Durchfallquote (failure rate)
Also known as: German driving test failure rate
The Durchfallquote is the share of failed exams per first attempt in Germany. The Klasse B practical exam ran around 38 percent in 2024, with theory above 35 percent — both rising trends.
The Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt) publishes annual statistics on driver licence examinations. The Klasse B practical exam developed as follows:
- 2018: about 30 % failed,
- 2022: about 35 %,
- 2024: about 38 % — the highest level since records began.
The Klasse B theory exam in 2024 sits slightly above 35 %. Studies discuss several drivers: increased difficulty, language hurdles in multilingual tests, growing complexity of urban traffic (cycle lanes, e-scooters, 30 km/h zones), and demographic shifts among learners.
The high failure rate is not an individual disgrace — it is a systemic signal that more readiness diagnostics before the exam are warranted.
Sources
Updated