62% of Tampere Driving Test Candidates Pass on First Try, Repeats Can Cost About €1,500

Ajovarma’s Tampere testing centre recorded a 62 percent first-attempt pass rate this year. That is down from 65 percent a decade ago.

Some candidates return the same day. Experienced instructor Jarmo Jokilampi, chairman of the Tampere Region Driving Schools association and CEO of Tammerkosken Auto-opisto in Kaukajärvi, says extreme cases include someone who has sat the test 30 times; repeating the exam five times is not uncommon. He welcomes planned increases in mandatory instruction, calling them a corrective step toward the more extensive training that existed before the 2018 licence law changes.

Currently, car learners must complete at least ten hours of driving instruction, four hours of mandatory theory and a risk recognition course that includes four hours of theory and four hours of driving. From 1 October 2026, the risk recognition requirement rises to 12 hours, and use of simulators will be limited to at most half of total driving instruction.

Ajovarma quality manager Markus Vanhala says many candidates arrive with relatively little practical experience, producing greater variation in vehicle handling and routine skills. He lists common failing errors: excessive speed for the situation, failure to yield, poor observation of pedestrians and cyclists, and problems with merging, lane changes and parking. When candidates repeat tests without extra practice, their scores rarely improve. Repeated failures can add up to roughly €1,500 in fees, car rental and extra lessons.