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Change Announced by Minister Renan Filho on December 10 Applies to the Practical Driving Test for the CNH, Removes the Half Clutch Test and the Ramp, Guarantees a Free Retest for Those Who Fail Once and Integrates a Package That Reduces the Cost of Licensing by Up to 80 Percent in the Country.
The practical exam to obtain the National Driver’s License no longer requires the dreaded half clutch test and the stop on the ramp following a resolution from Contran approved on December 1 and announced by the Minister of Transportation, Renan Filho, on December 10, 2025, on the program Good Morning, Minister. According to the government, the test undergoes one of the biggest changes recently, focusing on simplifying steps and decreasing the weight of the maneuvers that most frightened candidates.
The change is part of a package to simplify the CNH, reduce excessive failures, and combat an environment that, in the assessment of the Ministry of Transportation, encouraged people to drive without a license. In addition to the end of the half clutch and the ramp, the set of measures includes a free retest for those who fail once and new ways of theoretical preparation, including digital methods without mandatory driving school attendance.
Change Ends the Half Clutch Test and Ramp in the Exam
In the new configuration of the test, the half clutch test is officially no longer required in the CNH practical exam, as is the stop on the ramp which became a symbol of fear for those facing the assessment.
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Until now, the clutch control maneuver involved keeping the car stationary on an incline only at the half clutch point, holding the vehicle with a combination of the pedal and acceleration.
Renan Filho reported that the ministry received complaints that instructors were altering tire pressure to make the car more prone to “stalling” on the ramp, which increased the likelihood of candidates failing.
In practice, it was enough for the vehicle to stall for many examiners to fail the student immediately, concentrating the test on a single moment of high pressure.
With the change, those taking the test will no longer have to face the classic ramp with half clutch as a decisive obstacle, and the exam is expected to focus more on real driving, circulation, and respect for traffic rules along the route.
Government Aims to End “Failure Environment”
When announcing the measures, the minister criticized what he called a failure environment created around the practical exam.
For Renan Filho, the previous model transformed small errors into a definitive sentence for the candidate, which discouraged many drivers from regularizing their situation.
He cited as an example the so-called “summary test,” a situation where an oversight like forgetting to signal could lead to immediate failure, without considering the rest of the driving performance.
The government’s assessment is that this test design did not contribute to road safety, but pushed part of the population to drive without a license for fear of having to repeatedly take the exam and incur new costs.
Free Retest for Those Who Fail Once
Another significant change is the creation of a free retest for those who fail on their first attempt at the practical exam.
The failed candidate will be able to retake the test once without paying again, which reduces the financial impact of a single failure.
According to the minister, the idea is that failure will no longer be a definitive barrier for those who face specific difficulties initially, but are willing to correct mistakes and try again quickly.
The free retest is presented as a tool to unlock access to the CNH, especially for those who depend on the document for work.
Detrans Have About 15 Days to Adapt to the New Rules
Although the operational details are still being adjusted, Renan Filho explained that the state traffic departments are already adapting to the new requirements of the practical exam.
According to the minister, the adaptation process is expected to take around 15 days, during which the Detrans need to adjust internal procedures, train examiners, and update guidelines for driver training centers and candidates.
Until all steps are aligned, a transition period is expected, but the federal guidance is clear in directing the incorporation of the new guidelines.
Tests with Automatic Cars and Personal Vehicles Are on the Horizon
The changes do not stop at eliminating the half clutch. Renan Filho also indicated that, in the future, practical tests may be conducted in automatic cars and even in candidates’ own vehicles.
This measure does not yet have a defined date for implementation, but is already being designed within the package of practical test flexibility.
In practice, this means that those who learn to drive in an automatic car will not be required to take the test in a manual vehicle, which is likely to make the assessment closer to the daily reality of many drivers.
The possibility of using their own car may also reduce the candidate’s anxiety, as they feel more secure in a vehicle they are already familiar with.
CNH Without Driving School and Promise of Licensing Up to 80 Percent Cheaper
The resolution approved by Contran on December 1 not only changes maneuvers like the half clutch.
The text simplifies steps, removes the requirement to attend a driving school, and broadens the ways for candidate preparation, allowing for free digital theoretical courses.
Currently, obtaining a license can cost up to around R$ 5,000, depending on the region and the package contracted.
With the combination of free theoretical classes, flexibility in practical training, and a review of excessive requirements, the Federal Government estimates that the total cost of the CNH may decrease by up to 80 percent.
For many Brazilians, especially those who use cars or motorcycles as a work tool, this cost reduction, along with the end of the fear of the half clutch and the ramp, may make the difference between indefinitely delaying the dream of a license or finally regularizing their traffic situation.
Package Adds to Automatic Renewal for Good Drivers
The new rules of the practical exam add to other recent measures aimed at the CNH, such as automatic renewal for good drivers and specific criteria to ensure free renewal processing.
The government’s stated intention is to create a system in which those who drive within norms have more facilities, while the training and assessment of new drivers become less bureaucratic and more aligned with the reality of traffic.
In this context, the end of the half clutch and ramp in the exam is presented as a symbolic step towards modernization, leaving behind classic maneuvers that, in the view of the Ministry of Transportation, frightened more than they helped to develop responsible drivers.
And you, do you think that the end of the half clutch and ramp in the CNH exam will improve driver training or could make traffic more dangerous?
Na verdade o exame é só uma preparação. Por que só vai aprender mesmo quando estiver praticando só que os exames estavam muito rigorosos fechando a oportunidade para novos condutores
Eu por exemplo fiz tudo perfeitamente e fui eliminada na rampa. Muito bom o novo modelo para tirar CNH.
Pra retirar a CNH pode até retirar essa meia embreagem ou rampa, ali inicialmente. Porque o candidato(a) vai aprender isso depois de forma automática, no dia á dia no transito dirigindo, e convivendo.
Quando eu tirei a minha CNH em 2007, aqui na minha cidade era proibido usar os retrovisores pra fazer a baliza, o examinador torcia todos os retrovisores do carro na hora da baliza, até o de dentro do carro. Tinha de fazer usando aqueles pontinhos marcado no parabrisa, eu então aprendi a fazer usando as colunas do carro e não uso retrovisor para fazer baliza no meu carro até hoje, acho ter retrovisor inútil.
Fico feliz em saber que está bem mais fácil pra quem vai fazer a carteira de habilitação.