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Government Revises Changes to CNH After Criticism, Maintains Minimum Practical Classes and Prepares Free Online Theoretical Course. Proposal Is Under Public Consultation Before Voting at Contran.
The federal government decided to revisit points of the proposal that changes the process to obtain the National Driver’s License (CNH).
After criticism from experts and driving school sectors, Senatran must maintain a minimum number of mandatory practical classes, under discussion to be up to five, while the theoretical course will become free and online, offered on an official platform.
The public consultation remains open and the text will still be adjusted before going to a vote at Contran.
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Central Changes in the CNH Proposal
The point of greatest controversy was the initial idea of completely abolishing the minimum driving hours.
This idea is losing strength.
Internally, technicians and managers already treat the need to preserve a minimum level of practice before the exam as consensus.
The team is working with five classes as a reference, still without final decision, which would represent a significant reduction compared to the 20 practical classes currently required.
On the theoretical side, the guideline is the opposite: eliminate the requirement for attendance to the traditional model of 45 in-person hours and open up preparation to in-person, hybrid, or free online formats.
The Ministry of Transport states it will offer a free digital theoretical course, accessible through the Digital Transit License and the government website, as an alternative to driving schools and accredited institutions.
Partial Retreat on Practical Classes
The maintenance of a baseline of classes is seen as a partial victory for driving schools, which mobilized associations and sought political support.
Still, the government maintains that the adjustment primarily addresses road safety concerns raised by experts.
The final design will continue to be subject to technical scrutiny from Senatran and the Contran board.
People involved in the negotiations report that in the new arrangement, preparation will remain open, but there will be a minimum of practice before the exam.
One of the sources summarizes: “The theoretical course will be free and online, and driving lessons will not disappear, but will likely remain at a reduced level.”
The definition of the number, however, is not set in stone.
Credited Autonomous Instructor Remains in the Proposal
Another pillar remains: the creation of the autonomous transit instructor, a professional accredited to give lessons outside of driving schools, using their own vehicle or that of the student.
Senatran and the Ministry of Transport argue that the measure increases competition and democratizes access to licensing, allowing candidates to choose how and with whom to train, without waiving mandatory exams.
The proposal details requirements for accreditation and duties of the instructor.
Entities representing driving schools view the mechanism with reservations due to risks of precariousness and technical safety issues, such as the use of vehicles without dual control.
The government argues that quality control will come from accreditation and oversight by traffic agencies, in addition to final assessments through theoretical and practical exams.
Steps in the Process and Impact on CNH Costs
The medical and psychological exams remain mandatory at accredited clinics.
The candidate will continue to be subject to the theoretical exam and the practical exam from Detran, legal conditions for issuing the CNH.
What changes is the preparation path: government’s free course, classes at driving schools (in-person or EAD) or autonomous study with accredited instructors.
From a financial perspective, estimates from the Ministry of Transport suggest a cost reduction of up to 80% compared to the current model.
The savings come from the free theoretical module and the flexibility of practice.
The percentage is projected and depends on the final version approved by Contran and the reorganization of the market with autonomous instructors and new course offerings.
Public Consultation and Next Steps
The draft remains under public consultation on the Participa + Brasil platform, with a deadline indicated until November 2.
Until the deliberation at Contran, Senatran intends to consolidate contributions, adjust texts, and finalize parameters such as the minimum number of practical classes.
If approved, the change comes into effect by resolution, without the need for a bill in Congress.
While the text is not voted on, the current rules apply: 45 theoretical hours and 20 minimum practical hours for category B, in addition to other formal requirements.
The proposal does not eliminate exams or fitness assessments; it merely changes the route to them, with more freedom in preparation and new agents in the training process.
Conflict Between Cost and Safety
In practice, there is a clash between the pressure for lower costs and the demand for safety.
Driving schools argue that training fully maintained in driving schools offers standardization and control.
The government bets on diversification of supply and competition to reduce prices, as long as minimum standards of practice and assessment are ensured.
The accommodation of these interests — especially how many minimum classes will be required and how the accreditation of autonomous instructors will work — will define the real impact of the change.
There are still operational doubts.
It is not yet defined whether there will be standardized technical requirements for vehicles used by autonomous instructors or the oversight model to prevent fraud and ensure pedagogical quality in the new arrangement.
These points should emerge in the consolidated versions after the public consultation.
In the end, the reversal of the plan to eliminate practice, the free online theoretical course, and the maintenance of the autonomous instructor reshape the process without eliminating the role of driving schools, which will remain one of the market alternatives.
In your opinion, is maintaining a few mandatory classes sufficient to ensure road safety, or should the country preserve more robust practice hours before the exam?
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