- The occupational and continuous training of drivers must have been completed by a person who performs transport operations as a driver under an employment contract or a contract governed by the law of obligations or as a self-employed person, unless otherwise provided for in an international agreement. Example:
- a lorry driver upon carriage of goods in a motor vehicle of category C or subcategory C1 or in a combination of vehicles of category CE or C1E under the Traffic Act, or
- a bus or coach driver upon carriage of passengers in a motor vehicle of category D or subcategory D1 or in a combination of vehicles of category DE or D1E under the Traffic Act.
- Drivers to whom a category D1, D1E, D or DE driving licence has been issued before 10 September 2008 or a category C1, C1E, C or CE has been issued before 10 September 2009 are exempted from the requirement of occupational initial qualification training. They can proceed to continuous training.
- Citizens of a Member State of the European Union or of the European Economic Area or of the Swiss Confederation, or persons who have a temporary right of residence or temporary residence permit, a long-term residence permit or a permanent right of residence in Estonia can take part in occupational training.
- Persons other than those referred to in the previous clause who are employed under an employment contract or a contract governed by the law of obligations by a carrier or a person entered in the commercial register or the register of non-profit associations and foundations.
- To complete the occupational training of drivers, a person must have a valid right to drive of the category corresponding to the training.
- If a person does not have a valid right to drive of the corresponding category, they have two options:
- they undergo training and apply for a driving licence in the relevant category before undergoing occupational training and then undergo occupational training in the corresponding category, or
- they may attend occupational training combined with driving instruction for the right to drive in the relevant category. Please note that in this case, the application for a driving licence for the category will only be made after completing joint training.
- In order to participate in occupational training which includes driving instruction or which is carried out as joint training with instruction in driving a motor vehicle of the relevant category, a person must hold a valid health certificate.
- In the case of occupational training, a person who also acquires a category B driving licence as part of the occupational training, or who has not completed the final stage of initial training as a driver at the time of enrolment, must also complete the final stage of training during the occupational training course.
- To be eligible for accelerated occupational training, a person must be of the minimum age for obtaining the right to drive the relevant category of motor vehicle and hold a category B driving licence.
- Occupational or initial training – at least 280 lessons of which at least 20 must be driving instruction.
- Accelerated occupational training – at least 140 lessons, of which at least 10 must be driving instruction.
- Occupational training for a person who has completed occupational training (280 lessons) or who is competent in one category of driving licence and who wishes to be competent in a new category of driving licence – at least 70 lessons, of which at least 5 must be driving instruction;
- Occupational training for a person who has completed accelerated occupational training (140 lessons) or who is competent in one category of driving licence and who wishes to be competent in a new category of driving licence – at least 35 lessons, of which at least 2.5 must be driving instruction.
- Occupational training can be carried out as joint training. In this case, the training volume is increased by the volume of training for the corresponding category of driver (see regulation No 60):
Example:
- For category B, a minimum of 28 theory lessons and 30 driving lessons in addition to at least 4 theory lessons and 2 driving lessons for the final stage of training.
- For category C and C1 subcategory, at least 20 theory lessons and 10 driving lessons.
- For category D and category D1, at least 20 theory lessons and 20 driving lessons.
- For categories CE and DE and categories C1E and D1E, at least 10 theory lessons and 10 driving lessons.
- The structure and the alternation of occupational lessons must ensure the acquisition of the knowledge and skills prescribed in §§ 9 and 10 of regulation No. 29, and the necessary preparation of the student for independent work.
- Continuous training is available to persons who have their permanent residence in Estonia or who are employed under an employment contract or a contract governed by the law of obligations by a carrier or a person entered in the commercial register or the register of non-profit associations and foundations.
- The person must hold a certificate of competence or have a respective entry on their driving licence.
- Continuous training shall comprise at least 35 lessons.
- The structure and the alternation of continuous training lessons must deepen and refine knowledge of the subjects and areas of study provided for in the curriculum and update the essential knowledge and skills required for work, taking into account the needs of the student and focusing in particular on occupational and road safety, occupational health and the reduction of environmental impact.
- The driver who holds a certificate of competence of a lorry driver or bus or coach driver or has a respective entry on the driving licence must complete continuous training of lorry drivers or bus or coach drivers. This means that one continuous training course is sufficient to extend both competences/certificates on your driving licence.
