Which licence to obtain first
The B (car) licence is the default for almost everyone: from age 18 you can sit it and it authorises any private car up to 3,500 kg and 9 seats, plus light trailers. It is also the base that grants access to the higher licences (C and D) without repeating part of the training.
Exceptions are clear: if you want a motorcycle, A1 (16, 125 cc) is the most accessible; if you want a moped at 15, AM. The professional licences (C, D and their trailer variants) make sense if you'll work as a driver — they involve extra training, stricter medicals and periodic revalidation. For normal private driving, B is enough.
What the licence test looks like
For the B licence and almost all categories: 30 multiple-choice questions with three options, 3 errors max to pass, 30 minutes. The exam is taken on a computer at an official DGT centre. The result appears immediately on submission. The only exception is the AM (moped) licence: 20 questions, 2 errors max, 20 minutes.
The question bank is shared across all candidates for the same licence — there are no “different questions” for driving-school students vs. self-prep candidates. There is also no separate “driving-school test” from the “licence test”. We explain this in driving-school test: is it the same as the DGT test?.
What a Spanish driving licence costs
For the B licence the average total in 2026 sits between €700 and €1,500. Fixed components: DGT fee (€94.05) and medical check (€35–€60). Variable: practical lessons (€25–€35 per session) and driving-school enrolment (€100–€300). Full breakdown in how much a Spanish driving licence costs in 2026.
How to practise free for the licence
Three modes take you to a pass via different routes: full simulation (identical to the real exam, 30 timed questions), topic-based tests (focus on a weak block, e.g. signage) and 10-question sprints (short sessions to keep pace). Most effective: alternate all three — topics while learning, daily sprints while revising, full simulations the two weeks before the exam.
Licence test vs. car test, DGT test and driving-school test
All are different names for the same official exam. "Driving licence test" puts the focus on the document; "car test" or "B-licence test" on the vehicle; "DGT test" on the institution running it; "driving-school test" on where you prepare. The real exam is just one: 30 official DGT questions from the bank matching the licence you sit.
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Frequently asked questions about the licence test
- What is the Spanish driving licence test?
- It is the official theory exam run by the DGT to obtain any driving licence in Spain. It is a multiple-choice test drawn from the official question bank. For the B (car) licence and most categories: 30 questions, 3 errors max, 30 minutes. For the AM (moped) licence: 20 questions, 2 errors max, 20 minutes. It is the first step in the process, before the practical exam.
- Which Spanish driving licence should I get?
- Depends on what you want to drive and your age. AM (15): moped up to 50 cc. A1 (16): motorcycle up to 125 cc and 11 kW. A2 (18): motorcycle up to 35 kW. B (18): car up to 3,500 kg and 9 seats — the most common. C / C1 (21 / 18): trucks. D / D1 (24 / 21): buses. The vast majority of people get the B licence first.
- How many questions does the B-licence test have?
- 30 multiple-choice questions. To pass you can have a maximum of 3 wrong answers — the fourth mistake fails it. Duration is 30 minutes. Unanswered questions count as wrong, so always pick something even if you doubt. Topic distribution favours signage (6–8), right of way (3–5), speed (3–4) and alcohol/drugs (2–3).
- How much does it cost to get a Spanish driving licence?
- For the B licence the total typically runs €700–€1,500. It includes: official DGT fee €94.05 (tasa 4.6), medical-psychological check €35–€60, driving school enrolment €100–€300 and practical lessons at €25–€35 per session. Practical lessons are the largest variable cost. The theory can be prepared free online at sacatelcarnet.
- How many practice tests should I do before the real exam?
- The benchmark most correlated with first-time pass is at least 15 full 30-question simulations. In your last 5 in a row you should be missing 1 or 2 at most. Below that, keep practising before paying for another sitting — it is cheaper.
- Can I get a Spanish driving licence without a driving school?
- Yes — in Spain it is legal to self-prepare for the B licence without enrolling in a driving school. You just need the fee paid, a valid medical check and to register directly via the DGT electronic office. In practice most people use a driving school for the practical part (dual-control lessons are effectively mandatory) and prepare the theory online for free. For C and D licences the requirements are stricter.
- How long between the theory and practical exams?
- Once the theory is passed, you have 2 years to pass the practical too. If 2 years go by without passing the practical, the theory expires and must be retaken (and the fee paid again). The fee paid covers two practical sittings — if you use them up without passing, you pay again.
- Is the driving licence test the same as the driving-school test?
- Yes, exactly the same. The questions used in driving schools come from the official DGT bank — the same bank from which the real exam questions are drawn. There is no separate "driving-school test": both are the DGT theory exam. The only thing that changes is where you practise (online, in the driving school's app, or at sacatelcarnet).