Oliver EvansDid you see that video on social media where a father teaches her daughter how to drive, only to end up yelling and stressing her out? What was meant to be a bonding moment quickly turned into a life lesson of what not to do with your parents.
That happened because the dad is not a professional driving instructor. No matter how good of a driver he is, that doesn’t mean he knows how to teach—especially when nerves are high and patience runs thin.
That’s where professional instructors make all the difference. They’re trained to be patient, calm, and supportive. They know exactly how to guide new drivers without the stress or drama.
If you’re ready to learn with confidence (and keep your family relationships intact), here are the best driving schools in Vancouver to get you started.
How much does enrolling in a driving school cost in Vancouver?
Enrolling in a driving school in Vancouver costs around 1,100 CAD (package deal) for beginners, including both in-class and in-car lessons.
The cost can still vary depending on the instructor’s experience and the package’s inclusions.
1. West End Driving School
Address: 4182 Dawson St, Burnaby, BC V5C 0A4
Phone: +1 604 773 5001
Business hours:
- Mon-Sat: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sun: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
West End Driving School is the most beginner-friendly school on the list, thanks to its super affordable new learner package. Its driving package for beginners is much cheaper than most driving schools in town, with the same hours of lessons.
Another free thing the school offers is pick-up and drop-off, which I find convenient for students. They offer them in all their driving lessons, except individual lessons.
I also like the school’s cars have double steering wheels. This significantly boosts safety and gives students more confidence to maneuver freely, knowing that their instructor can intervene anytime. This accelerates their learning process.
Most importantly, the school has experienced and patient instructors who understand that each individual has their own pace in learning. I knew this because I talked to one of their students during my visit to their office. He said that his instructor is forgiving when he makes a mistake.
The only downside of this school is that it only has four-day, in-car lessons per week, Monday to Thursday.
Really the best
“He is a no nonsense instructor, but also patient, knowledgeable, and funny. If you listen to his instructions, you will be ready for the road and pass your test. Driving was something that I put off for ten years after some hard lessons with my parents. The most important thing I got out of Ahad’s lessons was feeling comfortable behind the wheel! A major bonus is that he would pick me up from downtown (home, office, etc) and was very flexible and easy to schedule lessons with. This was challenging with another driving school that I had previously worked with. I recommend him to all my friends downtown, who are getting their license later in life. I look forward to seeing him again in 2 years for my class 5 :)”
-Aviegaile Jaurigue, Google Review
Thanks heaps Ahad
“Thanks to Ahad, I now have my N License!!! I had never driven on the road before not to mention driving in north america – Ahad took me for my first lesson and it was clear that I would need more – we both decided that the complete package to the test was the best way to go – it started out with basics driving techniques and observations and progressed in order through all the requirements of been safe on the road. If you listen and take on board what he has to say and more so why he is pulling you up especially on bad driving habits, you should have no problem passing the exam. Ahad, was very accommodating when not only booking lessons, but also when booking my road test and made sure I was nice and calm and relaxed before I took the test. Finally, I would highly recommend the package deal that he has on offer, this is especially if you are a new driver, you will be a lot more confident and prepared for your road test afterwards.”
-Colin O’ Flynn, Google Review
2. Vancouver Driving School
Address: 525 W 8th Ave #800
Phone: +1 604 844 8374
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Vancouver Driving School is perfect if you’re looking for a school with a wide range of driving lessons. I’m a fan of its many individual and package lessons tailored to the student’s various needs and skills.
One of the school’s advantages is that it accommodates weekend and evening lessons. You’ll have a higher chance of scoring weekend or evening lessons if you book two to three weeks in advance. This option is super beneficial to busy working people.
Another great feature of this school is that it allows its students to transfer their unused lessons to a friend or a family member. This ensures your money won’t be wasted if there’s a situation where you can’t continue to attend lessons anymore, which happens sometimes.
The good thing about the lessons is their long-term validity. Each lesson can be used within 18 months from the date of purchase, making it almost impossible to miss a lesson.
Lastly, I’m a big fan of the school’s installment plans. These are offered in packages with 15 or more hours of lessons. For your information, the minimum number of hours in the school’s beginner packages is 15.
However, the school’s beginner packages are a bit more expensive than West End Driving School’s new learner package.
Highly recommended
“I highly recommend going through this driving school. I decided I wanted to start doing lessons and after registering and buying my first set of lessons, I began within a week. The lessons are spaced out well and fitted to your schedule and are at generally the best price you will find around. I passed my driving test on the first try after no more than 11 hours behind the wheel. This was most definitely thanks to my fantastic instructor Gang. He was a very calm and very well informed instructor who gave me clear directions on everything. He gave me short quick points which were easy to remember to help me with parallel parking reverse parking and just general road driving. He accompanied me to the test centre and waited for me whilst doing my test all the time giving me encouragement and reminding me of proper road safety. He was always ready to teach and helped me work around my schedule. I booked my road test by waiting for cancellations and with a days notice he did the 50 minute pre road test warm up and lent me his car for the test, all on his day off. He is a lovely man and we grew to be become friends in my journey to finally get onto the roads. I would highly recommend this school but even more so this instructor. Thanks so much Gang!”
