5, apply to candidates seeking a Category B driving licence for passenger cars. They simplify a little-used system of accompanied driving by removing much of the bureaucracy that previously discouraged participation.

Under the new regime, learner drivers must still enrol with a driving school and complete the compulsory theory course. However, they can now supplement their professional lessons by practising on public roads with an authorised tutor outside normal driving school hours.

The government says the change is designed to give learners more real-world experience behind the wheel without replacing formal driver training. It will also substantially reduce the expense of ‘taking out a licence’ which in many parts of the country has become prohibitive for lower and middle-income families.

Who can be a tutor?

Tutors can be parents, grandparents, relatives or friends, provided they meet strict legal requirements.

They must have held a Category B driving licence for at least 10 years, issued either in Portugal or another European Union member state. Licences obtained elsewhere must have been recognised by Portuguese authorities for at least five years and have been originally issued at least 10 years earlier.

Driving instructors and examiners cannot act as tutors, and each tutor may supervise no more than five learner drivers over a 10-year period.

Unlike the previous system, tutors are no longer required to attend a special training course. Instead, the driving school simply notifies the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT) that the proposed tutor meets the legal requirements.

Driving school still compulsory

The reform does not eliminate driving schools.

Learners must remain registered with a driving school throughout the process, complete their theory training and satisfy all legal requirements before taking the practical driving test.

After the tutor has been approved by the IMT, there is a mandatory waiting period of at least 90 days before a candidate can be put forward for the practical exam.

Candidates may either take a readiness assessment at their driving school before the test or proceed directly to the official practical examination. However, those who skip the school assessment and fail the practical test must wait four months before retaking it, unless they complete additional training.

Rules on accompanied driving

Learners are not free to practice anywhere.

Tutors are expected to avoid busy roads and periods of heavy traffic, choosing routes appropriate to the learner’s experience. The Public Security Police (PSP) and National Republican Guard (GNR) may intervene if they believe the driving is taking place in unsafe conditions, while municipalities may prohibit accompanied driving in specific areas.

In the event of an accident or traffic offence, responsibility generally falls on the tutor, unless the learner has ignored the tutor’s instructions. Motor insurance covering learner driving is therefore mandatory, and motorists are advised to check their policy before beginning accompanied lessons.

Driving schools warn of safety risks

The reforms have been strongly criticised by Portugal’s driving school sector, which previously enjoyed a monopoly when it came to the issuing of driving licences.

The Associação Nacional de Escolas de Condução (ANIECA) describes the changes as a “civilisational step backwards” for road safety and a “strategic mistake with predictable consequences” for accident rates.

The association argues that replacing some professional instruction with supervised driving by non-professional tutors could reduce the quality of driver training. It also points out that private vehicles used for accompanied driving do not have the dual controls fitted to driving school cars.

Government defends reform

The government insists the new system maintains road safety while giving learner drivers greater flexibility, and more opportunities to practice.

Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz has described the reform as a way of allowing driving knowledge to be passed “from parent to child, from grandparent to grandchild”, while preserving the central role of professional driving schools.

The accompanied driving scheme forms part of a wider package of reforms that also allows theory tests to be taken in foreign languages, introduces new digital tools to support driving examinations and establishes rules for testing autonomous vehicles on Portuguese roads.

Source: Executive Digest