New driver's license in RS becomes up to 76% cheaper and almost doubles approvals, but students of independent instructors face queues, few cities with tests, and a wait of almost a month to schedule the practical exam.

New driver’s license in RS becomes up to 76% cheaper and almost doubles approvals, but students of independent instructors face queues, few cities with tests, and a wait of almost a month to schedule the practical exam.

Written by Carla Teles

Published on 24/04/2026 at 22:28

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Driver’s license became more accessible in Rio Grande do Sul after new CNH rules reduced costs and increased approvals, but candidates who chose autonomous instructors still report difficulty scheduling tests, traveling to larger cities, and waiting almost a month

The new driver’s license in Rio Grande do Sul changed the path for those who want to get their first CNH. The rules approved by Contran came into effect on January 5, but the Gaúcho model only completed the main stages on March 10, with the release of the registration for autonomous instructors.

The result was immediate. According to Detran-RS, the number of Renachs opened in March grew by 94% compared to the same month in 2025. The approval rate for the practical exam rose from 34.2% to 63.8%, while reports indicate a cost reduction from approximately R$ 3 thousand to R$ 700, a decrease of nearly 76%.

Cheaper driver’s license attracts more candidates in Rio Grande do Sul

Cost became the main attraction. Previously, candidates reported spending close to R$ 3 thousand to obtain their CNH. With the new model, there are cases where the cost dropped to around R$ 700.

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Numbers show a turnaround in approvals

Driver's license changes in RS: CNH becomes cheaper, but autonomous instructors face queues at Detran-RS for practical tests.

The new evaluation method also changed performance in practical tests. In March 2026, 63.8% of candidates passed the exam. In the same month of 2025, the rate was 34.2%.

The difference reversed the scenario. Last year, there were almost twice as many failures as approvals. In 2026, there were 24.2 thousand approvals against 13.7 thousand failures.

The removal of parallel parking from the practical test appears as one of the main factors in this change. With one less step considered difficult, more candidates were able to advance in the driver’s license process.

Autonomous instructors expand options, but scheduling still hinders the process

The new model allows candidates to take classes with autonomous instructors, without relying solely on Driver Training Centers. The measure expanded freedom of choice but created a practical problem: getting a test date.

According to Detran-RS, tests for students of autonomous instructors only began on April 10. By the 22nd, 44 exams had been conducted in Porto Alegre, Pelotas, Novo Hamburgo, Caxias do Sul, and Osório. Of this total, 34 candidates passed, an approval rate of 77%.

Meanwhile, candidates from CFCs took 18,917 Category B tests by April 16, with a 66.7% approval rate. The difference in scale shows why autonomous students still face more difficulty completing their driver’s license.

Few cities have tests for autonomous students

The bottleneck appears mainly outside major centers. Candidates from smaller cities need to travel to municipalities where Detran-RS has already opened a specific schedule for practical exams for students of autonomous instructors.

A candidate from Cruz Alta reported being interested in the possibility of taking classes and tests in an automatic car, using her own vehicle, and starting classes at home. For her, the model became cheaper and more practical, but scheduling did not keep up with the change.

A young woman from Sapucaia do Sul went through a similar situation. She took classes with an instructor from Campo Bom and had to travel to Porto Alegre to take the exam. According to the report, classes started in early March, but the test was only scheduled almost one month later.

What Detran-RS says about queues and scheduling

Detran-RS states that it is gradually opening new examination boards, according to demand. The agency also informs that candidates from independent instructors are not placed in tests organized by CFCs.

The reason is operational. In the model used in the State for almost 29 years, CFCs handle the structure, scheduling, and support for candidates before, during, and after the exam.

For students of independent instructors, scheduling occurs directly through a Detran application. Therefore, the agency says it is creating exclusive schedules for this public, with organization carried out by the autarchy itself.

Driving schools feel the impact of the new rules

The changes in licensing also affected driving schools. According to sector entities, there have been 4,000 layoffs in the State since September last year.

The most affected positions were general director, teaching director, and theoretical instructor. According to SEAACOM’s balance, establishments had about 9,700 workers in September and now have approximately 5,500, a reduction of close to 40%.