- There are requirements for the organisation of training, which can be found here.
- The organiser of the training must have an activity licence for providing the training. You can check whether they have an activity licence here: Register of Economic Activity.
- The organiser of the training must have a website where the curricula, timetables, lecturers and teachers are published. If you notice that this information is missing from the website of the training provider, please inform the Estonian Transport Administration.
- The length of one theory or driving lesson is 45 minutes.
- There can be no more than 9 lessons per day and no more than 45 lessons in seven days.
- One day of continuous training shall be at least 7 lessons.
- Up to 30% of occupational training can be completed electronically. Make sure that the study material distributed by the training provider is up-to-date and meets your expectations. If you have any questions, ask the training provider..
- Up to 40% of occupational training may be completed as an apprenticeship with an undertaking that holds an activity licence for the relevant category of paid cargo or passenger carriage. You can check whether they have an activity licence here: Register of Economic Activity
- Please note that any independent learning prescribed by the training provider does not count towards the training volume.
- Up to 12 lessons of the continuous training may be taken electronically. Ensure that the study material distributed by the training provider is up-to-date and meets your expectations. If you have any questions, ask the training provider..
- Please note that conducting occupational and continuous training together is not permitted. If you notice this, please report it to the Estonian Transport Administration.
- Training will end with an examination. Please note that the certificate issued by the training provider is only the basis for applying for a certificate of competence or the corresponding entry (code 95) on the driving licence. You can apply for a certificate of competence or an entry on the driving licence at the Estonian Transport Administration after completing the training.
- your driving licence or provisional driving licence;
- your identity document;
- make sure your health certificate is valid. If necessary, be prepared to prove this to the training provider;
- for continuous training, a certificate of competence or an entry to that effect (code 95) on the back of the licence;
- A certificate of previous training issued by the training provider, if you want the training provider to take this into account when you undergo the training.
What if I don’t know which training course I can take part in?
Ask the training provider. If you do not receive an answer, feel free to ask us.
The curriculum was not available on the training provider’s website. How will I know if training will be carried out according to the curriculum?
Be sure to pass this information on to the training provider so that they know to upload the curriculum. We also expect to receive information on this to guide the training provider, if necessary, and check compliance with the requirements for training courses.
I wanted to take part in occupational training course and learn category C, but the instruction provider sent me to apply for a driving license halfway through the course, saying that the queues for the exam were long. I read on your website that I can only apply at the end of the training. What do I have to do now?
If you are taking part in occupational training combined with category training, you can only apply for a driving licence and a certificate of competence or an entry for your driving licence at the end of the training course. Your training provider has misled you by giving you incorrect information. Be sure to inform us of such incidents so that we can guide the training provider.
I attended continuous training and then occupational training to gain new competences. I have passed both exams. The training provider now contacted me and told me that I have to retake occupational training because after the training it turned out that I did not have a valid health certificate at the time of the training and the exam. Are they correct in saying this?
You must have a valid driving licence for the relevant category to take part in occupational training. Driving rights are suspended if the health certificate expires. You can check the validity of your health certificate using the e-service of the Estonian Transport Administration. Therefore, the training provider should not have admitted you for occupational training. Please speak to your training provider and ask them to find the best solution for you.
You can take part in continuous training, but make sure you have a valid health certificate before you go out on the road, as this is the basis for a valid driving licence.
Entering the certificate of competence or a respective entry to the driving licence
The initial qualification and advanced training of drivers must have been completed by a person who performs transport operations as a driver under an employment contract or a contract governed by the law of obligations or as a self-employed person, unless otherwise provided for in an international agreement.
The initial qualification and periodic training of drivers is required for:
- a lorry driver upon carriage of goods in a motor vehicle of category C or subcategory C1 or in a combination of vehicles of category CE or C1E under the Traffic Act, or
- a bus or coach driver upon carriage of passengers in a motor vehicle of category D or subcategory D1 or in a combination of vehicles of category DE or D1E under the Traffic Act.
Subsections 36 (3) and (4) of the Road Transport Act specify the drivers who are exempt of the requirement for initial qualification and advanced training.
