10 costly mistakes when choosing a driving school

In short: the most expensive mistake is choosing a school on price alone. The overspend arrives later: extra hours, retakes, an awkward training site, a poor instructor. Before paying, check the licence, the contract, the test track, the cars and the journey to lessons. It takes one evening.

Instructors in Tashkent regularly meet learners who come to them to "finish off" after another school. Their mistakes are nearly identical. Here are the ten most common, what they cost and how to check in advance. The general process is in how to choose a driving school.

1. Choosing on price alone

The course price is not the price of a licence. On top come exam fees at the exam centre (paid per attempt and not refunded if you fail), extra driving hours, the medical certificate and the state fee for the licence. A cheap school with weak practical training produces more retakes, and every retake means more money and at least a week of waiting.

Check: ask for a full estimate covering the course, fuel, track time and the price of an extra hour. Compare it with the full cost of a licence.

2. Not checking the licence

The training organisation sends your training data to the road safety service and the exam centre and, after a positive skills assessment, issues the electronic confirmation that admits you to the exams. Without a licence none of that happens, and the course fee is wasted.

Check: the licence number, company name and address in the contract must match. More in unlicensed driving schools.

3. Not reading the contract

Most disputes are about hours. The advert says "60 hours of driving"; the contract says "lessons" of unstated length, or counts the drive to the training site.

Check:

• Driving and theory hours, in full hours.
• What the price covers and what is extra.
• The cost of an extra hour.
• Rescheduling and refund rules.

For reference: under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 408 (as in force in October 2026), category B requires at least 69 hours of practical driving and a course of at least 18 weeks.

4. Not asking about the test track

The practical test takes place on an automated track with a ramp, garage bay, parallel parking, slalom, level crossing and other elements. If the school has no site with markings and posts, you will end up paying for these exercises elsewhere.

Check: ask to see the site. Is there a ramp? Bay and parking markings? Where is the nearest exam centre? Browse test tracks in Tashkent.

5. Not looking at the training cars

Under the traffic rules, a training car must carry a training sign and have dual clutch and brake pedals, an instructor's mirror and a GPS unit (point 150). The test is taken in a manual.

Check: look inside. Dual pedals? Which gearbox? Is the model similar to the exam centre's? Parking reference points depend on the model, and relearning before the test means extra hours.

6. Signing up far from home

Half an hour each way sounds fine. A month later learners start missing lessons, and every gap costs a lesson of catching up.

Check: time the journey at rush hour, not at the weekend. If you live in Chilonzor, start with driving schools in Chilonzor.

7. Not meeting the instructor

You choose a course in an office but learn with one specific person. Rudeness, phone calls during lessons and lateness all cost you hours and nerves.

Check: ask for a trial lesson or at least an introduction, and whether you can switch instructor. If you would feel calmer with a woman instructor, see the section for women.

8. Believing in a "guaranteed pass"

The practical test is marked by an automated system with no human factor. Neither the school nor the instructor can influence the result. A promise to "sort it out" is either empty or an offer to break the law.

Check: ask how the school prepares for the automated test: do they go through the centre's layout and run practice laps on a similar track?

9. Paying for what you don't need

Since 2026, theory for categories A and B can be self-studied, while practical training remains compulsory at a training organisation. If you are confident you can learn the rules alone, ask about a practice-only option. If you are not, the saving turns into a theory retake.

Check: be honest about how much time you can give to theory. The plan in passing theory first time helps.

10. Not checking the timetable and group size

Evening and weekend slots go first. If the instructor's schedule does not match yours, the course stretches over months. For theory there is a cap: no more than 25 people in a driver training group.

Check: ask which slots the instructor has free in the next two weeks and how many people are in the theory group.

One-evening checklist before paying

1. List three schools within 20–30 minutes of home or work.
2. Ask each the same questions: hours, estimate, site, cars, free slots.
3. Ask for the contract in advance and read it at home.
4. Visit the site of your favourite and look at the cars.
5. Pay only when everything adds up, and keep the receipt.

Summary

Mistake	What it costs	What to ask
Price only	Extra hours, retakes	Full estimate
No licence	No exam admission	Licence number, company
Contract unread	Missing hours	Hours, extra-hour price, refunds
No track	Paid hours elsewhere	Ramp, bay, markings
Cars	Relearning before the test	Dual pedals, model, gearbox
Far from home	Missed lessons	Rush-hour journey time
Instructor	Stress, lost lessons	Trial lesson, switching
"Guaranteed pass"	Money and risk	Preparation for automation
Unneeded extras	Overpaying	Practice-only option
Timetable	Drawn-out course	Free slots, group size

Compare schools by site, timetable and cars in our catalogue of driving schools in Tashkent. If you would rather not check everything yourself, leave a request on our school matching form and we will compare options for your district and budget.