Overview
DRPCIV is the Romanian Directorate for Driving Licences and Vehicle Registration (Directia Regim Permise de Conducere si Inmatriculare a Vehiculelor), the body behind the national booking and practice tools for the licence exam. In the county described here (Bihor), the exams are held by the community public service for driving licences and vehicle registration inside the prefect's office. The licence exam has a theory test and a practical test.
The DRPCIV site itself is a JavaScript-only page and could not be read for this page. The facts below come from the Bihor county prefecture and the Ministry of Internal Affairs service page. The step-by-step guide and the exam format (questions, pass mark, time) come from a Bihor prefecture guide dated 2020, so confirm them with the exam service in your county. It describes category B (cars). The Bihor prefecture's current procedure page (2026) differs from the 2020 guide in some steps, noted below.
Who can apply
Before enrolling in a driving school, check that you have the required age, are medically fit, and meet the criminal-record condition (no road offences). The 2020 guide notes that a micro-car (category B1) can be driven from age 16 with parental consent. The ministry service page lists 16 as the minimum age for the service.
At enrolment, a driving school asks for a certificate from your family doctor, a criminal record certificate or a sworn statement, a psychological opinion, an enrolment application, a data-processing consent and the enrolment fee.
Exam pattern
The guide describes the steps in this order:
Theory classes, then the theory exam (the guide calls passing it leaving school, "iesirea din scoala").
Practical training of 30 hours with an instructor.
The practical exam.
The theory exam is a multiple-choice questionnaire taken on a computer, and you get the result straight away.
| Item | Category B (per the 2020 guide) |
|---|---|
| Questions | 26 |
| Correct answers needed | 22 |
| Time | 30 minutes |
| Warm-up | 3 accommodation questions first; their answers do not affect your result |
The practical exam lasts at most 25 minutes. A police examiner chosen at random by a computer program sits in the instructor's seat, with a witness in the back, and the test is video recorded. You take it in the car you trained in.
Marking and results
You must answer at least 22 of the 26 questions correctly to pass the category B theory test. If you fail the theory test, you reschedule it. If you pass, you can book the practical test at the counter or on leaving the exam room.
Fees
The Bihor prefecture notice says the fee for issuing a driving licence is 139 lei from 15 September 2026, replacing the earlier 89 lei (the amount in the 2020 guide and on the ministry page, last updated March 2025). The prefecture says it can be paid online, including through ghiseul.ro and SelfPay stations.
How to apply
The 2020 guide describes the steps below. The Bihor prefecture's 2026 procedure page now describes a shorter flow: pay for the licence online, go to the counter by online appointment with your documents, have your photo and signature taken and get a code for the theory exam on a touchscreen device, take the theory test and, if you pass, book the practical test on the same device, then take the practical test, with the result given on the spot. The licence is then issued and delivered, or you are rebooked if needed.
The 2020 exam file is registered at the county service. It contains:
the training sheet (fisa de scolarizare), valid for 1 year from finishing the course, which records the medical opinion;
a valid criminal record certificate;
the receipt for the licence fee;
a standard application form.
Book an online appointment for registering the file through the DRPCIV booking system (the prefecture now points to dgpci.mai.gov.ro for this). At the appointment you are photographed for the licence, and you then book the theory exam. Your driving school can also book the theory exam for you through its own application.
After the exam
Once you pass both exams, the licence is issued. The ministry service page gives an average delivery time of 5 working days and a maximum of 14 calendar days. With the licence you may drive in Romania, in other EU member states and in some other countries.
Preparation tips
The guide says you can simulate the exam with multiple-choice questionnaires on the DRPCIV website.
During the theory exam you may not talk to other candidates or use notes or aids.
How many questions do I need right for category B?
The 2020 Bihor prefecture guide says 22 correct answers out of 26 in 30 minutes.
Do the 3 warm-up questions count?
No. You can move on to the real test whether or not you answer them correctly.