The car theory exam at the CBR costs €57.00 in 2026 if you sit it in English, which is €6.50 more than the €50.50 charged for the Dutch-language version. That is the fixed fee, paid directly through Mijn CBR. Add up what a category B licence tends to cost in total, though, and you are quickly looking at around €3,300. This article sets out all the costs involved, from your first practice exam to the day the licence is in your pocket.
The CBR runs on a cost-recovery basis with no profit motive, so its fees move with inflation each year. The price of the theory exam has climbed steadily over recent years, with a sizeable jump in 2024 down to an additional charge for fraud prevention.
| Year | Cost |
|---|---|
| 2022 | € 43,50 |
| 2023 | € 47,50 |
| 2024 | € 54,50 |
| 2025 | € 55,25 |
| 2026 | € 57,00 |
The increase between 2022 and 2024 was relatively steep. It levelled off after that, rising by just €0.75 in 2025 and €1.75 in 2026. Following that line, it is reasonable to allow for an annual increase of €1 to €2 in the years ahead, depending on inflation.
The theory exam is only a small part of the total. Getting your category B licence brings several costs with it, and together they average out at around €3,300. That figure varies from person to person, though. How many driving lessons you need and how often you sit your exams is what ultimately decides the final bill.
None of the study material is compulsory, but anyone serious about preparing usually goes for a paid package. A theory book will set you back around €30, and an online practice package runs from a few euros to €50 depending on what is included. You can practise for free as well, though the quality and completeness varies enormously from one platform to the next.
At TheorieIQ we want to keep practising affordable, which is why you can start from €3.95 and the theory book costs just €24.95. Our knowledge base is free and will stay that way.
The theory exam at the CBR costs €57.00 in 2026 for the English-language version. Always book it yourself through Mijn CBR, because other websites will charge you more. Fail and you pay the same €57.00 again for a resit.
The average candidate sits the theory exam two or three times, which works out at somewhere between €114 and €171 in total.
Driving lessons are by far the biggest expense. The average driving school charges between €50 and €72 an hour, and most candidates need around 41 hours of tuition.
That puts you at somewhere between €2,000 and €3,000, depending on the school and the region. Rates in the larger cities are generally higher than elsewhere.
The standard practical test costs €143.50 in 2026. On top of that your driving school will charge for administration, the use of the tuition car and the instructor’s time, usually along with a lesson immediately before the test itself.
If exam nerves are a problem for you, there is a version of the practical test designed to give you more time and support. It costs €202.00 in 2026, so considerably more than the standard test.
The practical test has gone up sharply in price over recent years too:
| Year | Cost |
|---|---|
| 2022 | € 122,50 |
| 2023 | € 125,75 |
| 2024 | € 136,50 |
| 2025 | € 138,50 |
| 2026 | € 143,50 |
Passed both your theory exam and your practical test? There is still one more cost to come, because applying for the licence itself at your local council is not free either. What you pay varies from one council to the next, though the statutory maximum in 2026 is €53.65.
Most of the expense sits not in the fixed CBR fees but in how many times you sit your exams and how many lessons you need. That is where the savings are.
Ready to practice?
3250 practice questions, 60 mock exams, a video course and much more. All for one price.
Ready to practice?
3250 practice questions, 60 mock exams, a video course and much more. All for one price.
Learn more about the car theory
