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How to get a driving licence in Belgium

Getting a car licence from scratch, country by country.

Car licence, category B

Getting your licence in Belgium

Theory questions50
Pass mark41/50
Time per question15 s
Theory test fee (Flanders)€15
Practical exam fee (Flanders)€51
Minimum practice before the practical exam5 months

Flanders figures. Fees in Wallonia and Brussels are similar.

Before you start driving

2
Provisional licenceRequired to practise, after passing the theory test. At least 5 months of practice before the practical test.
Medical checkNo doctor's exam for a car licence, unless you have certain medical conditions.

Required lessons

2
Route 1: with a supervisorUp to 2 supervisors with 8+ years of licence, each after a 3-hour session. Provisional licence valid 36 months.
Route 2: without a supervisorAt least 20 hours with a driving school. Provisional licence valid 18 months.

Good to know

8
Minimum ageTheory test from 17. Practical exam and licence from 18. (This guide follows Flanders. Wallonia and Brussels have similar but not identical rules.)
Licence validity10 years for category B (the card), then you renew it at your municipality.
Exam languagesFlanders: Dutch, read aloud. An interpreter for French, German or English costs €51 extra.
If you failNot on the same day. Theory: after 2 fails you need a 12-hour theory course. Practical: after 2 fails in a row, 6 hours of driving school lessons.
Automatic or manualPassing in an automatic limits you to automatics.
New driversAn L sign during the provisional licence, and no driving from 22:00 to 06:00 on weekend and holiday nights. Flanders: a 4-hour follow-up course 6–9 months after passing.
Already have a licence from abroad?EU and EEA licences stay valid. Many non-EU licences, including from the UK, Japan, South Korea and most of Canada, are exchanged without tests after 185 days of registration. Others take the theory and practical tests.
Also worth knowing
  • Questions on serious offences and speed limits weigh heavily: 2 wrong answers there and you fail.
  • From 2027, the Flemish practical exam requires a theory pass from a Flemish centre.

Step by step

  1. Theory test50 questions, 41 points, from age 17.
  2. Provisional licenceWith a supervisor (36 months) or after 20 driving school hours (18 months).
  3. Practise for 5+ monthsWith the 'L' sign.
  4. Practical examA risk-perception test, then a drive on public roads.
  5. Follow-up courseFlanders: 4 hours, 6–9 months after passing.

Tips From driving schools and examiners

  • There's no fixed list of instant fails. Examiners grade your driving in categories, and a single dangerous error can fail you on its own.
  • Running a red light, crossing a closed level crossing or mounting the pavement or cycle path during a manoeuvre ends the test.
  • Keep at least 1 m from cyclists in towns and 1.5 m outside towns.
  • Don't drive too timidly. Missing chances to complete a manoeuvre, or giving way when you don't need to, also counts against you.
  • Switch off your phone before the test. Using it during the drive is a fail.

Based on: Permis Online: How the practical test is assessed in Wallonia, Brussels and Flanders (French) ↗

Official links

Vlaanderen.be: Licence B ↗Code de la route / Wegcode (official) ↗Last checked 20 Oct 2026
Wrong information? Help us fix itTell us what's incorrect and we'll check it against the official sources.

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