Nepal DOTM Category B Car
Nepal Department of Transport Management Category B Car Driving License Examination
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Category B licence is the standard Nepali driving licence for light motor vehicles - private cars and similar light vehicles up to the category's defined weight and seating limits. You need it before you can legally drive a car on public roads in Nepal, and it is the licence most private motorists, family drivers and light-vehicle delivery drivers hold. The process runs through the Department of Transport Management (DOTM) and its provincial transport offices: a written (computer-based) test first, then a practical driving test once the written stage is cleared. The written paper samples the whole syllabus rather than one topic: traffic signs, signals and road markings; traffic rules and right-of-way; defensive and safe driving; vehicle controls, basic mechanical knowledge and pre-trip checks; driving in rain, fog, night and hill/mountain conditions; accidents, emergencies and first aid; and documents, licensing rules and legal responsibilities. Because signs and rules carry the largest share, candidates who master those two areas first usually gain marks fastest. Prepare with the DOTM's own published syllabus and any official sample questions, then read the road as a driver: name every sign you pass, narrate who has right-of-way at each junction, and practise the pre-trip checks on a real car. The official body publishes current fees, test duration, question count and pass marks on its website - check there rather than relying on secondhand figures.
What you'll study
About Nepal DOTM Category B Car preparation
What is the written test actually like?
It is a computer-based multiple-choice test taken at a transport office. Questions are drawn from the full syllabus, so expect a mix of sign identification, rule and right-of-way scenarios, safe-driving judgement, simple vehicle knowledge, and legal/document questions. You answer on screen; read each option fully, because distractors are often plausible near-misses rather than obvious wrong answers.
How many questions are there, how long do I get, and what is the pass mark?
Those details are set by the Department of Transport Management and can change, so this page does not quote them. Check the DOTM website or your transport office for the current question count, time limit and pass mark before your test date, and plan your practice around the official format rather than rumoured numbers.
How hard is the Category B written exam?
Most candidates find it manageable if they have genuinely studied the signs and rules. The difficulty is breadth, not trickery: a careless candidate can lose marks on road markings, right-of-way at uncontrolled junctions, or document questions. Candidates who only skim signs and never think about hill or night driving tend to find it harder than expected.
If I fail, can I retake it, and how soon?
Retakes are allowed, but the waiting period, re-booking process and any additional fee are set by the DOTM and its transport offices, so confirm the current rule where you apply. Use the gap to identify which syllabus areas cost you marks and revise those specifically rather than rereading everything.
In what order should I study the syllabus?
Start with traffic signs, signals and road markings, then traffic rules and right-of-way - together these carry the largest share of marks and underpin the safe-driving questions. Add vehicle controls and pre-trip checks next, then weather, hill and night driving, emergencies and first aid, and finally documents and legal responsibilities.
What do candidates most often get wrong?
Common failures are confusing similar signs (mandatory versus warning), misjudging right-of-way at uncontrolled junctions, and ignoring road markings. Others lose marks on pre-trip checks and on who is responsible for documents and insurance. Guessing from everyday habit instead of the rulebook is a frequent cause of a narrow fail.
Do I need to know about hilly and mountain roads for a car licence?
Yes. Nepal's syllabus includes driving on hills, in rain and fog, and at night. Expect questions on engine braking on descents, safe following distance in poor visibility, using lights correctly, and handling narrow hill roads. These are practical questions, so relate them to real roads you know.
Is the practical test separate from the written one?
Yes. You sit the written test first, and the practical driving test follows once that stage is cleared. The practical assesses vehicle control, observation, sign obedience and road behaviour in real traffic. Confirm the current sequencing and booking steps with your transport office, since procedures are administered locally.
Where do I find the official syllabus, fees and test dates?
Only from the Department of Transport Management and its provincial transport offices - their website and notice boards carry the current syllabus, fees, test schedules and result information. Treat coaching-centre claims and social-media posts about fees or pass marks as unofficial until you have checked them against the DOTM's own published information.