How the exam works

The last lesson of this stage is about the exam itself. It is worth knowing the shape of it in advance: half the nerves on the day come from surprises that could have been avoided.

The numbers

Since 7 April 2025 the exam runs as one continuous flow: the old split into three parts with separate thresholds is gone. 44 out of 50 leaves little room — six misses and that is it.

Language: Dutch or English. English costs more than the base fee; with an interpreter the arrangements and costs differ. The trade-off is in the guide [which language to sit the theory in](/en/guides/exam-english).

Try it yourself: [mock exam](/en/examen) — the same 50 questions against the clock.

What gets asked

Almost every question comes with a picture: a junction, a sign, a traffic situation. You answer not “what seems most sensible” but “what the law says” — which is why our explanations always name the article.

Try it yourself: [right of way](/en/oefenen?onderwerp=uncontrolled-intersections) — 46 questions.

Before and after

Your theory pass is valid for a year and a half: one year plus six months for the driving test. Failed? You can book again; there is no limit on attempts. The whole route with ages and amounts is in [from zero to a licence](/en/guides/proces).

What to remember

Thirty minutes for fifty questions is thirty-six seconds each. There is no time to puzzle over the wording; there is only time to recognise the situation. So practise not “until the right answer”, but until recognition.