-karl murphy, Google Review
Such a great experience
“I needed to convert my South African license to a BC Class 5 license, so I researched and decided VDS was the best value for money. And I’m glad I chose them because I passed my driver’s test on the first try! I had a lovely experience with my instructor, Thomas, who went above and beyond simply teaching the rules of the road to ensure I was in the right mental state to ace my test. I appreciated his kind, humorous personality and his tendency not to spoon-feed, but rather to let the student work situations out for themselves and build their instincts. He also uses a whiteboard and toy car to recreate scenarios and talk them through with you, which helped me visualize my mistakes and brainstorm better courses of action. I booked the Basic 2 package, consisting of five 1-hour lessons, a 50-minute warmup and rental of the car for my driver’s test. This was the perfect package for me as someone with some driving experience in South Africa who needed to gain experience driving and reading signs and situations in BC. I also booked a last-minute extra lesson two days before my test to bolster my confidence with the help of Aeiman in the admin department. He had been helping throughout the process with a few reschedules, and he was always prompt and understanding. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend the school to other international drivers.”
-Carla Conradie, Google Review
3. Vancouver Safe Driving Academy
Address: 179 Davie St
Phone: +1 778 952 8488
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
- Sat: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sun: via appointments only
Enroll in the Vancouver Safe Driving Academy if you’re too conscious about the cleanliness of the car you will use during lessons. I saw that they use clean, well-sanitised cars when I visited the spot they called their virtual office. They ensure the car’s surface is sanitised before lessons.
When it comes to the actual lessons, I love that the school has an advanced learning package for people with previous driving experience. It’s a tailor-made package that you might not find in other schools in town.
Speaking of the package, I’m glad the school’s package deals can be used within 8 months after buying them. That’s a pretty long time, giving students the opportunity to find the time most convenient to them.
Another thing I like about this school is that they allow students to bring a companion inside the car for a fair price. This way, you can take the person with you who knows how to make you calm when you’re nervous.
On the one hand, this school doesn’t offer beginner packages, unlike other schools on the list.
Seamless driving lesson
“From start to finish, the VSDA team was extremely helpful. Ramin, spent over 30mins answering all of my questions and concerns in the most professional manner. And due to a serious MVA last year, I was very anxious and worried about taking the road test. However, by the end of our conversation; I felt confident and relieved that I made the right decision in choosing VSDA. Arzou was my driving instructor and I can’t thank her enough for preparing me for the big day. We instantly connected and I was very comfortable with her. She provided a healthy learning environment with lots of constructive feedbacks. Arzou gave me the confident and knowledge that I needed to overcome my fear of driving. It was the best driving experience I’ve had to date and I can only hope that everyone has a good experience like a did. In addition, I also had Raj as an instructor. I was a little worried bc I was comfortable with Arzou and her teaching style but Raj is amazing as well. I told him my exam was the following day and he gave me a full rundown on what to expect. He added the last few missing pieces that contributed to me passing the road test. I feel very fortunate to have had both instructors who worked seamlessly to make my experience an enjoyable one. I would highly recommend VSDA!!”
-Anne Le, Google Review
Very professional instructor
“Time pass fast, 2 years later, I need to take my class 5 drive test. Then I contacted Arzou my best driver instructor from the best driving academy— Vancouver Safe Driving Academy LTD. She is still really nice and patient as usual. Even more professional then 2 years ago. I took the another driver lessons bundle with Arzou. I haven’t driven for 2 years since I passed my class 7 drive test. Who can believe it , after this lessons bundle. I took the road test on a heavy rain afternoon . I successfully passed the class 5 road test. I could not thank Arzou enough. She is the best. Vancouver Safe Driving Academy LTD is my most trust drive academy. I would recommend Arzou to anyone who need drive Teacher and Vancouver Safe Driving Academy LTD is the number academy to turn on. Arzou is the best drive instructor ever. She is super professional, really patient and nice. I am really grateful that my driving learning journey have her sitting by my side to teach me how to drive safely and get my Class 7 driver’s license today. I sincerely recommend everyone choose her as their drive instructor. Vancouver safe driving Academy is the best driving school. The lessons bundles are very reasonable and suitable for all kinds of learning journey. again I recommend this school to whoever needs to learn driving.”
