Learning to drive in Samarkand: schools, training grounds and the exam

In short: Samarkand follows the same programme as the rest of the country. Since 2026, category B theory can be self-studied, while at least 69 hours of driving must be completed at a licensed driving school. The exam is taken at the regional exam centre in Pastdargom district, outside the city. What matters most is choosing a school near home and planning the exam trip in advance.

How learning in Samarkand differs from Tashkent

The rules, the programme and the exam are the same nationwide. The city and the logistics are different.

• A more compact city. Traffic jams are lighter than in Tashkent, but the centre is busy: tourist streets around the Registan and Gur-e-Amir, tour buses, and pedestrians looking at the domes rather than the road.
• Trams. Trams run along several of the city's streets. New drivers need to get used to tram tracks and the rules for driving near them.
• The old city. Narrow mahalla streets, markets and cars parked tightly along the kerb. It's where you learn slow, careful manoeuvring.
• The wider region. Many students live in Urgut, Kattakurgan, Pastdargom, Payariq and other districts. For them, the priority is a school nearby and as few trips to the regional centre as possible.

Where the exam is

The Samarkand region exam centre is in Pastdargom district, in Kamolot mahalla, behind the superphosphate plant. It opened in August 2024 and has three test areas: one for categories B, C and D, one for A, and one for trailer categories. The nearest bus stop, "Chemical Plant", is about 3 km away, so take a taxi for the last part. The exact address and directions are on the Samarkand region driving grounds page.

The rules are the same as at other centres:

• booking and payment through cabinet.yim.uz or at the centre's cash desk;
• theory: 20 questions, 25 minutes, at least 18 correct;
• practical: an automated driving ground with no examiner in the car, and a manual car for category B;
• you can retake any stage after at least 7 days, and a theory pass is valid for two months.

How the centres work in other regions, and how to plan exam day if you live far away, is covered in driving exam centres by region.

Where to practise

Before the exam, practise the exercises on a ground similar to the exam layout. Samarkand region has private training grounds, including ones in Samarkand district and in Pastdargom district not far from the exam centre. They're listed on the same regional driving grounds page.

What to look for in a training ground:

• a hill-start ramp, a reversing bay and parallel parking markings, like the exam;
• whether you can practise in a manual car;
• the hourly price, and whether you can bring your own instructor.

The exercises are described in detail in our article on the practical exam.

What it costs

School prices change, so check current ones in the catalogue. Exam fees are the same nationwide.

Item	Guide price
Category B course at a driving school	in the regions, usually about 1 million soum less than in Tashkent (Oson Prava, March 2026)
083 medical certificate	set by the clinic
Theory exam	1,500,000 soum (October 2026)
Practical exam	1,500,000 soum if paid on the day you pass theory, otherwise 1,600,000 (October 2026)
Each retake	1,600,000 soum (October 2026)
Licence card	0.7 BCV (308,000 soum at 440,000 per BCV)
Taxi to the exam centre	depends on your district; budget for two trips

You can compare schools by price in the category B driving schools in Samarkand catalogue.

How to choose a driving school

If you live in the city. Choose a school where your practical lessons are no more than 20–30 minutes away. The category B programme has at least 69 hours of driving, which is 35–45 lessons. An extra hour of travel per lesson soon adds up to weeks.

If you live in a district. The larger districts of the region have their own driving schools. Learning near home is easier than travelling to the city every time. But check two things: that the school is licensed for the address where lessons take place, and that it has its own training ground. How to check is explained in how to avoid an unlicensed driving school.

Questions to ask any school:

• How many driving hours are in the contract, and does that include the training ground?
• Which car will you learn in? The category B exam is taken in a manual.
• Does the school take students to practise on a ground similar to the exam layout?
• How does the school issue the electronic confirmation of practical training? Without it, you can't sit the exam.

The full list of schools in the city and region is in the Samarkand driving school catalogue. For extra practice, you can find private instructors in the Samarkand instructors section.

Where points are usually lost

In many learners' experience, it's nerves and rushing that cost points, not the hard exercises:

• The hill-start ramp. Rolling back when moving off. The fix is to practise the handbrake and clutch until they're automatic.
• The reversing bay. Getting in first time without touching the lines. Only repetition on similar markings helps.
• Speed on the ground. The limit is 20 km/h, and 40 km/h on the acceleration section. A "just a bit faster" habit costs points.
• Stopping at the stop line. Many people roll over it at the ground's junctions because they watch the lights, not the markings.

A plan if you live in a district

1. Get your 083 medical certificate at a local clinic.
2. Choose a driving school near home: theory on your own or in a group, practical lessons at the school.
3. A week before the exam, spend 1–2 hours on a ground similar to the exam layout.
4. Book a morning slot on cabinet.yim.uz, leaving extra time for the journey.
5. Take theory and the practical on the same day, and pay for the practical straight after passing theory.
6. Apply for the licence on my.gov.uz and collect it at a public service centre or by post.

Find a driving school in Samarkand

If you'd rather not spend time phoning schools, leave a request through the school matching form. Tell us your city or district, gearbox preference and convenient times. An operator will suggest nearby schools, and the choice stays with you.