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Videos with Millions of Views Claim That Driving Schools Will Be Extinct Starting in 2025, But What Do the Bills in Progress and the Recent Law 14,921 Say? See What Is Fact and What Is Fake.
In recent months, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, videos have circulated claiming that driving schools will cease to exist in Brazil starting in 2025. With sensationalist language and an urgent tone, the content claims that new legislation has decreed the end of mandatory driving schools for those wishing to obtain a National Driver’s License (CNH).
In one of the videos, which surpassed the mark of 700 thousand views, the narrator assures: “If you want to get a license, hurry! Driving schools will end in Brazil next year!” However, the post is false and based on a distortion of legislative information.
What Do the Bills Really Say?
The main argument used to support the fake news is the old Bill 6485/2019, which indeed proposed changes in how candidates for the CNH would structure their training. The text, presented in the Chamber of Deputies, suggested making the obligation to attend theoretical and practical classes in driving schools optional.
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However, the bill never proposed eliminating Driving Training Centers (CFCs). The idea was merely to allow candidates to study on their own and take the test directly at Detran, something similar to a model that exists in other countries.
More importantly, Bill 6485/2019 was shelved in 2022 and is no longer in progress. Therefore, there is no legal basis to support the claim that driving schools will cease to exist in the country.
What Does Law 14,921/2024 Say?
Another point that has generated confusion is Law 14,921, enacted in July 2024. Some publications claim that this legislation has decreed the end of driving schools in Brazil, which is also false.
The Law 14,921/2024 only addresses the maximum age of vehicles used by CFCs for driving lessons. According to the text:
- Category A vehicles (motorcycles) can be a maximum of 8 years old;
- Category B (passenger cars): 12 years;
- Categories C, D, and E (larger vehicles): up to 20 years.
The law does not mention at any moment the extinction of driving schools nor changes to the mandatory classes. Its aim is to ensure more safety for students during the learning process by limiting the use of older and possibly unsafe vehicles.
Is Training in Driving Schools Still Mandatory?
Yes. According to the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB), to obtain the CNH, candidates must necessarily:
- Attend theoretical classes at a Driving Training Center;
- Pass psychotechnical and medical exams;
- Complete a minimum number of practical driving lessons;
- Pass both practical and theoretical tests.
So far, no law has significantly changed this process. Training in driving schools remains mandatory for all categories of licenses, except for specific training programs for professional drivers.
Where Does the Rumor About the End of Driving Schools Come From?
The rumor originates from a combination of three factors:
- The archived proposal of Bill 6485/2019, which suggested making training optional;
- The misinterpretation of Law 14,921, which only addresses teaching vehicles;
- The sensationalist appeal of influencers and content creators seeking views with clickbait and misleading titles.
It is common for inaccurate information to gain traction on social media when based on controversial topics and popular interest — such as the process to get a driver’s license, which involves high costs and bureaucracies.
Are Driving Schools Threatened?
Although there is no legal provision for the end of driving schools, it is true that some bills are moving through Congress aimed at making training more accessible and flexible.
Among the proposed discussions are:
- Making the theoretical course available online (EAD);
- Allowing the candidate to practice with a licensed private instructor, without the need to enroll in a CFC;
- Reducing the mandatory workload in certain categories.
However, none of these proposals have been approved so far, and the current model remains the only one officially recognized by Detran and the National Traffic Council (Contran).
What Do Official Entities Say?
The National Association of Detrans (AND) and the National Department of Traffic (Denatran) emphasize that there are no regulations in effect that authorize obtaining a CNH without attending a driving school.
The Contran, the agency that regulates driver training, has also not published any resolution regarding the supposed end of driving schools.
The National Federation of Driving Schools (FENEA) itself issued statements debunking the false information circulating on social media. According to the entity, driving schools continue to operate normally and are essential for ensuring the safe training of new drivers.
Impact of Fake News on the Sector
The spread of false news such as the end of driving schools has negative impacts:
- Confuses candidates, who fail to prepare properly for the process;
- Harms sector companies, which face enrollment declines;
- Fuels discredit in institutions and in the functioning of laws.
Business owners in the field have already reported a decrease in demand for courses and an increase in customers’ doubts. In some cases, students have dropped out of enrolling for believing that “it will no longer be necessary to attend driving school next year.”
The Importance of Driving Schools in Driver Training
Despite criticisms regarding high costs and bureaucracy, driving schools play an essential role in road safety. They are responsible for teaching traffic rules, defensive driving, first aid, and notions of citizenship on the road.
The presence of qualified instructors, simulators, and adapted vehicles contributes to ensuring that new drivers are minimally prepared to face urban and highway traffic.
Studies from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that countries with mandatory and rigorous training have lower accident rates among newly licensed drivers.
Driving Schools Continue — And Law 14,921 Doesn’t Change That
No, driving schools will not cease to exist in Brazil in 2025. This is a rumor widely spread on social media and based on distorted information.
The truth is that Law 14,921/2024 only defines the maximum age of vehicles used in driving lessons. And the old bill that suggested making training optional has been shelved since 2022.
Therefore, for those wishing to obtain the CNH, the path remains the same: seek a licensed driving school, take the classes, and pass the mandatory exams. Changes may occur in the future, but any significant alteration will depend on new legislation approved by Congress and regulated by Contran.
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