Driving licences
Category B: car driving licence, step by step
The complete path to a Swedish car licence: learner’s permit, eye test, practice, Risk 1 and Risk 2, the theory test and the driving test — in the right order, with the official fees and realistic total costs.
At a glance
- Minimum age
- 18 (practice from 16)
- Mandatory
- Learner’s permit, Risk 1, Risk 2, theory test, driving test
- Official fees
- About SEK 1,900–3,200 (tests, photo, licence, car hire)
- Realistic total
- Often SEK 16,000 and up with driving lessons (estimate)
Overview
Category B lets you drive a car or light lorry up to 3,500 kg, with a light trailer up to 750 kg — or a heavier trailer as long as car and trailer together do not exceed 3,500 kg. It also covers class I and II mopeds, tractors, three- and four-wheeled motorcycles and some construction equipment.
If you have a licence from Pakistan, read driving with a Pakistani licence first: it is valid for a limited time and cannot be exchanged, so you go through the process below — but with your experience you may need far fewer lessons.
The mandatory path at a glance
| Step | Mandatory? | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Learner’s permit (körkortstillstånd) with eye test and health declaration | Yes | Transportstyrelsen + optician |
| Risk 1 (riskettan): alcohol, drugs, fatigue, high-risk behaviour | Yes | Driving school or approved organiser |
| Risk 2 (risktvåan): speed, safety, driving in difficult conditions — the slippery-road track | Yes | Slippery-road track (halkbana) |
| Theory test (kunskapsprov) | Yes | Trafikverket |
| Driving test (körprov) | Yes | Trafikverket |
| Driving lessons at a driving school | No — recommended | Driving school |
| Private practice with a supervisor (handledare) | No — optional, needs an approved supervisor | With a family member or friend |
| Introduction course (introduktionsutbildning) | No — removed from 1 August 2026 | — |
Eligibility
- An EEA licence is exchanged instead.
- See the note below — a Pakistani passport is not on the list.
Step by step
Get an eye test
An optician does a basic eye test (synintyg). It must be issued no more than two months before you apply for the permit. Opticians set their own price.
Apply for the learner’s permit
Apply in Transportstyrelsen’s e-service (körkortstillstånd grupp 1) and send the health declaration (hälsodeklaration) and eye test. Applying is free. It normally takes up to four weeks. The permit is valid for five years and cannot be extended. Learner’s permit guide.
Choose how you will practise
With a driving school, privately with an approved supervisor, or both. Most people combine lessons with private practice. See private practice and supervisors.
Study traffic theory
Study the Swedish traffic rules, signs and risk awareness. Driving schools sell theory books and apps; many offer them in English.
Complete Risk 1
About alcohol, drugs, fatigue and high-risk behaviour. Book it at a driving school or another approved organiser. Risk 1 and Risk 2 explained.
Complete Risk 2
About speed, safety and driving in difficult conditions, done on a slippery-road track (halkbana). Usually done once you can already drive reasonably well.
Book the theory test and the driving test
Book both in Trafikverket’s booking service, a few weeks apart so there is time to retake the theory test. You need a valid learner’s permit to book.
Take the theory test
70 questions in 50 minutes; 52 correct answers to pass. Your photo for the licence is taken first — arrive 30 minutes early with valid ID.
Take the driving test
About 45 minutes: a safety check, manoeuvres and driving in town and on rural roads and motorways, including independent driving.
Pay for and collect the licence
Transportstyrelsen produces the licence (fee SEK 375). It is sent to the PostNord service point nearest your registered address — collect it within 14 days with valid ID.
The theory test (kunskapsprov)
| Category B theory test | |
|---|---|
| Questions | 70 multiple choice (5 are trial questions that do not count) |
| Pass mark | 52 correct out of 65 |
| Time | 50 minutes |
| Topics | Vehicle knowledge and manoeuvring, environment, road safety, traffic rules, personal circumstances |
| Languages | Swedish plus 15 languages, including English, Arabic, Persian and Turkish. Urdu is not offered; you can apply for a test with an interpreter. |
| Validity | A test passed on or after 19 August 2026 is valid one year (earlier passes: four months) |
| Results | On screen straight away; you see which areas you got wrong |
The driving test (körprov)
The test takes about 45 minutes and is held in Swedish — it cannot be booked in another language. It has three parts:
- Safety check of the car: lights, brakes, tyres, fluids, warning systems — you may have to explain a defect and its risk.
