How the Italian driving theory test works

How many questions are on the Italian theory test?

The sheet has 30 questions. Each one is a single statement to mark true or false: there are no multiple choice answers and no partial marks. Statements come from the ministerial list, organised in 25 chapters running from general definitions to vehicle components. This format has applied since 20 December 2021. Before that, the sheet had 40 questions in 30 minutes, with 4 mistakes allowed.

How long does the Italian theory test last?

Twenty minutes for the whole sheet, which works out at 40 seconds per question. There is one countdown for the entire test, so a question that stalls a candidate eats into the time for the rest. Most statements are short and quick to read. Those with a negative or a number (a speed limit, a distance, a mass) usually need a second reading. Practising against the clock shows how much margin is really left.

How many mistakes are allowed?

Three. A fourth wrong answer fails the test, whatever time is left. The threshold equals 90 per cent correct answers. A typical mistake turns on a single word such as "always", "never", "only" or "also": the statement describes almost the right rule, and that one detail makes it false.

Read more: how mistakes are counted

Why do some websites say 40 questions and 4 mistakes?

Because they describe the old format. Until 19 December 2021 the sheet had 40 questions, 30 minutes and 4 mistakes allowed. From 20 December 2021, under the ministerial decree of 27 October 2021, the rule is 30 questions, 20 minutes and 3 mistakes, as the Portale dell'Automobilista states. Pages that still quote 40 questions are out of date. Manuals and apps bought before that date should be checked for the simulation format.

How can the result and the mistakes be seen?

The result is known straight away, because marking is automatic when the sheet closes. To review the test, the exam sheet can be requested on the Portale dell'Automobilista, logging in with SPID, from the day after the test. The PDF is sent to the registered email address and can be downloaded for seven days from processing. It is worth using at once: the mistakes show which chapters to revise before the second attempt. The steps on the Portale are on the page how to see the theory test mistakes.

What are the steps to reach the theory test?

1. Medical check. An authorised doctor issues the fitness certificate. For the application it must be no older than three months if issued by a single doctor, or six months if issued by the local medical board (Commissione medica locale).
2. Payment. PagoPA tariff N067: 26.40 euros in fees and 16.00 euros in stamp duty, according to the MIT page on obtaining a category B licence.
3. Application. Form TT 2112 lodged at the Motorizzazione Civile office, in person, through a delegate or through a driving school, with an identity document, tax code and receipts. The minimum age for category B is 18.
4. Booking a session. The office assigns the date from its own calendar. The process is covered in the guide on how to book the test.
5. The test. Identification, a workstation, 30 questions in 20 minutes, a result when the sheet closes.
6. Foglio rosa. A pass leads to the learner permit, valid for twelve months.

Which topics does the theory test cover?

The ministerial list for categories A and B has 25 chapters. It starts with general definitions and road signs, moves through traffic rules, right of way, overtaking and parking, and ends with licences and penalties, accidents, alcohol and medicines, liability and insurance, fuel use and the environment, and vehicle components. The sheet draws on the whole programme, so no chapter can be skipped. The full list is in the guide to theory test topics.

How is the test taken on the terminal?

The test is computer based. The candidate is identified with a valid document, given a workstation and answers on screen. By law, exam sessions are public (article 121 of the Codice della Strada), and they can be held at the Motorizzazione or at authorised premises. Marking is automatic. The marked sheet can later be requested on the Portale dell'Automobilista. The whole day, from arrival to result, is described in the guide on what happens on test day.

What do candidates need to bring on test day?

A valid identity document is essential: without one, a candidate is not admitted. Some offices also ask for the application as registered at the counter, as the Friuli Venezia Giulia Motorizzazione states. Driving school candidates get instructions from the school. Independent candidates should confirm with the office that set the session.

What happens after a failed theory test?

A fail does not cancel the application. A second attempt remains, no earlier than one month after the first and within six months of the application date. If the second attempt also fails, or the six months expire first, a new application and a new payment are required.

If a candidate in Naples applies on 2 February, fails the first attempt in April and puts the second off beyond 2 August, the six months have run out and the application lapses (article 122, paragraph 1, of the Codice della Strada): he must apply again and pay the N067 tariff once more, 26.40 euro in fees plus 16.00 euro in stamp duty, according to the MIT page on obtaining the category B licence.

Read more: what happens after failing the theory test

What happens if a candidate fails badly, scrapes through or has a learning disorder?

If a candidate in Palermo makes 5 mistakes on 10 March, her second attempt cannot be before 10 April (article 121, paragraph 10, of the Codice della Strada) and must fall within six months of her application of 15 January, so by 15 July. If she books it for May and passes, she receives the foglio rosa. If she fails, she must apply again, pay the tariff again and bring a medical certificate that still meets the three month limit.

If a candidate in Bologna finishes with 3 mistakes, he passes: three is the maximum allowed, not the first failing score. He can now obtain the foglio rosa, which gives twelve months and three attempts at the practical test, the first no sooner than one month after issue (article 121, paragraphs 8 and 11, and article 122 of the Codice della Strada).

A student in Turin with certified dyslexia. With the DSA certification she can ask to sit the test with extra time and with the questions read from audio files, as the Ministry provides. The number of questions and the mistake limit stay the same.

How many theory test sittings are passed?

In 2025, 919,868 category B theory test sittings took place and 60.27% were passed. The figure counts sittings, not people: a candidate who resits appears twice. Differences between provinces are on the pass rates page and explained in the guide on why pass rates vary.

Which preparation mistakes cost attempts?

• Studying only road signs: the chapters on licences, penalties, insurance and the vehicle weigh on the sheet like the rest.
• Practising without a timer, then finding on the day that 40 seconds per question is short for someone who rereads everything.
• Booking the second attempt right at the end of the six months, with no margin for a problem.
• Skimming absolute words ("always", "never", "only") that decide whether a statement is true.

The online category B practice test uses the real format: 30 questions, 20 minutes, a 3 mistake limit.

What are the most common questions about the theory test?

Tariffs change by decree: check them on the MIT website before paying. Legal notes.

Data as of 2026-09-07. Source: articles 121 and 122 of the Codice della Strada, MIT page on obtaining a category B licence, Portale dell'Automobilista and Esiti Esami 2025.