Dieppe Driving School: Prices, Bilingual Classes, Booking Wait & What to Ask Before You Enrol
Dieppe, NB · Serves Moncton, Riverview, Shediac, Bouctouche & Sackville · Open since 2004 · From $1,000 + tax
Dieppe Driving School is a family-run school in the Dieppe and Moncton area. It opened in 2004 under owner Debbie Melanson, and her family still runs it day to day. Its pitch is a bilingual course: the online theory, the classroom session and the instructors all work in English or French, and the school says its e-learning program is the only bilingual one approved by the New Brunswick government.
The course has three parts: online lessons at home, a four-hour class on a Tuesday evening with a written test, then one-on-one driving. Packages cost $1,000, $1,490 or $1,850 before tax for 10, 15 or 20 hours in the car. The detail most people miss is in the school’s own policy page: instructor calendars are usually booked 7 to 9 weeks ahead, and the course fee is not refundable. This page lays out the money, the rules and the questions to ask.
At a Glance
How the Course Works, Step by Step
1. Online lessons
Self-study modules and quizzes from home, available 24/7. You finish them before your classroom session. The program is bilingual.
2. Tuesday evening class
5:30 to 9:30 PM in Dieppe. The class reviews the online course and ends with a digital exam. The passing mark is 75%, and a failed first try can be rewritten later at no extra charge. Verbal testing is available on request.
3. Beginner’s licence (Class 7-1)
You need it before any driving. Bring it to every lesson. Without it, the instructor cancels the session and you are charged a $60 no-show fee.
4. On-road lessons
One-on-one in the school’s car, booked around your schedule. Pickup from home, school or work is offered inside Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview.
5. Road test
A Service New Brunswick examiner runs it, and you take it in the school’s car. The school says you get a government-issued certificate once the course is passed.
Prices
The classroom part costs $500 in every package and is due when you register. The driving part is paid when you schedule it. Everything below is before tax.
*The HST and per-hour columns are our arithmetic, using New Brunswick’s 15% HST. They are not prices the school advertises.
The only add-on rate the school publishes is $95 an hour, which is much higher than the per-hour rate inside a package. That changes which package makes sense:
- Essential plus 5 extra hours costs $1,475, almost the same as Enhanced at $1,490, so Enhanced saves you nothing. Pick based on how many hours you expect to need.
- Essential plus 10 extra hours costs $1,950, which is $100 more than Ultimate at $1,850. If you think you will need 15 hours or more, buy the bigger package up front.
- Course fees are not refundable. The policy page says so plainly, so decide before you pay.
Compare quotes. RightLane Driver Training lists a 10-hour package with classroom and road test car at $781.74 plus tax in the Moncton and Riverview area. The two schools bundle things a little differently, so ask both for a written total, but the gap is worth noticing.
The Wait for Driving Lessons
This is the part to plan around. The policy page says instructor calendars are typically booked 7 to 9 weeks in advance. The course also expires 12 months after the classroom session date you chose at registration, and lessons booked after that date are billed hourly instead of at the package rate.
If you are working toward the 8-month Level 1 shortcut, count backward. Book your classroom session early, get your beginner’s licence, and ask for your first lesson date before you pay for the on-road part.
Cancellation Rules and Fees
You will get an email and text reminder 48 hours before each session. The policy page is undated, so confirm the current fees with the office.
English and French Classes
Classroom sessions alternate by language. These are the dates listed on the school’s site, all from 5:30 to 9:30 PM:
The website itself is available in both languages, and the school says you can choose either one for your lessons. Three of the six people on the team are listed as bilingual. If French matters to you, tell the office before booking on-road lessons so you get a French-speaking instructor.
The People Who Teach
Chris Melanson
President and chief driving instructor since 2008. Also teaches the classroom and trains instructors. English and French.
Cynthia Melanson
Vice-president and office director since 2011. She is the first person you reach. English and French.
Debbie Melanson
Owner since 2004, now a part-time consultant. English.
Reginald Belliveau
Full-time instructor since 2014. English and French.
Timothy Wilson
Full-time instructor since 2026, and an instructor since 2014. English.
Gaston L’Italien
Part-time instructor since 2026. English and French.
The page gives no certification details, so ask to see an instructor’s licence if that matters to you.
Where They Teach and Where to Find Them
Service Area
Dieppe, Moncton, Riverview, Shediac, Bouctouche and Sackville. A French page also names Richibucto.
Classrooms
UNIplex and the Rotary St-Anselme Park, both in Dieppe. The school emails the exact room to enrolled students.
Do Not Drop In
There is no walk-in office. The school asks people not to visit the class locations outside scheduled classes. Use the phone or email.
