You can make a maximum of 9 mistakes on the car theory exam. You start with 50 points and need 41 to pass. A minor mistake costs 1 point, a major mistake costs 5 points. If you make two major mistakes, you will fail, regardless of your other scores.
Minor and major mistakes
Not every mistake counts the same. The exam distinguishes:
- Minor mistake: costs 1 point. These are the regular questions.
- Major mistake: costs 5 points. These are questions about violations of the third and fourth degree (for example, running a red light) and about the allowed maximum speed.
The combination rule
Since you can lose 9 points, the number of allowed mistakes depends on the type:
- If you only make minor mistakes, you can make up to 9.
- If you make a major mistake (5 points), you can still make 4 minor mistakes.
- If you make two major mistakes, you will fail immediately, regardless of the rest of your score.
What does this mean for your preparation?
The major mistakes cost you your exam the fastest, so that’s where the focus should be. Practice specifically on themes related to major violations and the speed limits per region. A wrong answer there weighs as heavily as five regular mistakes. Mastering that category makes passing much easier.
Frequently asked questions
A maximum of 9 minor mistakes, as you need 41 out of 50.
A mistake on a question about a violation of the third or fourth degree or about speed, worth 5 points.
You will fail immediately, even if you score enough points elsewhere.
Test how many mistakes you still make
Practice for free with a mock exam according to the official GOCA standards, with immediate results per question, so you know where the improvement lies.
Choose your packageFurther reading: How many questions? · How does it work? · Traffic rules
Last updated: June 2026 · Content reviewed by Mathieu, instructor · Source: GOCA and the Belgian Highway Code