Home / Guides / Preparing for the exam
How to study for the driving licence exam: a 14-day study plan
Updated 28 September 2026 · 8 min read
You do not need months to pass the written driving licence exam. If you study for 1 to 1.5 hours a day, you can be ready in 2 weeks. The key is not to answer random questions, but to find the subject where you lose points and focus on it. This plan shows you what to do each day, and adds advice for foreign candidates who are studying in English.
Which subject should you study first?
The written e-exam has 50 questions and lasts 45 minutes. Each question is worth 2 points and the pass mark is 70, so you need 35 correct answers. Wrong answers are not penalised, so never leave a question blank. The questions come from four subjects:
| Subject | Questions | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic and Environment (Trafik ve Çevre) | 23 | Highest: almost half of the exam |
| First Aid (İlk Yardım) | 12 | High: numbers and ratios are asked often |
| Vehicle Technology (Motor ve Araç Tekniği) | 9 | High: the subject where most points are lost |
| Traffic Etiquette (Trafik Adabı) | 6 | Medium: questions you can solve with common sense |
Traffic and Environment gives you the most points, so it comes first in the plan. First Aid and Vehicle Technology are smaller, but many candidates lose points there, so they each get their own days.
The 14-day plan
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Take a mini mock test. Write down your starting score and your weakest subject. |
| 2–4 | Traffic and Environment: road signs, right of way, speed and following distance. 20-30 questions every day. |
| 5 | Mini mock test + review of your wrong answers. |
| 6–7 | First Aid: ABC, bleeding, fractures, burns, rescue breathing ratios. |
| 8–9 | Vehicle Technology: cooling, lubrication, brakes, tyres, warning lights. |
| 10 | Traffic Etiquette + your first full mock exam (50 questions, 45 minutes). |
| 11–12 | Go back to your two weakest subjects. Only study the question types you got wrong. |
| 13 | Two full mock exams. If your score is below 70, give your weakest subject one more day. |
| 14 | Light review and one last mini mock test. Go to bed early. |
Helpful notes for each block: Turkish road signs, first aid questions, vehicle technology notes and speed limits.
Mock exam strategy
- Read your wrong answers after every mock exam. Do not memorise the question. Learn the rule in the explanation.
- Do not repeat the same mock exam. Work on your mistakes instead. Getting the same question right a second time can give you a false sense of progress.
- Time yourself. Do full mock exams in 45 minutes, just like the real exam.
- Look at your scores by subject. Even if your total is good, a subject where you are always low can cost you the exam.
You can start with our free practice test for the daily questions and use a full mock exam on days 10 and 13.
Get ready to pass first time
Premium gives you everything you need to walk into the exam confident:
- All 500 questions in English, with explanations
- Full mock exams: 50 questions, 45 minutes, just like the real thing
- Practise by subject and focus on your weak spots
- Mistakes notebook, progress chart and no ads
One-time payment: 249.90 TL · no subscription. A resit costs 1,250 TL.
Learn key terms in English and Turkish
Foreign nationals can take the written e-exam in English (and also in Arabic, Russian, German, French, Persian or Chinese). You must tell your driving school at registration or at least 3 working days before the exam. No interpreter is provided in the exam room.
Even if you take the exam in English, it pays to learn the key terms in both English and Turkish. Your driving school lessons and instructor may use Turkish words, and many learning materials in Turkey are in Turkish. If you know the word in both languages, you will understand the lesson and recognise the rule in the exam.
| English | Turkish | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Right of way | Geçiş üstünlüğü | Traffic and Environment |
| Following distance | Takip mesafesi | Traffic and Environment |
| Built-up area | Yerleşim yeri | Traffic and Environment |
| Traffic sign | Trafik işareti | Traffic and Environment |
| Bleeding, fracture, burn | Kanama, kırık, yanık | First Aid |
| Rescue breathing | Suni solunum | First Aid |
| Engine oil, coolant, brake | Motor yağı, motor suyu, fren | Vehicle Technology |
| Tyre, warning light | Lastik, ikaz lambası | Vehicle Technology |
Simple ways to build your word list:
- Add 5-10 terms a day from the subject you are studying that day, with the English and Turkish side by side.
- Review the list before each mock exam. A few minutes is enough.
- Ask your driving school to confirm your exam language in writing, and ask your instructor to repeat Turkish terms slowly in lessons.
For more on the exam in English, see the Turkish driving test in English and our e-exam day guide.
How do you know you are ready?
If you regularly score 80 or more in your last 3 full mock exams, you are in a comfortable position. If you are between 70 and 80, your chances are good, but study a few more days to leave room for exam nerves. If you are below 70, think about moving your exam date. Failing and taking the exam again costs you 1,250 TL and a few weeks. If it does happen, read what happens if you fail.
FAQ
How long does it take to prepare for the driving licence exam?
Most candidates are ready in 2 weeks if they study 1 to 1.5 hours a day. The important thing is to focus on your weakest subject.
Which is the hardest subject in the exam?
Candidates lose the most points in Vehicle Technology and First Aid.
How many mock exams should I take?
The result matters more than the number. If you regularly score 80 or more in your last 3 full mock exams, you are ready.
Does memorising the questions work?
The same questions may not appear in the exam. It is safer to learn the rule in the explanation, not the question itself.
Should I learn the terms in Turkish if I take the exam in English?
It helps. The exam will be in English, but your lessons and instructor may use Turkish words. Knowing key terms in both languages makes it easier to follow lessons and recognise the rules.