The Irish car theory test has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you must answer 35 correctly to pass. You have 45 minutes. The motorcycle test uses the same numbers.
These figures come from the official Driver Theory Test FAQs and Citizens Information, checked on 29 September 2026.
Questions and Pass Marks by Category
- Car, tractor and work vehicle (BW) or motorcycle (AM): 40 questions, 35 to pass, 45 minutes
- Truck (C) or bus (D): 100 questions, 74 to pass, 120 minutes
- Combined truck and bus (CD): 140 questions, 104 to pass, 180 minutes
- Bus or truck module test: 40 questions, 30 to pass, 45 minutes
Which Test Do You Need?
The number of questions depends on the test you book. The official FAQ lists five Driver Theory Test categories:
- AM, the motorcycle and moped test: for licence categories A, A1, A2 and AM
- BW, the car, tractor and work vehicle test: for licence categories B, BE and W
- C, the truck test: for licence categories C, CE, C1 and C1E
- D, the bus test: for licence categories D, DE, D1 and D1E
- CD, the combined bus and truck test
It is your responsibility to book the correct category. It cannot be changed at the test centre. The car and motorcycle tests cost €45. Citizens Information lists €72 for the truck or bus test and €84 for the combined test.
Has the Number of Questions Changed?
No. When the test and its revision material were revised in 2024, the official booking page stated that the number of questions had not changed: the car and motorcycle exam still has 40 questions, a pass mark of 35 and a 45-minute limit.
Where Do the Questions Come From?
The questions are selected randomly from the testing service’s question bank, so two candidates rarely sit the same paper. Citizens Information says the questions are based on the Rules of the Road and current road traffic legislation, and that the test is updated when legislation changes.
The test checks your knowledge of the rules of the road, risk perception, eco-driving, hazard awareness and good driving behaviour.
What Is the Format?
The test is on a computer, using a touch screen or a mouse. It starts with a short tutorial. You can skip a question and come back to it, cancel an answer and choose another, and review your answers before you finish.
Tools You Can Use During the Test
The official support page lists tools that are built into the test for every candidate:
- An on-screen timer and progress tracking
- Flagging, so you can mark a question and return to it from the review screen
- A right-click strikeout to cross out answer options you have ruled out
- Highlighting for key words in the question
- Colour and contrast settings, and a voiceover through the headphones at your station
How to Prepare for 40 Questions
Because the selection is random, you cannot study one topic and hope. Work through every topic in practice mode, use the study guides for the rules you keep getting wrong, and learn the signs with the road signs game. Then sit a 40-question timed mock test to see where you stand. New here? The free 10-question test needs no account.
For a full plan, read the guide to passing first time. To find a test centre, see the theory test town pages.