Driving schools in Chișinău: prices, reviews and exam results
Compare 5 driving schools in Chișinău: category B prices, learner reviews and MEC exam results. What to check before enrolling.
5 schools with the most reviews in the Yell.md directory. What learners appreciate and what to check before paying.
In the MEC report for 2025, the category B practical test pass rate ranges from 20% to 43% for the five schools reviewed here. Their Google ratings displayed on Yell range from 4.4 to 5.0. This is the first point worth noticing: learners’ impressions of their training and examination results are two different kinds of information. Source: MEC report.
The choice usually starts with a recommendation. One friend gives you an instructor’s number, another suggests a school nearby, while websites promise patience and professionalism. So far, almost every offer sounds good. The differences emerge when you ask how many minutes you will drive, who will teach you and how much you will still have to pay after the theory fee.
We compared five driving schools in Chișinău: the available reviews, published prices and official results. The aim is to help you make a shortlist before enrolling, with more precise questions than “Is it a good school?”.
The five schools and the selection criterion
We selected the listings with the most Google reviews among schools offering category B training in the Yell.md directory. The rating data is dated 11 October 2026; research and checks of the offers were carried out on 12 October.
| School / listing reviewed | Google rating on Yell | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Maestro | 4.9 | 1,448 |
| Instruire Auto | 5.0 | 1,326 |
| Vehicul | 5.0 | 826 |
| START | 4.8 | 615 |
| Artur Cecan | 4.4 | 470 |
This is a selection from the directory, not a ranking of every school in the city. We did not add together branches. We read accessible texts without analysing every review in these totals or personally testing the courses. Review counts measure public feedback; they do not prove how many learners chose a school.
Exam results: what the MEC report shows
The table reproduces the percentages published for category B in the 2025 annual report, using the source’s rounding.
| School | Theory | Practical test |
|---|---|---|
| Instruire Auto | 80% | 43% |
| Artur Cecan | 83% | 31% |
| Maestro | 63% | 26% |
| START | 75% | 24% |
| Vehicul | 60% | 20% |
The names were checked: Maestro — AUTO CAPITA, START — CONCEPT AUTO, Artur Cecan — Auto-Instructor. For Instruire Auto, the link to PROD-AM Service appears in the trademark registration published by AGEPI, on printed pages 149–150. Vehicul appears under that name in the report.
These are results for training providers in 2025, not individual probabilities or the results of every instructor or current group. We do not call them “first-attempt” pass rates without confirmation of the methodology. Google reviews refer to locations; the MEC report refers to training providers.
Maestro: substantial feedback and an offer that needs clarification
At Maestro, on Independenței 10/2, there is enough feedback to begin comparing specific people and situations. In the texts consulted, learners appreciate clear explanations and the patience of certain instructors. There are also complaints about working with an instructor. We have not independently verified these experiences, but they justify a simple question: can you change instructors if you cannot work well together?
The official price list presents packages at 12,000 and 14,000 MDL, with 25 and 30 practical lessons of 90 minutes respectively. An additional lesson costs 450 MDL. Cars with manual and automatic transmissions are listed.
The enrolment form on the homepage also displays 4,000 MDL for October groups. Its relationship to the packages is not explained sufficiently. The amounts in our table are therefore the published offer, which should be confirmed in writing for the chosen group.
What to check first: the total cost and the available instructor. The rating draws attention; these two answers determine whether the offer suits you.
Instruire Auto: training organisation in the foreground
On its website, Instruire Auto presents Skoda Scala cars, study materials and practical lesson schedules by district. In the accessible reviews, learners thank instructors for their calm approach and help before the exam. Some accounts concern additional lessons after training elsewhere; they should be read as such.
In the official comparison above, the school has the highest practical test percentage among the five selected. That is a reason to examine its offer, without turning a 2025 result into a promise to the next learner.
The website lists offices on Muncești 304, Mircea cel Bătrân 39 and Calea Ieșilor 6; the training ground is on Pădurii 25/1. The total price must be requested. We did not submit the form and do not have an individual quotation.
What to check first: the budget, the starting point for practical lessons and the date of the first bookings. A convenient theory classroom address does not automatically solve travel arrangements for every driving lesson.
Vehicul: appreciated theory, with practice paid separately
At Vehicul, on Negruzzi 5, the reviews consulted appreciate teachers’ explanations and respectful treatment. One learner mentions that the online format fits around work. The format must be confirmed for the intended group: an online practice simulator and a course delivered online are different services.
The official offer states 1,750 MDL for category B, three months of study and practical training paid separately. The contact details also include Milești 34B. The 1,750 MDL figure cannot be compared directly with a package that includes driving lessons.
