Five exams, with extra parts for some people
The A2 exam has four language tests and Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM, knowledge of Dutch society). Extra parts depend on your situation. In 2026, the five exams cost €250 in total if you pay yourself. Book through Mijn Inburgering (My Integration portal). Check your required parts and level there before paying.
Who needs A2?
If you need to take language exams under Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013), you must pass them at A2 or higher. A2 is a level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Check which law applies to you in Mijn Inburgering. DUO (External site, opens in a new tab) (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) lists your required parts there. For the other exam levels, see the inburgeringsexamen overview.
The B1-route (B1 learning route) normally requires B1 language exams under Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021). Your gemeente (municipality) may allow one or more language parts at A2. This change is called afschalen (lowering the exam level). It applies within the B1-route.
The municipality needs evidence that you cannot reach B1 within your integration period, including any extended or new period. You must also have attended at least 600 hours of Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2, Dutch as a second language) lessons at a qualifying provider. You must have made sufficient effort during those lessons. The municipality records any A2 parts in your Persoonlijk plan inburgering en participatie (PIP, personal integration and participation plan).
These conditions come from Wet inburgering 2021, Article 17 (External site, opens in a new tab) and Besluit inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Decree 2021), Articles 5.3 and 5.5 (External site, opens in a new tab). Compare A2 and B1 Dutch, or read the B1-route guide if your PIP includes A2 parts.
Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt (ONA, orientation on the Dutch labour market) is an extra part if your 2013-law integration duty began on or after 1 January 2015. It also applies if you take the exam voluntarily in the Netherlands, for example for naturalisation, unless you have an exemption. Under the 2021 law, your PIP says whether you do the Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie (MAP, labour market and participation module) with your municipality instead. See DUO’s knowledge-exam rules (External site, opens in a new tab).
If your 2013-law duty began on or after 1 October 2017 and you are registered with a municipality, you also need the Participatieverklaringstraject (PVT, participation declaration process). Under Wet inburgering 2021, you also need PVT. You complete PVT with your municipality under either law. People who integrate voluntarily for naturalisation are exempt from PVT. Check DUO’s knowledge-exam rules (External site, opens in a new tab), list of required parts (External site, opens in a new tab) and the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst, Immigration and Naturalisation Service) naturalisation rules (External site, opens in a new tab).
What happens in each exam?
Lezen (reading) has the longest time limit: 65 minutes. Schrijven (writing) uses pen and paper; the other four exams use a computer. See DUO’s A2 language formats (External site, opens in a new tab) and KNM format (External site, opens in a new tab).
You can scroll wide tables sideways.
| Part | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Spreken (speaking) | 35 minutes | Record short spoken answers on a computer after video and picture prompts. |
| Schrijven | 40 minutes | Complete four tasks with pen and paper: forms, short emails, notes or texts. |
| Lezen | 65 minutes | Read texts on a computer and answer multiple-choice questions. |
| Luisteren (listening) | 45 minutes | Watch videos, listen to spoken texts and answer multiple-choice questions. |
| KNM | 45 minutes | Answer multiple-choice questions on a computer about themes such as housing, work and income. |
For tasks and examples, read the A2 speaking guide, A2 writing guide, A2 reading guide, A2 listening guide or KNM exam guide.
What do you need to pass?
You pass each required part separately. The approximate pass marks are:
- Lezen: about 18 of 25 answers correct.
- Luisteren: about 18 of 25 answers correct.
- Schrijven: about 65% of the points.
- KNM: about 28 of 40 answers correct.
DUO’s format pages do not list a fixed question count or the number of correct answers needed to pass Lezen or KNM. The exam regulations (External site, opens in a new tab) say the minister sets the pass threshold. DUO determines your result for each part.
Which ONA exemptions could apply?
DUO does not refund an ONA fee you already paid. Check for an ONA exemption (External site, opens in a new tab) before paying the €40 fee. You can qualify through loondienst (employment) if both work conditions apply:
- You worked as an employee in the Netherlands in at least 6 of the last 12 months.
- You worked at least 48 hours in each of those months.
Request the work exemption yourself in Mijn Inburgering. DUO sends its decision within eight weeks.
Other possible exemptions cover completing MAP, qualifying self-employment and being fully unable to work. For naturalisation, you also qualify for an ONA exemption at AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet, state pension) age. The ONA exemption guide explains the conditions for each case.
How do you book and pay?
In October 2026, each A2 language exam and KNM costs €50 per attempt. The five exams cost €250 in total, or €290 with ONA. These are exam fees if you pay yourself; courses and any PVT fee are separate. See DUO’s fee table (External site, opens in a new tab).
If you are an asylum status holder under the 2021 law, your first two attempts per exam are free. This applies only if the exam level is at least the level in your PIP. You pay for further attempts and cannot use a DUO loan. Other people with an integration duty may be able to use a loan. Check the costs, loans and fees guide for your case.
Book A2 language exams and KNM through Mijn Inburgering. Follow DUO’s A2 registration instructions (External site, opens in a new tab). DUO warns that the wait for an exam can exceed six weeks (External site, opens in a new tab), so book early. If you need to set up or recover DigiD (Dutch digital identity), follow the DigiD guide before booking. Then take these steps:
- Log in to Mijn Inburgering with your DigiD.
- Check which part and level you need.
- Choose the exam date and city.
- Pay for that part, or use a free attempt if you qualify.
Repeat these steps for each exam you need. For detailed instructions, read A2 exam registration in Mijn Inburgering.
Mijn DUO (My DUO portal) handles Staatsexamen NT2 bookings at B1 and B2. Follow DUO’s Staatsexamen NT2 registration instructions (External site, opens in a new tab). Use Mijn Inburgering for A2 and KNM.
Where is your exam, and what must you bring?