- Manoeuvres: parking, reversing, a hill start, a U-turn, moving off, and braking from at least 50 km/h.
- Driving in traffic: roundabouts, junctions, lane changes, overtaking and motorways up to 120 km/h, including independent driving to a destination.
You cannot use your own car. Use Trafikverket’s car (hire SEK 800) or a driving school’s car.
Costs
| Fee | Weekdays | Evenings after 18 and weekends |
|---|---|---|
| Learner’s permit | Free | Free |
| Theory test | SEK 420 | SEK 520 |
| Driving test | SEK 1,000 | SEK 1,400 |
| Trafikverket car hire for the driving test | SEK 800 | SEK 800 |
| Photo at the test | SEK 120 | SEK 120 |
| Producing the licence (Transportstyrelsen) | SEK 375 | SEK 375 |
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Eye test at an optician | About SEK 300 |
| Risk 1 | About SEK 500–800 |
| Risk 2 (slippery-road track) | About SEK 2,000–2,500 |
| One driving lesson | About SEK 700–900 |
| Part | Amount |
|---|---|
| Government fees (theory + driving test on weekdays, car hire, photo, licence) | SEK 2,715 |
| Mandatory training (eye test, Risk 1, Risk 2 — mid estimates) | About SEK 3,200 |
| Optional lessons (10 lessons × SEK 800) | About SEK 8,000 |
| Total | About SEK 13,900 — more with extra lessons or retakes |
After you pass
- Probation (prövotid): new licence holders have a two-year probation. If the licence is revoked during it, you must take a new driving test — and a new risk course — before you get it back.
- Validity: the card is valid ten years, then renewed with a new photo, signature and SEK 375.
- Your risk course stops being valid the day your licence is issued.
If you fail
Book a new test in the booking service and pay again. You can only take one test per day for the same category. Your passed theory test stays valid for one year, so focus on the part you failed. Ask the examiner and your instructor what to practise.
Common reasons people fail the driving test: not checking blind spots, poor speed adjustment at roundabouts and junctions, driving too slowly or in too low a gear, unclear positioning, and stopping or giving way when not needed.
Your complete checklist
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to go to a driving school?
No. Only the risk courses are compulsory training. Lessons are optional but most people take some, especially to learn the test routes and Swedish habits.
Can I take the theory test in Urdu?
Not in writing — Urdu is not among the offered languages. You can take it in English, or apply for a test with an interpreter.
Is an introduction course (handledarkurs) still required for private practice?
No. The requirement was removed from 1 August 2026. Your supervisor still has to be approved by Transportstyrelsen.
Official sources
Rules and fees change. Always confirm on the official page before you apply or pay. Last checked 14 Oct 2026.
- Transportstyrelsen: I’m going to take my driving licencetransportstyrelsen.se
- Transportstyrelsen: Körkortstillstånd (learner’s permit, Swedish)transportstyrelsen.se
- Transportstyrelsen: Learning how to drive (risk course)transportstyrelsen.se
- Transportstyrelsen: The introduction course is removed (Swedish, 2026)transportstyrelsen.se
- Trafikverket: Passenger car and light lorry (B)trafikverket.se
- Trafikverket: What happens during the B driving testtrafikverket.se
- Trafikverket: Theory test in another languagetrafikverket.se
- Trafikverket: Prices for tests and photostrafikverket.se
- Trafikverket: Before the test (accepted ID)trafikverket.se
- Transportstyrelsen: Driving licence fees (Swedish)transportstyrelsen.se
- Transportstyrelsen: Collecting your new driving licence (Swedish)transportstyrelsen.se
- Transportstyrelsen: Revoked driving licence – FAQ incl. probation (Swedish)transportstyrelsen.se
- Handelsbanken: What does a driving licence cost? (estimates, Swedish)handelsbanken.se
- Transportstyrelsen: Renew your driving licence (Swedish)transportstyrelsen.se