The three DGT fees you should know
The DGT electronic headquarters applies three different fees depending on the procedure you carry out. For the aptitude tests of standard driving permits it applies fee 2.1, at €94.05. For LCM and LVA licenses it applies fee 2.2, at €44.58. And for permit A it applies fee 2.3, at €28.87.
On that same page, the DGT reminds you of a detail that surprises many learners: the driving school cost is not included in any of these fees. The fee only covers the official part of the procedure, not the theory classes or the practical preparation.
Understanding these three rates is key, because not every procedure costs the same, and part of the price your driving school quotes may actually be a public fee you would pay at any center in the country.
What each fee covers and who it applies to
Fee 2.1, at €94.05, is the one you pay when applying for a car or truck permit. It does not cost the same as the others precisely because it covers full aptitude tests, with their theory and practical parts.
Fee 2.2, at €44.58, corresponds to LCM licenses, for vehicles for people with reduced mobility, and LVA licenses, for agricultural vehicles. It is an intermediate rate designed for these specific procedures, distinct from ordinary permits.
Fee 2.3, at €28.87, applies to permit A when you access it after holding A2 for more than two years. It is the cheapest of the three because the procedure is simpler. Checking the fee type before paying avoids mistakes that are easy to make.
How many exam attempts the fee covers
The DGT also states that the fee paid for the tests gives the right to two exam calls. In other words, with a single payment you can sit the test twice before having to pay again, even across different tests.
If you fail both of those chances, you must submit a new application and pay the corresponding fee again. That detail completely changes your preparation strategy: the fee is not just an admin cost, it defines how many chances you have before the expense resets.
This is one of the facts that matters most to anyone comparing real costs. Failing twice can mean up to €188.10 in fees alone for the B, C or D permits, without counting practical lessons or the driving school's admin.
How the fee is paid
In online procedures, the DGT lets you pay the fee within the process itself or buy it beforehand and then apply its reference number to the application. Both routes are valid and lead to the same result.
Choosing one or the other depends on how you prefer to organize the procedure. If you do everything at once, paying within the process is the most direct; if you prefer to have the fee ready before starting, you can buy it and keep its number.
In any case, keep the payment receipt. That reference number is what proves the fee is paid and what you will have to provide if any issue comes up with the application.
How to use the fees to compare driving schools
If a driving school gives you a total price, always check whether the fee is already included or not. Many learners assume the whole amount is private when part of it is actually the official DGT fee, identical at any center.
Separating the fee from the rest of the budget lets you compare fairly. Two centers with different prices may be applying the same public fee and differ only in the private part, which is what you can actually negotiate.
For professional permits, motorcycles or special licenses, checking the fee type before paying saves you confusion. Knowing which rate applies to you is the best way to understand the real cost of the procedure and to spot if you are being overcharged.
Fee mistakes that cost money
The first mistake is assuming everything you pay is private. By not separating the official fee from the driving school price, it is easy to think one center is more expensive when it is really just including the fee in its quote.
The second mistake is not checking which fee corresponds to your procedure. Paying the wrong rate or not knowing which one applies slows the process down and forces you to redo paperwork you could have avoided with a quick check.
The third mistake, and the most expensive, is using up both exam calls without arriving prepared. Since each new application means paying the fee again, sitting the test without enough level can multiply your spending on paperwork without getting you closer to passing.
How much is the car license fee?
The fee for the car permit tests is fee 2.1, at €94.05. It is the same for truck permits, because it covers full aptitude tests.
That payment gives the right to two exam calls, so you will only have to pay again if you fail both attempts included in the application.
Does the fee include the driving school lessons?
No. The DGT itself makes clear that the driving school cost is not included in the fee, which only covers the official part of the exam procedure.
Theory classes, practical lessons and the center's admin are paid separately, so when comparing quotes it is always worth separating the fee from the rest.
What happens if I fail the exam twice?
The fee gives the right to two exam calls. If you fail both, even across different tests, you will have to submit a new application and pay the corresponding fee again.
That is why it is worth arriving well prepared: for permits like B, C or D, repeating the fee cycle can mean up to €188.10 in the official part alone.