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How to get a driving licence in Denmark

Getting a car licence from scratch, country by country.

Car licence, category B

Getting your licence in Denmark

Theory scenarios, in 25 minutes25
Mistakes allowed5
Theory and driving test, if you pass both first timeDKK 1,600
Theory pass valid for18 months
Driving test length30–45 min

Driving school fees come on top: each school sets its own price.

Before you start driving

2
Learner permitNo. You learn with a driving instructor.
Medical checkA medical certificate from your own doctor.

Required lessons

2
Driving school (compulsory)At least 24 driving lessons if you started after 1 July 2026 (29 before), plus theory, a closed-track lesson and a skid-pan lesson.
First aidA first aid course certificate.

Good to know

8
Minimum age17. Until 18, you need a companion between 8 pm and 5 am, and you may drive only in Denmark.
Licence validity15 years.
Exam languagesDanish or English everywhere. German in parts of South Jutland. Faroese and Greenlandic with an interpreter.
If you failBook a new test. Each retake costs DKK 1,600.
Automatic or manualPassing in an automatic limits your licence to automatic cars.
New driversZero alcohol for new drivers in their first 3 years.
Already have a licence from abroad?EU and EEA licences stay valid. Licences from countries such as Switzerland, the UK, Japan, South Korea, the US and Canada are exchanged without a test. Others take a control test. See the Abroad tab.
Also worth knowing
  • Choose your gearbox before you start: it decides your lessons and your test.
  • Most learners need 3–5 months from start to licence, says the Danish Road Safety Council.

Step by step

  1. Choose your gearbox and schoolManual or automatic decides your lessons and test.
  2. Medical certificateStart it online, then see your doctor.
  3. LessonsTheory, track and skid-pan lessons, and driving in traffic.
  4. Theory testAt Færdselsstyrelsen, digital or on paper.
  5. Driving testA vehicle check, then driving in traffic. You get a temporary paper licence valid in Denmark.

Tips From driving schools and examiners

  • Before you drive, the examiner may ask about the car's brakes, lights and reflectors, or engine oil. Practise with Færdselsstyrelsen's task cards for category B (opgavekort): getting them all wrong can end the test.
  • Bring your application form, photo ID and signed lesson plan. A copy on your phone is fine. Without them, the test doesn't go ahead.
  • Missing a give-way, or not looking around enough, are common reasons the examiner stops the test. Watch for cyclists and pedestrians, especially in towns.
  • Before changing lanes or turning, check mirror, mirror, shoulder, and make the head movements clear so the examiner sees them.
  • Take your time: waiting is better than rushing. If you or your instructor feel you're not ready, book extra lessons first.
  • In the Copenhagen area only about half pass, against about 3 in 4 in East and South Jutland. The driving instructors' union puts it down mainly to busy traffic.

Based on: FDM: What to know before the driving test (2026, Danish) ↗ · TV 2 Kosmopol: Half fail in the capital (Færdselsstyrelsen data, 2023, Danish) ↗

Official links

Færdselsstyrelsen: Get a licence, step by step (Danish) ↗Færdselsstyrelsen: Driving test (Danish) ↗Last checked 20 Oct 2026
Wrong information? Help us fix itTell us what's incorrect and we'll check it against the official sources.

About: This page

Frequently asked questionsCoverage, sources and how RoadVisa works.

Why isn't my country listed?

RoadVisa is still growing. It covers 42 countries and all 50 US states plus Washington, D.C. so far, and more are added step by step. Each country is checked against its own official sources, in its own language, before it goes live.

Why isn't Africa covered?

Many African licensing authorities publish little detail about their driving rules online, so we can't yet check the answers against official sources. We'll add African countries as official information becomes available.

Where does the information come from?

From official sources only: licensing authorities, ministries, police and government websites, read in each country's own language. Every answer links to its sources and shows when it was last checked.

What's the difference between Visiting and Moving?

Visiting covers short stays such as holidays and business trips, when you keep your home licence. Moving covers becoming a resident, when most countries want you to exchange your licence or take tests by a deadline.

What is an International Driving Permit?

A translation of your licence in a standard format. It's only valid together with your own licence, and you get it in the country that issued your licence, usually from a motoring club or the licensing authority. RoadVisa tells you when a country expects one.

Does RoadVisa cover motorcycles or trucks?

Not yet. The answers are about car licences: category B in Europe, and the local equivalent elsewhere, such as Class C or D in most US states. Other licences may follow later.

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No. RoadVisa is an independent guide and isn't linked to any government or licensing authority. The authority that handles your application always has the final word.

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