Office Hours
Virtual office Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On-road lessons run Monday to Thursday 9 AM to 9 PM, and Friday and Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM.
Directory listings show different addresses: 835 Champlain Street, Suite 201-D, and 799 Chartersville Road, both in Dieppe. A Yellow Pages listing shows a different phone number, 506-804-1762. The school’s own contact page gives (506) 389-9480, so use that one.
What People Say
We could not find a Google star rating. Here is what is public:
- Facebook: 84% of 21 reviewers recommend the school.
- GetPassed: 14 reviews dated from April 2014 to August 2018. Reviewers mention friendly, helpful staff, instructors who prepared them for the test, and good classroom and in-car teaching. Several are parents whose children took the course.
- Names that come up: Chris, Reggie, Debbie, Cynthia and Mike show up in reviews, which matches the team page.
- Complaints: we found none, but we also found no recent reviews, so this says little about the last few years.
The school’s website has no testimonials. Read recent Facebook reviews yourself before you decide. These are our summaries of public reviews, not endorsements, and individual experiences vary.
Questions to Ask Before You Pay
- When is my first lesson? With a 7 to 9 week booking wait, ask for an actual date.
- Is the price final? Ask for the total with HST, and whether the $500 theory fee is separate from the on-road part.
- How many hours will I need? Ask the instructor to estimate after your first lesson, because the extra-hour rate of $95 makes a short package expensive if you run over.
- Can I get a French-speaking instructor? And on which days?
- What happens if I run past the 12-month expiry?
- Is the government certificate included? The courses page says students receive one, but the policy page does not mention it.
What We Could and Couldn’t Verify
- Public sources used: the school’s website (courses, about, policies and procedures, contact, enrolment and French pages), the Government of New Brunswick graduated licence page, GetPassed, Yelp, ZoomInfo and Facebook.
- Government approval: the school calls its e-learning program the only bilingual one approved by the New Brunswick government. We did not find an official list of approved programs to check this.
- Ratings: no Google rating found, and the Facebook figure comes from the listing as shown.
- Instructor licences: not published, and we did not check them against any official record.
- Not published: vehicle make and model, the price of in-car sessions after the course expires, and the number of students taught.
- Policy page: undated, so the fee amounts may have changed.
Common Questions
How much does Dieppe Driving School cost?
$1,000 for 10 in-car hours, $1,490 for 15, and $1,850 for 20, all plus tax. Each includes the online theory and Tuesday class. Extra hours are $95 plus tax.
Do I need a driving course in New Brunswick?
No. A course from a licensed school lets you take the Level 2 road test after 8 months instead of 12, and lowers the Level 2 age from 17 to 16 years and 8 months. The full program still takes at least 24 months.
When are the classes?
Tuesday evenings, 5:30 to 9:30 PM, in Dieppe. Upcoming dates are November 10 (French), November 24 (English), December 8 (French) and December 15 (English), 2026.
What is the passing mark for the theory test?
75%. If you fail on the first try, the school says you can rewrite later at no extra charge.
Do they offer pickup?
Yes, from home, school or work, inside Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview.
Do I use the school’s car for the road test?
Yes. The school’s vehicles are used for final road tests, and a Service New Brunswick examiner runs the test.
Can I get a refund?
The course fee is not refundable, according to the policy page. Ask before you pay if your situation is uncertain.
Does the course expire?
Yes, 12 months after the classroom session date you picked when you registered.
How do I book?
Fill in the form on the school’s enrolment page or call (506) 389-9480. It accepts Interac e-Transfer, Visa and Mastercard.
Who This School Is For
Dieppe Driving School suits learners in southeast New Brunswick who want to take the course in French, or in either language, and who like a small family-run school with named instructors. The online theory fits around work or school, and pickup helps parents who cannot drive their teen to every lesson.
It is a weaker fit if you need lessons within a few weeks, or if you want flexible refund terms. Ask for the first lesson date and the total price in writing, then compare that against other schools in the area.
See all New Brunswick driving schools on DRGO, or read our New Drivers Guide for how licensing works across Canada.
Contact Dieppe Driving School
Classes at UNIplex and Rotary St-Anselme Park
(no walk-in office)
info@dieppedrivingschool.com
dieppedrivingschool.com
Lessons: Mon–Thu 9 AM – 9 PM, Fri–Sat 9 AM – 5 PM
Info compiled from the school’s website, the Government of New Brunswick graduated licence page, GetPassed, Yelp, ZoomInfo and Facebook. Prices, fees and review figures are school-published or third-party and can change. Last reviewed October 2026. DRGO.ca is not affiliated with Dieppe Driving School; confirm current pricing, class dates and policies directly before booking.