-Helen SANG, Google Review
4. SenSen Driving School
Address: 1231 Pacific Blvd
Phone: +1 778 861 3419
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sat: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sun: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
SenSen Driving School caught my attention because of its seven-day lessons. It gives people flexible options for their learning journey. This differs from Vancouver Driving School because you can choose weekend lessons anytime, not on a by-chance basis.
I love the school’s one-on-one approach to teaching students. The school only lets its instructor sit in the car alone with the student. This is an effective way to intensify the student’s focus during in-car lessons.
Another thing I love about this school is its very affordable road test package. It offers the cheapest road test package on the list. It’s a good warm-up to make sure you’re prepared for the exam you will take.
The thing I love most about this school is its numerous free driving tutorials on its YouTube channel. The videos are really helpful, especially for beginners who know nothing about driving.
The only negative thing about this school is that it doesn’t offer at least one package. It only has individual lessons for a reasonable cost.
Thank you very much Daniel
“Daniel was my instructor and I not only got my N in my first try. I can’t wait to go for my class 5 (Will be taking a few classes before I go in with Daniel again if he’s available). If you’re looking for someone who is “super thorough”, professional, patient and friendly, Daniel is your guy. You will learn pro driving skills and some serious ‘insider info’ that will help you be even more alert on the road. I told Daniel to be hard on me since I’ve had pretty bad driving habits and he made sure that I do things right. With him, it wasn’t about passing, it was about ACING the test and becoming a real safe driver for life. I love going for drives now and pretend Daniel is there so I pay extra attention on the road “Scan Jibran!!! Scan!!! Shoulder check!!!!”. I 100% recommend Daniel for newbies or people who didn’t drive for ages (I didn’t drive for 7 years). Best part, he’s local, knows Vancouver driving laws like the back of his hand and that’s why I went with him. Glad I did. Thanks Daniel – See you soon for my Class 5. I think I had a little over 8 driving lessons?”
-Jibran Qazi, Google Review
Thanks for being patient with me
“I had my license from another country so I needed to re do my road test in order to be issued a BC license. I was a driver but not a BC driver. On my own- I failed the road test twice. That’s when I decided to hire Alex at SenSen Driving school, he came highly recommended from a friend of mine. he linked me to his time table and I was able to book the days and times that worked for me, weeks in advance. He was a wonderful teacher. Very clear and calmly spoken, encouraging and patient with me. Each lesson we focused on one or two specific things to learn. There was never too much information all at once. He teaches the by-law rules of the road and knows them very well. SenSen driving school helped me develop good legal driving skills and habits. I took 7 lessons with Alex, and when it was time to take my road test I passed on the first try! the lessons gave me the confidence and understanding I needed to be the best driver I could be! Thank you Alex I highly recommend !”
-Alissandra Mariani, Google Review
5. AZE Driving School
Address: 990 Broughton St
Phone: +1 604 300 3653
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sat: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
What I admire about AZE Driving School is the instructor, who encourages his students to think independently before giving them lectures about what they did on the road. It’s a unique and effective teaching style that manifests in the driving test passing rate of his students.
Speaking of passing rate, this school has a 98% passing rate for first-time drivers. It’s relatively high compared to other driving schools in Vancouver I’ve visited.
Another unique thing about this school is the non-YouTube video courses it offers. The instructor told me that the purpose of making the video courses is to allow the students to learn at their own pace. He also told me that the lessons in the videos complement the actual in-car lessons.
However, this school has only one instructor. But, imagine how great he is to get a high driving test pass rate among his students.
Thanks for helping me
“Outstanding Driving School Experience! I recently completed my driving lessons at AZE Driving School and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, this school exceeded my expectations in every way. The instructors at AZE Driving School are top-notch. They are not only highly skilled but also incredibly patient and understanding. They made me feel at ease behind the wheel, even when I was nervous at the beginning. Their guidance and support gave me the confidence I needed to become a safe and competent driver. What sets AZE Driving School apart is their dedication to safety. They emphasized the importance of responsible driving and defensive techniques, which I believe are essential for any driver. It’s evident that they genuinely care about producing safe drivers who contribute to road safety. I also appreciated their competitive pricing, which made quality driver education accessible. Overall, my experience at AZE Driving School was exceptional, and I highly recommend them to anyone seeking professional driving instruction. Thank you AZE Driving School for helping me become a confident and safe driver!”
-Munir Omer Zada, Google Review
Keep up the good work guys
“My experience with #AZE Driving School was fantastic. I passed with this school after getting lesson. They truly care about your effort, expectation, as well as your mental difficulties and fear! They understand very well your very first practice and prepare their learning techniques quickly as customized as you need for a successful driver at road test. I definitely recommend everyone, undoubtedly, go with this driving school. If they said you would be a perfect driver, they made you and you will be good driver. Wish a best of luck for AZE Driving School. Keep this dedication for students to what other schools do not care about. 👍”
-M S Imran, Google Review
