Can I Take the German Practical Driving Test in English?
Can I take the German practical driving test in English? That is the question most expats ask once they have passed the theory test (which is available in English) and are ready for the practical exam. The honest answer is: the test itself is a practical one, so most of it is about driving, not language — but the examiner does give instructions, and those instructions are normally in German. This guide explains how the practical test works for English speakers, what your driving school can do for you, what the examiner says, and how to prepare so that language never becomes the reason you fail.
The key point is this: you do not need to speak fluent German to pass the practical test, but you do need to understand a small set of instructions in German, or to have your instructor there to translate. In practice, most expats take the test in a driving school car, with their instructor sitting in the front passenger seat, and the examiner giving instructions in simple, clear language — and, in many cities, in English. Below you will find how the test works, what is said during it, and the exact steps that will help you pass.
The short answer: yes, with conditions
There is no rule that says the practical test must be in German, and there is no separate English version of the practical test. The practical test is a driving test: you drive a route chosen by the examiner, you carry out a manoeuvre, and you answer a few technical questions about the car. Because the test is practical, the examiner’s instructions are short and repeated: turn left, turn right, park here, turn around, drive on to the motorway. In many cities, examiners who are used to international candidates will give these instructions in English, or will use very simple German.
Two things are certain. First, your instructor is in the car with you during the practical test in Germany, sitting in the front passenger seat, and can repeat or clarify the examiner’s instructions. Second, if you take driving lessons in English, your instructor will teach you the vocabulary the examiner uses, so that you can understand the directions even if they are given in German. That combination is what makes the test workable for English speakers.
What the examiner actually says during the test
The examiner’s instructions during the practical test are short and predictable. Before the test begins, the examiner checks your identity and the car’s documents, and asks a few technical questions about the car: where the hazard lights are, how to check the oil level or the tyre pressure, and what to do if a warning light comes on. These questions are the same in every test and your instructor will prepare you for them.
During the drive, the examiner gives directions: “next left”, “at the traffic lights, turn right”, “take the second exit”, “drive to the motorway”. If you do not understand an instruction, the examiner will repeat it or the instructor will translate. What matters is not that you understand every word, but that you drive safely and follow the rules: the shoulder check, right of way, zebra crossings, speed limits and signalling. The examiner is not testing your language; they are testing your driving.
The role of the driving school and your instructor
In Germany, the practical test is always taken in a driving school car, and your instructor always sits in the front passenger seat. That is a big advantage for English speakers: your instructor knows the examiner, knows the route, and can repeat any instruction you do not understand. The instructor is not allowed to help with the driving — they cannot tell you when to brake or which way to turn — but they can translate and clarify.
More importantly, the driving school is the place where you prepare. A school that offers lessons in English will teach you the German road rules in English, will use an English instructor, and will practise with you in the language of the test. In big cities such as Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt there are schools that specialise in English-speaking candidates. If you choose one, tell the school at the start that you want to take the practical test in English — they will know how to arrange it and which examiners are used to English-speaking candidates.
How to book an English practical test
You cannot book the practical test yourself; your driving school books it for you, and the school will ask the test centre (TÜV or DEKRA) for an examiner who can conduct the test in English or who is used to English-speaking candidates. There is no guarantee, and it depends on the region and on the examiner’s availability, but in the big cities it is normal for examiners to work with international candidates.
Book the test date early, because the waiting list for a practical test can be one to four weeks in a big city. The fee is around 120 euros for the examiner, plus the car rental (about 150 to 250 euros) and any registration fee from the school. The test itself is 45 minutes long. Our guide to the driving licence eye test procedure explains the document you need before you can register for the practical test.
What the practical test involves
The practical test starts with the technical questions about the car, then the drive itself. The examiner chooses a route that includes city driving, a residential area, a main road and, if possible, the motorway, and the route usually takes 45 minutes. During the drive you will be asked to carry out at least one manoeuvre: parallel parking, a three-point turn, reversing into a parking bay, or an emergency stop. The examiner will also check that you behave correctly at junctions, at traffic lights, at zebra crossings and in 30 km/h zones.
What the examiner watches most closely is safety and awareness: the shoulder check before turning, looking out for cyclists and pedestrians, keeping a safe distance, and the correct speed in each zone. The test is not about perfect driving — it is about safe driving. Minor errors are allowed, but serious ones, such as running a red light, failing to give way at a zebra crossing, or driving the wrong way, are immediate failures.
Do you need to understand German?
You do not need a German language certificate to take the practical test, and there is no language test. You do need to understand a small set of instructions: left, right, straight on, turn around, park here, stop here. If you take lessons in English, your instructor will teach you these phrases in German as well, so that you can follow them if the examiner gives them in German. Learning about twenty German phrases is enough: links (left), rechts (right), geradeaus (straight on), an der nächsten Ampel links (at the next traffic light, left), bitte wenden (please turn around), hier parken (park here), anhalten (stop). You will hear these in every test, and your instructor will drill them with you.
