Rijschool Aysem +31 6 34 76 73 69
Les inplannen

How to learn theory in four weeks

3 min read

Two people work at a table with a pencil and a pen in an open study book
Photo: via Zen Chung

The car theory exam is 50 questions in 30 minutes, and you may get only 6 wrong. You won't manage that with one evening of cramming, but you will with a plan. Here you read how the exam is built and how to prepare for it calmly in four weeks.

What does the theory exam look like?

You take the exam on a touchscreen in a CBR exam room. You get 50 questions that count and 2 trial questions that don't. Of those 50 you need at least 44 correct. You have 30 minutes, and you see your result right after the last question.

The CBR tests three things mixed together: whether you recognise danger, whether you know the traffic rules and whether you have traffic insight. So there are no three separate blocks with their own score, but a mix of questions across eight topics, from right of way and road signs to safe driving and vehicle knowledge.

Rules and insight

The questions are about facts and rules you need to recognise and name, and about situations where you apply those rules and make the right decision. Often you look out from a white CBR car: what do you do here?

Different types of questions

You don't only get yes/no and multiple-choice questions. There are also drag questions, fill-in questions, hotspot questions and questions where more than one answer can be right. The Sample questions tab shows how each type works.

Eight topics

  1. Using the roadPosition on the road, getting in lane, overtaking, speed limits, stopping and parking.
  2. Right of way and giving wayRight of way at junctions, giving way when turning and giving way to pedestrians.
  3. Special roads, road users and manoeuvresDriving on a motorway or in a residential zone (erf), and the rules for special situations.
  4. Safe driving and emergenciesUsing lights, giving signals, seating and seat belts.
  5. Traffic signs and instructionsRoad signs, traffic lights and road markings.
  6. Responsible and eco-friendly drivingTaking part in traffic safely and driving economically.
  7. LegislationGeneral rules from traffic law and your documents.
  8. Vehicle knowledgeRequirements for the car, such as load and lighting, and the symbols on your dashboard.

What the questions look like

These are the types of question you can get in the theory exam. The CBR uses short animations to show how you answer them on the touchscreen. Browse through them, so you already know what to expect on exam day.

Question type 1 of 6

  1. Exam screen asking for the right order of giving way. A finger drags the numbers 1, 2 and 3 onto a car and two riders at a junction.

    The drag question

    Drag the numbers to the right places in the image. Whoever may go first gets number 1, the next one number 2 and the last one number 3.

    In the example you put the road users at a junction in the order in which they may go.

  2. Exam screen asking who may go first. A finger drags a tick onto the white car at a junction.

    The single drag question

    Drag the tick to the right place in the image.

    There is only one right answer. In the example you put the tick on the road user who may go first.

  3. Exam screen with a motorway sign and the question how fast your motor vehicle must be able and allowed to go. A finger types a number on the on-screen keypad.

    The fill-in question

    Enter the right number. You do this with the keypad that appears on the screen.

    So you type the answer yourself, with no answers to choose from. In the example it is about a speed in kilometres per hour.

  4. Exam screen with four dashboard warning lights and the question which symbol has to do with the engine. A finger taps the engine light.

    The hotspot question

    Tap the right answer in the image.

    The answer is a spot or a part of the image. In the example you tap the warning light that belongs to the engine.

  5. Exam screen with a triangular warning sign and three answers. A finger taps an answer, which then turns orange.

    The yes/no and multiple-choice question

    With a yes/no question you answer yes or no. With a multiple-choice question you pick the right answer from two or more options.

    Read all the answers before you tap. In the example you choose what a traffic sign means.

  6. Exam screen with a cycle lane and the question who must use it. A finger taps several answers and then deselects one of them.

    The multiple-response question

    With this question, more than one answer can be right.

    Above the question it then says that more than one answer can be right. Tap everything that fits. Tap an answer again to deselect it.

Images: via CBR

Practise with a theory book or course that uses the same types of question. Then no question throws you on exam day just because it looks unfamiliar.

Your four-week plan

Count on half an hour to an hour a day. Short and often beats one long Sunday. Learn from a recent theory book or a recent course: traffic rules change, and an old edition will lead you astray.

  1. Week 1The rules

    Read through all the topics once and learn the road signs. Start straight away with short practice questions, five to ten minutes a day, so you get used to the way questions are asked.

  2. Week 2Topic by topic

    Practise each topic separately and keep track of what you get wrong. Right of way and traffic signs usually take the most time.

  3. Week 3Mock exams

    Do a full mock exam every day under time pressure: 50 questions in 30 minutes. If you score 44 or more a few times in a row, you're on track. If not, go back to the topics where it goes wrong.

  4. Week 4Finishing and rest

    In the first days you only repeat your weak topics and do a few more mock exams. The last day before the exam you do nothing. Reading and looking while rested is worth more on the day itself than one extra evening of cramming.

Plan back from your exam date

Book your exam first and count back four weeks. That way you know exactly when to start, and your plan ends on exam day. Pick a date that fits around school, work or holidays rather than a week that is already busy.

Theory and driving lessons side by side

You can take the theory exam from 16, and the CBR advises starting early: what you learn, you use straight away in the car. Your result stays valid for 1.5 years, and without a valid theory result your driving school can't book your practical exam. So don't leave theory until just before your practical exam.

What a study session looks like

Start with ten minutes of going over what you found hard yesterday. Then spend twenty minutes on something new and finish with a set of practice questions. Write down what you got wrong: that is where you start tomorrow.

Self-study or theory lessons?

You don't have to take lessons for the theory exam. Many people study on their own with an up-to-date theory book or an online course, and practise with mock exams. The CBR leaves it up to you how you learn.

If you prefer learning with explanations, you can take theory lessons at a theory school or theory centre, in a classroom or online. Such a provider can also book your exam for you if you authorise it in Mijn CBR.

Rijschool Aysem does not give theory lessons, and we don't recommend any particular provider. Choose one that suits the way you like to learn.

Self-study

Suits you if you're good at planning on your own and like working at your own pace. It is often the cheapest option too. The plan under Planning helps you get started.

Theory lessons

Suits you if you prefer explanations, want to ask questions or find it hard to get started on your own. You then learn at a set pace, with a teacher in a classroom or online.

Watch out: theory for licence B

Choose a book, course or lessons for licence B, the car. There is also theory for other licences, such as AM for mopeds and A for motorcycles, with different rules and questions. If it doesn't clearly say car or B, ask. Which licences exist is explained in the module on licence categories.

Sources: CBR: how the car theory exam works, CBR: topics in the theory exam, CBR: learning and practising, CBR: how long is your theory result valid?, CBR: types of questions in the theory exam

Driving licence help offers general explanations. For your own situation, the CBR, the RDW and other authorities are decisive. Also read the disclaimer (in Dutch).