The Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has introduced major changes to both the theoretical and practical driving tests. A corresponding order has already been issued by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Sulkhan Tamazashvili. The innovations aim to streamline the testing process for prospective drivers and make it more flexible.
The key changes affect the allowed number of mistakes, the registration procedure for the exam stages, and the interaction between candidates and examiners.
Theory exam: mistake limit increased
The rules for passing the theory test have become more lenient for Category B and Subcategory B1 driver candidates.
- New rule: to pass, candidates now only need to answer 25 out of 30 questions correctly (30 minutes are allotted for the electronic test).
- What has changed: previously, candidates were allowed only 3 mistakes, but now the limit has been increased to 5.
Practical exam: new rules for the “city” stage and elimination of the waiting period
Serious reforms have also affected the practical part of the exam.
- Queue-free booking for the second stage: immediately after successfully passing the first practical stage (on the closed circuit), candidates can book a convenient slot for the city driving test (“second stage”) at an Agency branch without any mandatory waiting period. To ensure fair distribution of slots, the Agency is implementing a special algorithm that will analyze the database and prioritize first-time applicants, those with fewer attempts, or those who have been waiting the longest.
- More lenient mistake limit in the city: starting June 15 of this year, the limit for so-called “minor mistakes” during the second practical stage for Category B will be increased. Previously, the exam was automatically terminated (treated as a major failure) upon the 12th minor mistake. Under the new rules, candidates are allowed 14 minor mistakes, and only the 15th error will result in immediate failure.
- Route changes: to improve the examination process, practical test routes in Gori and Batumi have already been modified.
Examiner prompts
According to the new regulations, examiners are now required to give candidates “reasonable time” to correct a mistake or re-demonstrate a skill.
Before recording a mistake, the examiner will give an informal verbal prompt (for example: “Please check your readiness for road traffic once again”). At the same time, the examiner has the right to stop the test vehicle themselves or instruct the candidate to pull over. A mistake will only be recorded if the candidate fails to complete the task even after the prompt.