Theory Exam (Theorieprüfung) at TÜV/DEKRA

30 questions, 45 minutes, a maximum of 10 penalty points allowed. The exam is available in twelve languages set by Annex 7 FeV, including English and Russian. Preparation with the official question catalogue is the key.

✓ Verified: 15/08/2026

WHAT TO DO

Await your theory exam date from TÜV/DEKRA (arrives after Prüfauftrag is issued)

Choose your exam language from the Annex 7 FeV list (English and Russian are on it, Ukrainian is not yet)
Work through the full official question catalogue (approx. 1,400 questions)
Focus on right-of-way rules, speed limits, Autobahn regulations, and situational questions
Bring your passport and exam confirmation to the test centre. One Prüfauftrag normally covers three attempts, with at least 2 weeks between them

AUTHORITY

TÜV / DEKRA (Technische Prüfstellen)

Private company

They run the theory and practical tests. The Fahrerlaubnisbehörde assigns the specific test centre by Prüfauftrag — you cannot pick it yourself.

Website

COSTS

€

Theory exam fee €22–26

Regulated by law; slight variation between test centres

The good news: every question is published in advance

Unlike driving tests in some countries, Germany’s theory exam draws exclusively from a published catalogue of approximately 1,400 questions. Every single question you might face is available in advance — in official apps and study materials. There are no surprises.

This makes preparation very efficient: work through the full catalogue, identify your weak areas, and focus your revision there.

How the exam works

At the test centre, you sit at a tablet with 30 questions drawn from the catalogue. Questions include text-based rules questions and image-based situational questions (a photo of a traffic situation with multiple-choice answers).

The exam is self-paced within the 45-minute window. The system scores automatically and displays your result immediately when you finish.

Penalty point threshold: 10 points to pass, 11 to fail.

Take the exam in your strongest language

Don’t take the exam in German if you’re not completely comfortable with technical German. Request one of the Annex 7 languages (English, Russian, Polish, Turkish and others) when you confirm your exam appointment with TÜV↗/DEKRA↗. Ukrainian is not on that list yet.

The questions are the same — only the language differs. A misread question due to language uncertainty is a very avoidable mistake.

› Details and tips

👨🏻‍💻

Max recommends:

Use the DriverBase app — it's available in English, Russian, and Ukrainian, has excellent coverage of the full catalogue, and tracks your weak areas automatically. Aim to have answered every question in the catalogue at least twice before your exam date.

👩🏼‍💼

Lea recommends:

I sat the exam in Russian rather than German and was glad I did. Some German phrasing in traffic regulations is very specific and easy to misinterpret. In a language you read fluently you interpret confidently and can spend more time on the genuinely tricky situational questions. If you were counting on Ukrainian, check first — it is not on the Annex 7 list yet.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I take the theory exam in English? ▾

Yes. The available languages are set by Annex 7 FeV, not by the test centre: English, French, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Croatian, Spanish, Turkish and Modern Standard Arabic. Ukrainian is not on that list yet — the amendment adopted in July 2026 adds it, but it only applies once published in the Federal Law Gazette. Confirm the current position with your Prüfstelle when you book. The questions are identical in all languages; only the language changes.

How does the scoring work? ▾

30 questions appear on a tablet. Each question carries a penalty value of 2, 3, or 4 points depending on safety relevance. A wrong answer means the full penalty points are added to your score. Maximum allowed: 10 penalty points. From 11 points: failed. In practice, this means you can get 2–4 questions wrong (depending on their weight) and still pass.

Where do the questions come from? ▾

All questions are drawn from the official TÜV Media question catalogue — approximately 1,400 questions covering traffic rules, signs, vehicle knowledge, environmental considerations, and hazard recognition. Nothing outside this catalogue appears in the exam. This makes preparation very straightforward: study the catalogue.

What are the most commonly failed topics? ▾

Right-of-way at unmarked intersections (Rechts vor Links), situational questions with images (where you must judge who has priority), speed limits by road type, specific Autobahn regulations (minimum speed, overtaking rules, emergency lane), and alcohol limits. These topics are worth extra preparation time.

What if I fail the theory exam? ▾

The Prüfauftrag typically allows multiple retakes. Between attempts, a minimum waiting period applies (usually 2 weeks). After exhausting all retakes within one Prüfauftrag, a new application and fee is required. Most people pass on the second attempt with targeted practice.