How to get a driving licence in Denmark

The steps at a glance

Source: Færdselsstyrelsen, “Tag kørekort. Sådan gør du” (in Danish), checked 4 November 2026.

How do I learn to drive in Denmark?

Færdselsstyrelsen describes the road to a car licence through a driving school (køreskole) that you choose yourself, with theory lessons and driving lessons. If you started after 1 July 2026, you need at least 24 driving lessons. Your driving instructor (kørelærer) tells you when you are ready for the tests and helps you book them.

You may first sit behind the wheel of a school car, or drive on a manoeuvring area (manøvrebane), when you are 16 years and 9 months old. You can start the theory lessons before that. Before you get your licence you also try slippery-road training (glatbane), which your instructor arranges. Our Danish guide Køreundervisning til bil has the details.

How do I apply for a Danish driving licence?

1. Book the medical certificate early. Start the digital medical certificate (lægeattest) online, and your doctor fills it in. It must be at most 6 months old when you apply, and at most 1 year and 9 months old when the licence is issued.
2. Take the first aid course. You need a traffic-related first aid course of 8 hours before you can book the theory test.
3. Get a photo. You can bring a licence or passport photo, or have one taken at Borgerservice for a fee.
4. Hand in form P23. You apply with form P23 (ansøgning om kørekort). You or your driving instructor hand it in at Borgerservice in your municipality, which handles your case.

Source: Færdselsstyrelsen, “Tag kørekort. Sådan gør du” (in Danish), checked 4 November 2026.

How do the two tests work?

• Theory test: 25 pictures of traffic situations in 25 minutes, and you may make at most 5 mistakes. You must have finished all the theory modules first. You can take it at the earliest one month before you reach the age for the licence. A passed theory test is valid for 18 months.
• Practical test: usually 30 to 45 minutes, after all the practical modules. You must pass it within 18 months of passing the theory test.

Both tests can be taken in Danish, English, Faroese, Greenlandic or German. The details are on our page Danish driving theory test in English.

What does it cost?

At Færdselsstyrelsen you pay DKK 1,600 for the theory test and the practical test together, if you pass both the first time. Each new attempt costs DKK 1,600. The price can be different if your driving school includes the tests in its package. Driving schools set their own prices for lessons and courses. Fee checked on 4 November 2026.

Source: Færdselsstyrelsen, “Tag kørekort. Sådan gør du” (in Danish), checked 4 November 2026. Our Danish guide Hvad koster et kørekort? lists the parts of the course.

What are the rules if I get my licence at 17?

You can get your licence on your 17th birthday at the earliest. Until you turn 18, you may only drive alone between 05:00 and 20:00. At other times a companion must sit in the front seat. The companion must be at least 24, have held a valid Danish or Faroese licence for at least 5 years, and not have lost their licence in the last 5 years.

What if I already have a licence from another country?

A licence from an EU or EEA country does not have to be exchanged, but you must meet the Danish age rules. A valid licence from outside the EU and EEA can be used for 180 days from the day you take up normal residence in Denmark. Some countries’ licences can be exchanged without a driving test. For others you must pass a theory test and a practical test. Check Færdselsstyrelsen’s English page on foreign driving licences for your country.

Checklist: your steps to a Danish licence

Tick the steps you have done. Nothing you tick is saved or sent anywhere.

• A driving school and a driving instructor.
• The digital medical certificate, filled in by your doctor.
• The 8-hour traffic-related first aid course.
• A licence or passport photo.
• Form P23 handed in at Borgerservice.
• All theory modules done, and the theory test booked.
• Slippery-road training (glatbane).
• All practical modules done, and the practical test booked.

How can I study the rules in English?

You can take the tests in English, but road signs and many words you hear in traffic are Danish. Our page Danish road rules in English explains the key rules and has a short glossary.

Drivoku’s own practice questions are in Danish only. If you want to learn the Danish words as well, try our øveprøve (free practice test) or the færdselstavler (road signs) pages, ideally with a Danish-speaking friend.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the Danish driving test in English?

Yes. Both the theory test and the practical test can be taken in English. The other languages are Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic and German.

Who teaches me to drive?

A driving instructor (kørelærer) at a driving school you choose yourself. You first sit behind the wheel in a school car, or on a manoeuvring area, at 16 years and 9 months. The companion rules are for 17-year-olds who already have their licence.

How old do I have to be?

You can start driving lessons at 16 years and 9 months, and get your licence on your 17th birthday at the earliest.

How long is a passed theory test valid?

18 months. You must pass the practical test within that time.

Read more (in Danish)

• Sådan foregår teoriprøven
• Køreundervisning til bil
• Teoriprøve på andre sprog

Sources

(3)

• Tag kørekort. Sådan gør du (in Danish), Færdselsstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
• Køreprøve (the tests, in Danish), Færdselsstyrelsen. Checked 4 November 2026.
• Foreign driving licences, exchanges and visitor’s driving licences, Færdselsstyrelsen (Danish Road Traffic Authority). Checked 4 November 2026.

Drivoku is made by Fri Vei AS and is not affiliated with Færdselsstyrelsen. This page is a simplified summary, written with AI help and not copied from the law. The authorities and Danish law always apply.