Singapore drivers are facing a steeper road to licensure, with costs for lessons rising across the board starting January 1. It’s a reality check for aspiring motorists, and a sign that getting behind the wheel in the city-state isn’t getting any cheaper.
Driving School Fees Jump as Demand, Costs Rise
Price hikes affect simulator training, theory lessons, and practical driving sessions at all three major driving centers.
- Simulator training costs are up as much as 25.2 percent.
- Practical lessons during peak hours now cost up to $89.38.
- Driving centers cite rising costs and instructor salaries as reasons for the increases.
- Some learners are turning to private instructors or premium coaching schemes to cope.
Just how much more will it cost? At the Singapore Safety Driving Centre (SSDC) in Woodlands, the mandated simulator training now costs $30.52 per session, a 25.2 percent increase from the previous $24.38. Theory lessons are also pricier, jumping 23.1 percent from $17.71 to $21.80 for a 100-minute session.
Q: Why are driving lesson costs increasing in Singapore?
A: Driving centers are adjusting fees to cover rising operational costs, including instructor salaries, and to invest in new technologies to improve the learning experience.
The price increases aren’t limited to SSDC. At Bukit Batok Driving Centre (BBDC), a 100-minute practical driving lesson during peak times – 7:20pm to 9pm on weekdays – now costs $86.11, up 6.8 percent from $80.66. ComfortDelGro Driving Centre (CDC) in Ubi has seen a 9.3 percent hike for peak-period practical lessons, now priced at $89.38 per session, applicable from 10:20am to noon and 4:25pm to 10:20pm on weekdays, as well as all weekend slots.
CDC last updated its rates in April 2024, according to a spokesperson. The adjustments are intended to support salary revisions for instructors, manage rising costs, and fund technological initiatives, the spokesperson explained.
SSDC’s spokesperson stated that the new prices were “implemented to ensure business continuity and to allow us to provide even better services to our customers.” BBDC did not respond to inquiries regarding the price increases.
Navigating the Licensing Landscape
Singapore offers two main types of driving licenses for vehicles weighing under 3,000kg: Class 3, which allows operation of all cars, and Class 3A, restricted to automatic vehicles. The vast majority of candidates opt to learn at one of the three driving centers rather than hiring private instructors.
Between November 2024 and October 2025, 20,124 candidates took their Class 3 driving test for the first time, with 62.6 percent receiving training from the three driving centers. For the Class 3A test, 25,981 first-time candidates took classes at the centers, representing 60.9 percent of all applicants.
The rising costs are forcing some learners to explore alternatives. Temasek Polytechnic student Javion Lim, 18, has already taken three practical lessons at SSDC and anticipates needing around 12 more. “It’s quite annoying,” he said. “Even though the increase isn’t a lot, it will really add up.” He’s also paying an extra $10 to $15 per session to “campers” – individuals who secure lesson slots the moment they become available – due to the difficulty of booking directly.
The struggle to secure lesson slots isn’t new. Reports from May indicated learners were resorting to using automated bots or paying for queue-jumping services on online marketplaces. Driving centers attribute the long wait times to a shortage of instructors, with numbers down from 845 in 2022 to around 700 as of April 2024.
Others are opting for premium coaching schemes. Claire Ho, 18, a Temasek Polytechnic student, chooses CDC’s premium options, which cost up to $16.35 more per lesson but guarantee a dedicated trainer and consistent use of the same training vehicle. She’s already secured nine slots for January and February.
Some, like marketing executive Reyes Teo, 27, have turned to private instructors. After finding a six-month wait for his first practical lesson at CDC in June 2025, he engaged a private instructor, paying $65 per hour or $115 for lessons using the driving center’s circuit. “Lessons are already expensive as it is,” Teo said. “It is as if the system doesn’t want more drivers on the road.”
Price revisions also extend to motorcycle and heavy vehicle licenses. At SSDC, heavy vehicle rental for driving tests jumped 26.3 percent, from $207.10 to $261.60. BBDC, slated for replacement by a multi-storey driving center in Choa Chu Kang by December 2030, increased peak-period motorcycle lessons (engines exceeding 400cc) by 10 percent to $47.96 for a 100-minute session.
CDC and SSDC announced their 2026 fees in November, while BBDC published its prices on December 24.