That said, if your German is very limited, it helps to take the theory test in English first and to use the time before the practical test to learn the phrases. The theory test is available in English and in eleven other languages, so language does not have to be a barrier at all.
How to prepare for the test in English
The best preparation is lessons with an English-speaking instructor, in the area where your test will take place. Your instructor will teach the route, the manoeuvres and the German terms, and will correct the habits that German examiners mark: the shoulder check, the correct gear, the speed in a 30 zone. Ask your instructor how many lessons you need before the test, and take their advice rather than trying to guess.
Before the test, drive the route with your instructor, practise the manoeuvre you are weakest at, and go over the technical questions about the car. On the day, arrive early, bring your identity card or passport and your theory test pass, and keep calm: the examiner wants you to pass, and your instructor is in the car with you. Our article with 10 tips to pass the driving licence eye test the first time also helps, because the eye test certificate is the document you need before you can register for the test.
What happens if you fail the practical test?
About a third of candidates fail the practical test the first time, so failing is common and not a disaster. There is a waiting period of two weeks before you can retake it, and the fee and the car rental are payable again. Your instructor will usually tell you the reason — a missed shoulder check, a wrong decision at a junction, a manoeuvre that went wrong — and you can take a few more lessons on that specific point.
Do not rush the retake. The two-week waiting period is a minimum, and the examiners expect you to have practised the problem area before you come back. If you fail several times, the driving school may recommend more lessons before a further attempt, and if you fail three times there may be a longer break of three months. That is a good reason to take the preparation seriously the first time.
Practical test vs theory test in English
The two tests are different. The theory test is available in English as an official option: when your driving school registers you, they choose the language, and the questions appear on screen in English. The practical test has no official language option: it is a driving test, and the examiner’s instructions can be in English or German, depending on the examiner. In practice the two work together well: you take the theory test in English, you learn the German directions for the practical test, and your instructor translates when needed.
The words and phrases the examiner will use
The examiner’s instructions are short and predictable, and you can learn the most important ones in an evening. The most common are directions: ‘links abbiegen’ (turn left), ‘rechts abbiegen’ (turn right), ‘geradeaus’ (straight on), ‘bitte wenden’ (please turn around) and ‘anhalten’ (stop). You will also hear ‘bitte einparken’ (please park), ‘bitte anfahren’ (please drive off) and ‘bitte umkehren’ (please turn around). If you understand those ten phrases, you will understand almost everything the examiner says during the test.
Speeds and distances are given in kilometres and metres, so it helps to know the numbers in German — but the examiner will also point at the speedometer or the road if you look uncertain. The most important number is the speed limit: 50 in built-up areas, 100 on rural roads, and the recommended 130 on the Autobahn. If the examiner says ‘bitte halten Sie die Geschwindigkeit’, he is asking you to keep to the speed limit.
If you do not understand an instruction, you are allowed to ask. Say ‘Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?’ — can you please repeat that? — and the examiner will say it again, more slowly. Asking is not a mistake: the examiner is testing your driving, not your German, and a request for repetition is treated as normal. What you should not do is guess: if you turn left when the examiner said right, the test is likely over, so a short question is always better than a wrong turn.
A few road words are worth learning before the test. Vorfahrt means right of way, Kreisverkehr is a roundabout, Zebrastreifen is a zebra crossing, Baustelle is roadworks, and Vorfahrt gewähren means give way. You do not need to speak German fluently, and you do not need to answer in German — a nod and a correct manoeuvre are enough. But knowing the words means you will recognise them on the road signs and in the examiner’s instructions, and that removes one worry from the test.
One last point: the theory test is in English, and the practical test is the only part in German. If your German is very limited, tell your driving instructor before the test — a good instructor practises the examiner’s phrases with you during the lessons, so that by the day of the test you have heard them all many times. Some instructors also let you record the lesson, so you can listen to the phrases at home.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the German practical driving test in English?
Yes, in practice. There is no official English version of the practical test, but examiners in big cities work with international candidates and give instructions in English, and your instructor is in the car and can translate.
Does the examiner speak English?
Often, especially in large cities. Your driving school can ask for an examiner who is used to English-speaking candidates. There is no guarantee, but it is standard practice.
Can my instructor translate during the test?
Yes. The instructor sits in the front passenger seat and can repeat or clarify the examiner’s instructions. The instructor cannot help with the driving itself.
How long is the practical test?
About 45 minutes: technical questions about the car, city driving, a manoeuvre and a stretch on a main road or motorway.
Do I need German to pass the practical test?
No, but it helps to know about twenty German direction phrases, and your instructor will teach them to you. The examiner tests your driving, not your language.
Conclusion: the test is about driving, not language
The German practical driving test is not a language test, and it does not have to be taken in German. The examiner’s instructions are short, your instructor is sitting next to you, and the test is about how you drive. Choose a driving school that teaches in English, learn the handful of German direction phrases, book the test early, and remember that a third of people fail the first time — so pass it properly prepared and the whole thing will be 45 minutes of driving, not 45 minutes of language. With the practical test passed, your German driving licence is almost yours.