Which exams do you actually need?
The CBR runs a theory exam (theorie-examen) and a practical exam (praktijkexamen) per licence category, and the language rules differ per category. One table, read from the CBR's own pages on 6 September 2026.
The short version: only the car (B) theory exam exists in English. Motorbike and moped theory are Dutch, or with an interpreter. A BE trailer licence has no theory exam at all.
| Licence | Theory exam | Theory in English | Interpreter at theory | Practical exam | Interpreter at practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car (B)Passenger car; trailer up to 750 kg, or heavier if car and trailer together stay under 3,500 kg. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Motorcycle (A1, A2, A)Motorcycle; A1, A2 and A differ by engine power and minimum age. | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Moped and light moped (AM)Moped, light moped (snorfiets), microcar (brommobiel). | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
| Car with trailer (BE)Car with a trailer, caravan or horse trailer up to 3,500 kg. | No | No theory exam | No theory exam | Yes | Yes |
| Car with trailer, code 96 (B+)Any trailer as long as car and trailer together weigh at most 4,250 kg. | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Truck and bus (C1, C, D1, D, with or without code 95)Professional licences. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
"Not stated" means the CBR pages we read do not say; ask the CBR before you plan on it.
Car (B): the detail and the sources
- Theory exam
- The only CBR theory exam offered in English, at every exam centre. Other languages: with an interpreter. Source, read 6 September 2026.
- Practical exam
- A sworn interpreter or your instructor may translate the examiner from the back seat. Source, read 6 September 2026.
CBR fees (2026)
Motorcycle (A1, A2, A): the detail and the sources
- Theory exam
- Required before the practical exams, from age 17. Not offered in English: the CBR says a theory exam for another vehicle than a car, such as a moped or motorcycle, is taken with an interpreter. 50 questions, 30 minutes (45 with an interpreter), 41 correct to pass. Source, read 6 September 2026.
- Practical exam
- Two practical exams: vehicle control (AVB) and traffic participation (AVD). An interpreter may come along. Source, read 6 September 2026.
CBR fees (2026)
Moped and light moped (AM): the detail and the sources
- Theory exam
- Required before the practical exam, from age 15 and a half. Not offered in English; with an interpreter instead. Source, read 6 September 2026.
- Practical exam
- The CBR's interpreter page names the car, motorcycle and car-with-trailer practical exams; it does not name the moped exam. Source, read 6 September 2026.
CBR fees (2026)
Car with trailer (BE): the detail and the sources
- Theory exam
- No theory exam: "Voor het rijbewijs voor de auto met aanhangwagen hoef je geen theorie-examen te doen." You need a B licence first. Source, read 6 September 2026.
- Practical exam
- 55 minutes in total, about 35 of them driving: an eyesight check, questions on loading and coupling the trailer, then control of car and trailer, priority, overtaking, roundabouts and special manoeuvres. A health declaration must be submitted before the exam. An interpreter may come along. Source, read 6 September 2026.
CBR fees (2026)
- Health declaration (Gezondheidsverklaring): €46.90 source
- Practical exam car with trailer (BE): €143.50 source
- Municipal licence fee (national maximum): €53.65 source
The CBR says lesson prices for the car with trailer differ per school and gives no typical lesson count; ask the school for an estimate. The gemeente fee for the new licence is at most €53.65 in 2026 (€39.65 extra for a rush order). Source
Car with trailer, code 96 (B+): the detail and the sources
- Theory exam
- Code 96 is a note on the B licence, not a separate category. The weight limit is official; we found no CBR page describing the code 96 test itself, so the exam route is not stated here. Source, read 6 September 2026.
- Practical exam
- Ask a school that offers code 96, or the CBR. Driving schools describe a short course ending in a CBR driving test; that is their description, not an official page. Source, read 6 September 2026.
Not verified: Exam route not found on an official page on 6 September 2026.
Truck and bus (C1, C, D1, D, with or without code 95): the detail and the sources
- Theory exam
- The truck and bus theory exams can be taken in English, except the individually supervised exam. An interpreter is allowed. The directiechauffeur exam has no English version and no interpreter. Source, read 6 September 2026.
- Practical exam
- Not every professional exam allows an interpreter; the CBR keeps a list per exam. Source, read 6 September 2026.
How the interpreter (tolk) works
- Book and pay for the CBR exam first, then book the interpreter through one of the contracted agencies, at least 14 days before the exam. Own interpreters are not allowed at the theory exam.
- Book the same product at the agency as at the CBR, or the interpreter may be booked for too short a slot and the exam cannot go ahead.
- Theory with an interpreter: an individual room, a CBR employee reads the questions, the interpreter translates, you click the answers yourself. 45 minutes instead of 30. Some Dutch words are not translated.
- The interpreter fee goes to the agency; the CBR publishes no amount. If the interpreter does not show up, the CBR reschedules the exam without a new exam fee.
- Practical exam (car, motorcycle, car with trailer): a sworn interpreter with a valid tolkenpas, or your instructor with a valid WRM-pas, sits in the back and translates the examiner's words only; dashboard symbols, navigation and radio are not translated. Your school must say at booking that an interpreter comes along.
Contracted agencies: thebigword, ELAN Languages, Mastertolken, Global Talk, Tolk2Go. The CBR fee for a theory exam with an interpreter is €118.50; the agency's own fee is paid separately: €238.00 per exam (the agencies' own pages; the CBR publishes no amount).
CBR: interpreters at theory and practical exams, read 6 September 2026.
Rules version 1.2.2; exam requirements verified 6 September 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice; the CBR pages linked above are the authority.