Some of the dismissed professionals migrated to self-employment. The Ministry of Transport states that, in this new model, the instructor can manage their own schedule, attend to candidates directly, and register classes in an integrated digital system.

What changes for those who want to get their first driver’s license

Licensing changes in RS: CNH becomes cheaper, but independent instructors face queues at Detran-RS for practical tests.

For the candidate, the change brings savings and more alternatives. The process became cheaper, more flexible, and with a higher approval rate.

But there are still obstacles. Those who choose an independent instructor may face queues, lack of available times, and travel to larger cities. The final stage still depends on the availability of examination boards for the practical test.

The model also allows classes and tests in automatic cars, as well as the use of one’s own vehicle or an independent instructor’s vehicle, provided it is identified. For many students, this makes the experience simpler and less expensive.

A change that made CNH cheaper, but still needs to scale up

The new CNH rules in Rio Grande do Sul have already produced clear effects: more demand, more approvals, and lower cost to get a driver’s license.

At the same time, adaptation is still ongoing. The queue for students of independent instructors, the concentration of tests in a few cities, and the wait to schedule the exam show that the system still needs to serve more people regularly.

In your opinion, does this new licensing already represent a real advance for those who want to get their CNH, or can the queues and lack of dates still turn savings into a headache?

New driver’s license in RS becomes up to 76% cheaper and almost doubles approvals, but students of independent instructors face queues, few cities with tests, and a wait of almost a month to schedule the practical exam.

Driver’s license became more accessible in Rio Grande do Sul after new CNH rules reduced costs and increased approvals, but candidates who chose autonomous instructors still report difficulty scheduling tests, traveling to larger cities, and waiting almost a month

Cheaper driver’s license attracts more candidates in Rio Grande do Sul

Numbers show a turnaround in approvals

Autonomous instructors expand options, but scheduling still hinders the process

Few cities have tests for autonomous students

What Detran-RS says about queues and scheduling

Driving schools feel the impact of the new rules

What changes for those who want to get their first driver’s license

A change that made CNH cheaper, but still needs to scale up

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New driver’s license in RS becomes up to 76% cheaper and almost doubles approvals, but students of independent instructors face queues, few cities with tests, and a wait of almost a month to schedule the practical exam.

Driver’s license became more accessible in Rio Grande do Sul after new CNH rules reduced costs and increased approvals, but candidates who chose autonomous instructors still report difficulty scheduling tests, traveling to larger cities, and waiting almost a month

Cheaper driver’s license attracts more candidates in Rio Grande do Sul

Numbers show a turnaround in approvals

Autonomous instructors expand options, but scheduling still hinders the process

Few cities have tests for autonomous students

What Detran-RS says about queues and scheduling

Driving schools feel the impact of the new rules

What changes for those who want to get their first driver’s license

A change that made CNH cheaper, but still needs to scale up

The Soviet Union spent 22 years drilling into the Earth’s crust and reached a depth of 12,262 meters — they found water where it was thought impossible, hydrogen bubbling from the rock, granite that is 2.7 billion years old, and temperatures of 180 degrees that melted the drill bits.

Ethiopia has banned gasoline and diesel cars, placed over a hundred silent electric buses on the streets of Addis Ababa, and now aims for half a million electric vehicles by 2030, all powered by Africa’s largest dam and a courage that few countries have shown.

Egypt wants to draw 10 million cubic meters of water from the Nile per day into the desert, irrigate a new agricultural frontier, and build a city where there is currently only sand.

BRICS is preparing a payment system inspired by the Brazilian PIX that will allow direct transactions between countries using national digital currencies without relying on the dollar or Western banks as intermediaries.

Norway is drilling 27 kilometers of rock 392 meters below the bottom of a fjord to build the world’s largest and deepest underwater road tunnel — when completed, a 21-hour journey will be reduced to 10.

Chinese engineers begin filling a 217-meter dam at an altitude of 3,000 meters and prepare a 2,240 MW hydroelectric power plant to integrate hydropower, solar, and wind energy in the upper Jinsha.

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