Initial qualification driver training is available to:
- citizens of a Member State of the European Union or of the European Economic Area or of the Swiss Confederation, or persons who have a temporary right of residence or temporary residence permit, a long-term residence permit or a permanent right of residence in Estonia;
- persons other than those referred to in point 1 who are employed under an employment contract or a contract governed by the law of obligations by a carrier or a person entered in the commercial register or the register of non-profit associations and foundations.
Periodic training of drivers is available to persons who have their permanent residence in Estonia or who are employed under an employment contract or a contract governed by the law of obligations by a carrier or a person entered in the commercial register or the register of non-profit associations and foundations. The person must hold a certificate of competence or have a respective entry on their driving licence.
Drivers to whom a category D1, D1E, D or DE driving licence has been issued before 10 September 2008 or a category C1, C1E, C or CE has been issued before 10 September 2009 are exempted from the requirement of initial qualification initial qualification training. They can proceed to continuous training.
To complete the initial qualification training of drivers, a person must have a valid right to drive of the category corresponding to the training, or must complete the initial qualification training that is bound to the receipt of the right to drive under the Traffic Act (combined training).
If a person attends a combined training course, he/she will only be entitled to apply for a new category of driving licence after successful completion of the combined training course, and persons who have completed the combined training course must apply to the Transport Administration's service office. If you are taking part in a combined training course with a B category but have not completed the final level training, you must complete the final level training before completing the combined training course.
For more information on the procedure for initial qualification and periodic training of drivers, training curricula, requirements for the organisation of the driver training curriculum and curriculum preparation, requirements for driver knowledge and skills, and the form of the certificate of competence, please see here (in Estonian).
Issue of certificate of competence or making a respective entry on the driving licence
1. The training provider has submitted to the motor register an examination report attesting that the person has completed the initial qualification or continuous training. This requirement does not apply if the person exchanges a valid certificate of competence issued by a competent authority of a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area or of the Swiss Confederation for an Estonian certificate of competence.
2. To receive a certificate of competence, the person must submit to the Estonian Transport Administration:
- a document certifying the right to drive, if there is no such information in the motor register;
- their identity document;
- a valid medical certificate of the driver of a motor vehicle, unless there is valid information on the medical certificate in the motor register and the state of health of the driver has not changed, or the issuer of the medical certificate has submitted the information to the Estonian Transport Administration electronically;
- if necessary, an additional document certifying that the person meets the requirements for admission to initial qualification training;
- a photograph or facial image that corresponds to the identity document requirements (in Estonian), unless it is available in the motor register or in the identity documents database or unless it is more than five years old in said databases;
- a signature image, unless it is available in the motor register or in the identity documents database;
- details or a copy of the payment order for payment of the state fee.
- It is possible to apply for a new certificate to replace a lost, stolen or destroyed certificate. In such a case, the person must inform the Estonian Transport Administration in writing.
Notification of loss/theft/destruction of document (digital) | 66.24 KB | pdf
3. An entry (code 95 with expiry date) will be entered on the driving licence to indicate that the person has undergone initial qualification and periodic training if, in addition to the requirements set out in point 1, the person meets the requirements laid down in the Traffic Act for applying for or exchanging a driving licence.
4. The Estonian Transport Administration will issue a certificate of competence or a driving licence with a respective entry within ten working days of the application.
5. At the request of the applicant, the certificate of competence or a driving licence with a respective entry can also be delivered by unregistered letter to a postal address in Estonia.
6. When a certificate of competence or a driving licence with a respective entry is delivered, the document previously issued will expire when the new document is delivered. If a new certificate of competence is delivered by unregistered letter, the document issued earlier will expire on the day following that on which the new document is prepared. Once a document has expired, its holder must render it unusable within a reasonable period of time.
7. If the person has not received their certificate of competence or driving licence with a respective entry by unregistered letter within ten working days of the date of application for the document, they must inform the Estonian Transport Administration and the latter will cancel the document. A new document will be issued to the person against signature at the Estonian Transport Administration.
Drivers who hold a certificate of competence as a lorry driver or bus driver, or an entry to that effect on their licence, must undergo refresher training as a lorry driver OR bus driver. The person can choose which of the two types of training he or she wishes to undergo, in which case both competences are extended.
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Last updated: 14.10.2024