A2 and KNM exams take place in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle (External site, opens in a new tab). DUO sends an oproepbrief (call letter) with the place, date and time. For online bookings, it arrives one week before the exam. If you book with a form, it arrives within three weeks after payment.
Bring your call letter and a valid, undamaged identity document. You must arrive 30 minutes before the exam. DUO’s exam regulations (PDF, 105 KB) (External site, opens in a new tab) require personal belongings and materials that could help answer questions to stay outside the exam room. This includes dictionaries, also for Lezen and Schrijven. Practise those tasks without one.
A missing, expired or damaged identity document means you cannot take the exam. Check the accepted documents in DUO’s exam-day rules (External site, opens in a new tab) before you go.
When do you get results, and what if you fail?
For Lezen, Luisteren and KNM, DUO sends your result by letter within eight weeks. You can also see your results in Mijn Inburgering. See DUO’s results page (External site, opens in a new tab).
Spreken and Schrijven results currently take longer. DUO’s notice of 31 July 2026 (External site, opens in a new tab) says they can take up to 16 weeks. If the delay puts your integration deadline at risk, DUO says it automatically grants six extra months. DUO sends a letter confirming the extension; check your own deadline in Mijn Inburgering.
The exam regulations say a computer marks Lezen, Luisteren and KNM. Certified assessors mark Schrijven. A computer and certified assessors each mark part of Spreken.
You keep the parts you already passed and retake only the parts you fail. Check your results in Mijn Inburgering before booking a resit.
Read A2 results and resits for rebooking, or the exam results timeline if you are still waiting.
Where can you practise?
Start with DUO’s official A2 practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab) for all five parts. Use them to learn the screen layout and task types. Practise each skill separately, then combine them in a weekly plan before your exam.
For extra practice, use our free mock exam selector. These are Inburgering.org practice tasks. Our 25-question reading practice uses the same benchmark of about 18 correct; our 40-question KNM practice uses about 28 correct. For a study routine, read the inburgering exam preparation plan and the free practice tests guide.
What should you check before booking?
If you fall under the 2013 law, check the required parts in Mijn Inburgering and any ONA exemption before paying. If you follow the 2021-law B1-route, book A2 only for the parts your municipality has recorded at A2 in your PIP.
Check your integration deadline before choosing dates. Allow time for booking, results and possible resits. For the current Spreken and Schrijven delay, check DUO’s extension letter if your deadline is at risk.
After you pass all required parts, choose the page for your next action:
Official Sources
- Inburgeren.nl (DUO's civic integration website): Welke examens moet u doen? (External site, opens in a new tab) - Required exam parts by law and integration start date, including ONA and PVT.
- Inburgeren.nl: Taalexamens A2, B1 en B2 (External site, opens in a new tab) - A2 exam durations, computer-based speaking, reading and listening, and four paper-based writing tasks.
- Inburgeren.nl: Knowledge exams (KNM and ONA) (External site, opens in a new tab) - English overview of KNM, MAP, ONA and PVT, including the KNM duration and ONA eligibility.
- Inburgeren.nl: Aanmelden examen (External site, opens in a new tab) - how to book A2 language exams, KNM and ONA in Mijn Inburgering.
- Inburgeren.nl: Regels voor het examen (External site, opens in a new tab) - Accepted identity documents and exam-day rules; links to the full exam regulations.
- Inburgeren.nl: Uitslag examen (External site, opens in a new tab) - Standard eight-week result timeline and where to see A2 and knowledge-exam results; the separate July 2026 notice updates speaking and writing delays.
- Inburgeren.nl: Hoeveel kost inburgeren? (External site, opens in a new tab) - current exam fees and who pays under the 2013 and 2021 laws.
- Inburgeren.nl: Vrijstelling ONA (External site, opens in a new tab) - ONA exemptions for MAP, work, self-employment and incapacity. You request the work exemption in Mijn Inburgering, and DUO does not refund a paid ONA fee.
- IND: Civic integration for naturalisation (External site, opens in a new tab) - the naturalisation exam parts, including ONA, and the ONA exemptions for naturalisation.
- Besluit inburgering 2021, Article 5.5 (External site, opens in a new tab) - Articles 5.3 and 5.5: the municipality changes the PIP for A2 parts; 600 qualifying NT2 lesson hours and sufficient effort are required.
- Inburgeren.nl: Kennisexamens (External site, opens in a new tab) - Dutch source for KNM, MAP, ONA and PVT requirements.
- IND: Inburgering voor naturalisatie (External site, opens in a new tab) - Dutch source for ONA and PVT rules for naturalisation, including pension-age exemptions.
- Wet inburgering 2021, Article 17 (External site, opens in a new tab) - A2 within the B1-route requires evidence that B1 cannot be reached within the applicable integration term.
- Inburgeren.nl: Examenreglement (External site, opens in a new tab) - Rules for arrival, identity documents, personal belongings, exam durations and marking.
- Inburgeren.nl: Examenplaatsen (External site, opens in a new tab) - The six DUO locations for A2 and knowledge exams.
- DUO: Uitslag examen Spreken A2 en Schrijven A2 vertraagd (External site, opens in a new tab) - 31 July 2026 notice: speaking and writing results may take up to 16 weeks; six extra months if the integration deadline is at risk.
- Inburgeren.nl: Oefenen (External site, opens in a new tab) - Official A2 practice exams for speaking, writing, reading, listening and KNM.
- DUO: Aanmelden Staatsexamen Nt2 (External site, opens in a new tab) - B1 and B2 state-exam registration uses Mijn DUO.
- Regeling inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Regulations 2021), Articles 3.8 and 3.13 (External site, opens in a new tab) - How A2 exams are marked and how evidence of previously passed A2 language components can give a partial exemption.