Passing rate for driving license exam in Brussels remains below 50%

The rate for passing a theory exam for the motorbike (A) and car (B) driving license in the Brussels Capital Region remains below 50%. That is according to figures for 2022 from Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) and published by the SudPresse newspapers. The results are almost identical to the previous year.

In 2022, 48 653 theory examinations for the B driving license were taken in the Brussels Capital Region, compared to 51 726 in 2021. Of these, 42% passed, a pass rate slightly better than the previous year (41%).

44% for A driving license

As for the practical exam to obtain the B driving license, the pass rate remains identical to that of the previous year: 49%. However, there were slightly fewer candidates in 2022 than in 2021: 22 132 compared with 23 253 in 2021.

For obtaining the A driving license, there were 2 648 candidates for the theory exam last year. About half of them (1 161 people, or 44%) passed the exam last year. The pass rate remains more or less stable (46% in 2021).

In turn, the pass rate for the practical exam was a bit higher, 71%, compared to 67% in 2021. There were 2 644 participants, slightly more than in 2021, when there were 2 272.

Easier in Brussels Region?

Since 2018, taking your theory or practical exam in the Brussels Capital Region is no longer compulsory, even if you are domiciled there. Therefore, Brussels residents can just as easily go to Flanders or Wallonia (and vice versa) for these exams, where different rules apply.

For example, compulsory first-aid training is a prerequisite for obtaining a B license in the Brussels Capital Region.

Van den Brande could not give exact figures on the distribution between the three regions. Generally, the theory exam pass rates are about 10% lower in Flanders and Wallonia.