Two exams stand between you and the A1 licence: a computer-based theory paper and a practical circuit test. Both are set by Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security, and the pass marks are published in its annexes.
The theory test
Twenty-five multiple-choice questions, answered on a computer, drawn from the national question bank. The pass mark for class A1 is 21 of 25 correct answers; class A requires 23 of 25. One category of questions is special: the “điểm liệt” questions — safety-critical items such as stopping for pedestrians or drink-driving rules. Answer a single one of these wrongly and the theory paper is failed regardless of your total score.
The practical test
For A1 the practical part is the in-figure (trong hình) circuit test. The exam is scored on riding the course without the disqualifying errors the circular defines: stalling, putting a foot down, crossing boundary lines on the prescribed manoeuvres, or ignoring the simulated signals the course contains. The examiner grades against a published manoeuvre list — a standardised course, not a road ride.
If you fail
Fail either part and you re-sit that part. The test fees are charged per attempt, and the centre re-registers you for the next scheduled session. There is no limit on attempts, but the training-course completion certificate stays valid only for a defined registration window, so candidates usually re-sit promptly.
Practical preparation notes
The theory bank rewards memorisation — most centres drill the official question set. For the practical, the single most common failure is the low-speed sections, where nervous candidates drop a foot or wobble over the line. Practice the same circuit your test centre uses.
Foreigners should note again: the exam is in Vietnamese only. Candidates who cannot read the language reliably usually route through a licence exchange instead of the fresh-test path.
Information, not legal advice. Verified against Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA and its annexes via the government’s full-text portals on 2026-09-22.