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End Of Automatic Failure: Practical Exam Changes With New Contran Manual

Written by Sara Aquino
Published on 02/02/2026 at 22:31
Updated on 02/02/2026 at 22:32
Manual Contran altera a prova prática do exame de direção com sistema de pontuação. Detran-MG analisa cronograma de implantação.
Foto: IA
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Contran Manual Changes the Practical Driving Test with Scoring System. Detran-MG Analyzes Implementation Schedule.

The practical driving test for obtaining the National Driver’s License (CNH) is set to undergo significant changes in Minas Gerais.

The Detran-MG has reported that it has begun technical studies to adapt the driving test to the new guidelines of the Contran Manual, published on Sunday (1st) by the National Traffic Department.

The changes directly affect candidates throughout the State and include the adoption of a scoring system, the end of automatic failure, and the integration of parallel parking into the assessment route.

According to the state agency, the analysis is ongoing, and after its completion, an official schedule will be released for the full implementation of the new rules.

In the meantime, some of the changes are already in effect in Minas Gerais, as established by Resolution No. 1.020/2025 of the National Traffic Council.

Scoring System Changes Logic of the Practical Test

The most immediate change in the driving test is the abandonment of the automatic failure model.

From the new Contran Manual, the practical test will operate with a scoring system, where each infraction committed during the route generates points according to its severity.

Minor infractions add 1 point, medium 2 points, serious 4 points, and very serious 6 points, always in accordance with the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB).

A candidate is considered approved if they finish the assessment with up to 10 points accumulated. If they exceed this limit, they will fail.

This means that behaviors that do not constitute a traffic violation, such as stalling the car or showing momentary hesitation, will no longer lead to immediate dismissal.

The manual stipulates that the candidate starts the practical test with a score of zero and is penalized only when there is an infraction provided for in the legislation.

Detran-MG Evaluates Implementation Schedule

Although the regulation has national validity, the Detran-MG emphasizes that full application depends on operational adjustments.

The agency states that it is conducting a technical survey to adapt routes, examiner training, and evaluation criteria to the new standard.

After this stage, the official schedule will be announced through institutional channels.

In the meantime, candidates should pay attention to the guidelines provided by driver training centers, which also need to adapt to the changes in the Contran Manual.

Parallel Parking is No Longer an Eliminating Stage

Another significant change in the practical test is the removal of parallel parking as an eliminating phase.

In the new model, parking remains a requirement but is integrated into the route of the driving test, without separate evaluation.

Thus, Senatran argues that in the previous format, errors during parallel parking carried the same weight as high-risk behaviors concerning road safety.

This, according to the agency, distorted the final result of the assessment and did not reflect real driving in urban traffic.

For the national traffic secretary, Adrualdo Catão, the change makes the test more coherent.

“Over time, parallel parking has become an artificial exercise with rules that do not align with real-world driving.

Parking is now treated as it is in everyday life, at the end of the journey, without a mechanical ritual that does not measure safe driving,” he states.

Contran Manual Seeks National Standardization

The Brazilian Manual of Practical Exams, developed by Contran, establishes mandatory criteria for all Detrans across the country.

The goal is to reduce regional differences and align the driving test with challenges faced daily by drivers.

According to Senatran, the proposal prioritizes driver behavior in real contexts, such as respecting signage, making safe decisions, and interacting with traffic, rather than executing isolated maneuvers. 

Although the parameters are national, the route of the practical test may vary based on the urban characteristics of each municipality.

Direct Impact on CNH Candidates

With the new rules, experts assess that the driving test becomes less punitive and more educational.

Thus, the expectation is to reduce failures due to isolated mistakes and focus on the real capacity for safe driving.

As the Detran-MG completes full adaptation, candidates should keep an eye on the official updates.

Thus, the changes already in effect indicate a profound transformation in how the practical test is administered in the country, aligning evaluation, legislation, and the reality of Brazilian traffic.

Read more at: With New Manual, Detran-MG Studies Changes to Driving Test

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Sara Aquino

Farmacêutica e Redatora. Escrevo sobre Empregos, Geopolítica, Economia, Ciência, Tecnologia e Energia.

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