Can you repeat the DLR test?

Whether and how you can repeat the DLR test depends heavily on the specific procedure. For the self-pay DLR Pilot Certificate, official DLR information states that a retake is possible after a recommended waiting period of 6 months, and all test parts then have to be completed again - you can't just redo one weak section. For the Lufthansa Group's Berufsgrunduntersuchung (BU), things work differently: a passing BU result never expires, but whether and when a retake is possible after a failed attempt is decided by the airline on a case-by-case basis.

DLR Pilot Certificate: 6-month wait, everything redone

For the DLR certificate, a 6-month wait is recommended before a retake makes sense. Because all test parts - aptitude tests, knowledge tests, and the personality questionnaire - are redone in full, the test fee (officially 417.69 EUR plus VAT in 2026) also has to be paid again in full. The certificate itself remains valid for 2 years from issue; anyone needing a new one within that time, say because it has expired or a fresh assessment is wanted, registers again by email with the DLR.

Lufthansa BU: airline decides, a pass never expires

There's no fixed, publicly listed waiting period for a BU retake. According to reports on the Pilotenboard wiki, the airline decides individually whether and when a further attempt is possible - often only after a lengthy gap of several years, and sometimes not at all. A passing result, on the other hand, never expires: once you've passed the BU, you generally don't need to repeat it for a later application to the same airline. For anything binding about your own situation, ask the airline directly.

SWISS / EFA Switzerland: the certificate test as step one

Anyone starting through SWISS / European Flight Academy (EFA) Switzerland takes the DLR or SPHAIR certificate test as the first step. Retaking that step generally follows the same rules as the DLR Pilot Certificate in general - the recommended 6-month wait with a full redo of every part. The later EFA steps (assessment center, pre-airline-fit conversation, medical) follow their own, separate EFA rules.

TipRather than rushing into a retake, it's worth honestly reviewing which areas were hardest - for example with practice on instrument reading or cube folding. It can also help to look at Failed the DLR test - what now? for the next steps.

Retake rules and waiting periods can change and differ between airlines. Only the current information from the DLR or from the relevant airline or flight school is binding.