This is where the 5.0 rating should be read alongside the specific conditions of practical training and the MEC results. For a beginner, good theory teaching matters, while time behind the wheel needs its own assessment.
What to check first: the price and number of practical lessons, their duration and the instructor’s availability at times you can attend.
START: appreciated support, but how many minutes is a lesson?
The available accounts about START mention teachers’ patience and answers to questions. This deserves attention: a beginner should be able to ask for an explanation after making a mistake, too.
The school is on stradela Teatrului 3, second floor, office 4. Its website presents Romanian and Russian groups, theory at 2,500 MDL and practice at 420 MDL per lesson. The duration of a lesson is not specified in the pricing section consulted.
The comparison stops here until that question is answered. A lesson’s price tells us too little if we do not know how many minutes and how much actual driving we are buying.
What to check first: the duration, the number of lessons included and the practical training schedule. The available budget formula is 2,500 + 420 × the number of lessons; we do not present it as a confirmed package price.
Artur Cecan: detailed prices and differing opinions
Artur Cecan is in Botanica, on Sarmizegetusa 37/2. The available reviews praise teachers’ explanations and instructors named by the authors. There is also dissatisfaction with the training experience. We do not repeat details of disputes: they cannot be verified from a single comment. Read the reviews of the branch you intend to attend.
The official offer is easier to calculate: theory costs 2,500 MDL in Romanian on weekdays, 2,700 at weekends and 2,800 in Russian on weekdays. The 24 practical lessons of 90 minutes cost 10,800 MDL in total.
Theory and practice together come to 13,300–13,600 MDL, depending on the group. An additional lesson is listed at 450 MDL. These amounts do not automatically cover every expense until you receive your licence.
What to check first: the branch, the instructor and lesson bookings. A detailed offer helps you compare budgets, but the experience still depends on the people you will learn with.
What does preparation before the ASP exam cost?
In this comparison, “before the exam” means theory and practical training at the school. ASP fees, medical documents, licence issuance and other unconfirmed expenses are excluded. Where the offer is incomplete, we leave the total open.
| School | Basis of calculation | Indicative training budget, MDL |
|---|---|---|
| Maestro | Published packages: theory + 25 or 30 lessons of 90 min | 12,000–14,000, to be confirmed |
| Instruire Auto | A complete offer is not explicitly published | Request a quotation |
| Vehicul | 1,750 for B + practice paid separately | 1,750 + practice |
| START | 2,500 for theory + 420 per lesson | 2,500 + 420 × N |
| Artur Cecan | Theory + 24 lessons of 90 min | 13,300–13,600 |
N is the number of lessons confirmed with START. We do not assume every school sells the same duration or amount of practice. Sources are the official pages linked in the profiles above.
At Maestro and Artur Cecan, an additional lesson costs 450 MDL according to their published rates.
How to choose the right school for you
If someone you know recommends an instructor, ask for the name, when they took the course and the transmission they learned on. This makes the recommendation verifiable. A school may have several groups, branches and instructors with different availability.
Based on our research, Instruire Auto is worth comparing for its organisation and reported results; Artur Cecan for its detailed offer and the results in the table. At Maestro, Vehicul and START, the available praise for teachers needs to be supplemented with clear answers about price and practice. This is an editorial assessment of sources, not a verdict on a personally tested course.
Before signing a contract, ask:
- Who will teach me, and can I change instructors?
- How many lessons and minutes are included?
- When does practice begin, and how often can I book?
- Where does the lesson start, and where is the training ground?
- What is paid separately, and what does extra practice cost?
- How is a missed lesson made up, and what are the withdrawal terms?
- Is the programme authorised or accredited for the chosen category?
Compare two or three written offers. Similar prices may conceal differences in schedules, minutes behind the wheel or additional expenses.
See all driving schools in the directory →
Frequently asked questions
Our selection does not name a winner for the entire city. For you, the instructor, schedule, amount of practice and budget matter alongside feedback and published results.
No. Read the review texts and dates, check which services they describe and compare the offer. A rating does not tell you who will teach you.
Confirm the procedure before enrolling and the recommended person’s availability. Ask for the explanation to be consistent with the contract terms.
Compare the cost of theory and all practical training, the number of lessons and their length in minutes. Record expenses excluded from the package separately.
This cannot be determined before your progress is assessed. Ask for a specific explanation of what still needs practice and find out the rate before buying a package.
Think about the car you intend to drive. Check with the school and ASP about current examination conditions and any restrictions on the licence.
After reading the reviews
Reviews help you find people worth asking about. Prices let you compare what you are buying. MEC results add a check that photographs of graduates cannot replace.
Keep all three in your decision. At your first roundabout, you will need what you actually learned behind the wheel — and the conditions for that preparation are established before the first payment.
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