The short answer: how many retakes you get
There is no fixed limit in the spec here on how many times you can retake an A2 inburgering exam part. For the DUO A2 inburgeringsexamen, the practical rule is simpler: if you do not pass a part, you book that part again and pay for it again.
That applies to the five A2 parts DUO uses: Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken, and KNM. It does not mean you start the whole exam from zero each time. It also does not create a free second try. A retake is just another paid booking for one exam part.
Your legal deadline still matters. Under the Wet inburgering 2021, most people have three years to pass, and missing that deadline without a valid verlengingsgrond can lead to a fine of up to €1,250 and delay permanent residence or naturalisation. So even though the retake count is not capped here, time is not unlimited. If your deadline is close, check your status in Mijn Inburgering on DUO's official inburgering site.
This answer is about the DUO A2 exam only. It does not cover the separate B1 route or Staatsexamen NT2, which follow different rules and should not be mixed with A2 logistics.
Retaking one section without redoing the rest
A retake is per exam part, not for the whole diploma. If you pass four parts and fail one, you keep the four passed parts and retake only the part you did not pass.
That is the main logistics point most candidates need. DUO runs the A2 inburgeringsexamen as separate parts, and you book those parts separately through DUO's exam overview. So if Lezen went well but Spreken did not, your next step is a new booking for Spreken only. The same logic applies to KNM: it is its own part, so a KNM retake does not force you to redo Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, or Spreken.
That rule helps two groups in different ways. If you are close to your deadline, it lets you focus all your study time on the weak part instead of spreading attention across five topics again. If you are paying yourself, it limits the cost damage to one part at a time, even though each extra sitting still costs money.
It does not mean you can ignore the rest of your plan. You still need all required parts passed before DUO can issue your diploma. From 1 January 2026, that diploma is normally a digital PDF in Mijn Inburgering / Mijn diploma's, and IND accepts that digital version for naturalisation-related submissions.
Waiting time and booking
You book exam parts separately with DUO, and there is no minimum study time you must complete before you book. If you want a retake, you simply make another booking for that same part within your inburgering deadline.
That flexibility applies across the A2 exam. DUO does not require a fixed number of course hours before you can sit Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken, or KNM. You can book when you are ready. For official booking steps and the current exam process, use the DUO exam pages and your personal account on inburgeren.nl.
Book early.
That matters for two reasons. First, a retake is still part of the same overall deadline. If you leave a failed part too late, the problem is not the number of retakes but the calendar. Second, results are not instant, so a last-minute booking plan can leave you without enough time for another attempt before your deadline ends.
This timing pressure matters most for people under the Wet inburgering 2021 deadline. If childcare shortage, a birth, staying in COA housing while your PIP is set, or sustained work of at least 32 hours a week for at least six months affects your progress, those can be verlengingsgronden in the 2025–2026 rules. But that is a deadline issue, not a free-retake rule, so you should treat it as case-specific and contact DUO or your gemeente early.
Cancelling and rescheduling on time
For A2 exam bookings, DUO's free cancel or move window is now 7 days before the exam date. Since about 24 November 2025, the old 14-day rule no longer applies.
This is one of the easiest places to lose money on a retake. If you book a part and then realise you are not ready, the deadline to act is shorter than many older guides still say. Check the live booking and exam information on inburgeren.nl before you assume you can still change the date without losing the fee.
The rule matters to anyone taking the DUO A2 exam. It matters even more if you are booking around work, childcare, illness, or travel inside a tight deadline window, because a late change can cost you the fee and still leave you needing another paid booking. A retake already costs extra by definition; a missed cancel window makes it worse.
Do not rely on old forum advice.
Also keep this separate from other special rules you may have heard about. For example, a 2025 change about extra time for Spreken applies to certain B1 candidates, not to the A2 inburgeringsexamen. So if you are taking A2, do not assume there is a special timing concession that changes your retake planning.
The safe habit is simple: once you book, decide before the 7-day mark whether you will keep the date, move it, or cancel it.
What each retake costs you
Each retake costs the exam fee for that exam part again. DUO charges per part, and a failed part is paid twice if you sit it twice.
The exact euro amount is not fixed here because DUO can change the live fee, so you should check the current amount on DUO's official inburgering site before booking. What does stay true is the cost structure: one booking, one fee, and every retake is a new fee for that same part.
That applies whether you pay directly or use the DUO loan. The loan can be up to €10,000, but who carries the final cost depends on your route. Asylum status holders can have the loan forgiven if they pass within the legal deadline. Family migrants and other migrants must repay the loan in full over time with interest, so every retake becomes personal debt. That is why repeat attempts hit this group harder, even when the fee per part looks manageable on the day.
There is a second cost too, and it is larger than one exam fee. If you miss your inburgering deadline without a valid extension ground, DUO can impose a fine of up to €1,250 and extend the obligation. So the price of a retake is not only the booking itself, but also the risk of delay if you keep postponing the part that keeps failing.
Use official practice before you pay again. DUO offers free material on its practice page, which is the cheapest step you can take before another booking.