DTB B2 (telc B2 Beruf) · Result and retake
Failed the DTB B2? Points, retake and common mistakes
Updated: · LexDeutsch editorial team
When is the DTB B2 passed – and when not?
The Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2 (DTB B2, called "telc B2 Beruf" on LexDeutsch) has 240 points, 60 each for reading, listening, writing and speaking. According to the official Übungstest 1 (p. 49), two conditions apply at the same time:
- You reach at least 60 percent of the total points, that is 144 of 240.
- At least three of the four skills reach 36 of 60 points (60 percent). In one skill, a weaker result can be balanced out if it lies between 40 and 60 percent – that is 24 to 35 points.
Three ways to "failed" follow from this: the total is below 144. Or two skills are below 36. Or one skill is below 24. No points are deducted for wrong answers; points are given only for correct solutions and for marking by criteria.
How do I read my result? Four worked examples for "24 to 35 points"
If you fail, the exam centre gives you an Ergebnisbogen (result sheet); if you pass, a certificate. Only telc gGmbH determines the valid result (Durchführungshinweise, § 10). The examples are invented. They show how the two conditions work together.
| Example | Reading | Listening | Writing | Speaking | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 42 | 39 | 31 | 44 | 156 | passed: total ≥ 144, three skills ≥ 36, writing at 31 lies in the 24–35 range |
| B | 48 | 33 | 29 | 41 | 151 | failed: two skills (listening, writing) below 36 |
| C | 51 | 45 | 22 | 43 | 161 | failed: writing below 24, despite a high total |
| D | 36 | 36 | 37 | 34 | 143 | failed: all skills ≥ 24, but the total is one point below 144 |
What examples B and C show: more points in reading would have changed nothing here, because the total is already above 144. In B, three points are missing in listening (or seven in writing); in C, two points are missing in writing. In D, by contrast, one extra point in writing or speaking is enough; in reading and listening, points come only in steps of three (3 points per task), so there one correctly solved task brings three at once.
Our tip: write your four results one under the other and check the conditions in this order: Is a skill below 24? Are two below 36? Is the total below 144? Every "yes" shows where your preparation has to start.
Where do the points come from?
If you know where the points of a skill come from, you can practise in a more targeted way. Two special features of the DTB B2: the Sprachbausteine (language-in-context gap-fill tasks) count towards writing, not reading. And "Lesen und Schreiben" (reading and writing) as well as "Hören und Schreiben" (listening and writing) spread their points over two skills.
| Skill | What counts | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Lesen Teil 1–4 (18 tasks × 3) and Lesen und Schreiben Teil 1 (2 × 3) | 60 |
| Listening | Hören Teil 1–4 (19 tasks × 3) and Hören und Schreiben Teil 1 (1 × 3) | 60 |
| Writing | reply to a complaint (criterion I up to 7), Telefonnotiz (phone note, 6), Sprachbausteine (12 × 0.5 = 6), forum post (criterion I up to 14), criteria II–IV for both texts (up to 27) | 60 |
| Speaking | criterion I per part (1A 5, 1B 5, 1C 2, Teil 2 8, Teil 3 10) and criteria II–IV (up to 30) | 60 |
What follows from this: in writing, the two texts together bring up to 48 of the 60 points (7 + 14 + 27). With 6 points, the Sprachbausteine make up a tenth of writing. In speaking, Teil 3 is the part with the highest value in criterion I. The figures are in the Übungstest on pp. 47–49.
May I retake the DTB B2?
The Deutsch-Test für den Beruf has its own rules: the Durchführungshinweise zu den Deutsch-Tests für den Beruf (implementation rules for the job-related German tests, valid from June 2024). They state that the telc gGmbH exam regulations do not apply to the DTB (p. 2). The key rule is in § 9 (p. 10): the DTB can only be retaken in full. Partial exams, for example only the oral exam, are not possible as a rule; they can only be approved if there are reasons you are not responsible for.
The DTB B2 is the final exam of the Berufssprachkurse (job-related language courses) of the BAMF. Under § 15(2) of the Deutschsprachförderverordnung (DeuFöV), the exam can be retaken once if you fail; the BAMF bears the exam costs, including this one-time retake (§ 15(3)). Attending the course again is possible once on application to the office that issued the Teilnahmeberechtigung (course authorisation) if you would otherwise not be expected to pass the exam. If you also fail the retake, the Kursträger gives you a Teilnahmebescheinigung (certificate of attendance) (§ 15(4)). Clarify the details of your case with your Kursträger.
- Viewing your exam (Einsichtnahme, § 11, p. 11): apply in writing to telc gGmbH within three months of the date on your certificate or Ergebnisbogen (result sheet), via the portal at www.telc.net/Kontakt. You can only view your papers in person; you do not get the tasks or answer keys, not even as a copy.
- Challenging a decision (§ 11, p. 11): also in writing to telc gGmbH, within three months and with sufficient reasons. Simply pointing out that you are short of points is not enough. If your performance is reassessed, the new decision is final.
- Whether the free retake applies to you and when the next date is, clarify with your Kursträger (course provider); if you took the exam outside a course, with the body you registered with.
Important for your next date: if you leave the exam centre during the written or the oral exam before that part is over, the whole exam is not marked and counts as failed. You may leave between the written and the oral exam (§ 9, p. 10). Our tip: ask your Kursträger for an appointment as soon as possible after the result; then there is more time to prepare.
What to watch for when practising: our tip by skill
The following table is not an official statistic. It sums up what we pay particular attention to when practising for the DTB B2, and links it to the official task formats. Check each row against your last exam or practice.
| Skill | Self-check question | What you train |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | In Teil 1, did I bear in mind that in Übungstest 1 three of eight texts are left over, and that in Teil 3 exactly one question has no matching tip (x)? | elimination: mark the person’s conditions, then cross out texts – Reading Part 1, Reading Part 3 |
| Listening | Did I read the tasks before each part? You hear every recording only once. | read the tasks beforehand, only keywords while listening – Listening Part 1 |
| Writing | Did my reply to the complaint offer a clarification? Did the forum post give an opinion with reasons and examples? | tick off the task point by point – reply to a complaint, forum post, Telefonnotiz |
| Speaking | In Teil 3, did I divide tasks and talk about long-term solutions? In Teil 1, did I speak freely instead of from memory? | practise with a partner and a timer – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 |
A note on timing and procedure: Lesen plus Lesen und Schreiben together take 65 minutes; the whole written exam lasts 125 minutes without a break. Our tip: if you do not manage the time in reading, first practise your own order of working, rather than reading faster. Aids such as dictionaries and mobile phones are not allowed.
What does a 4-week plan until the retake look like?
A plan over four weeks does not replace a course, but it can help if only a few points are missing. Plan 45 to 60 minutes a day. The weekly breakdown below is a suggestion from LexDeutsch, not an official requirement.
| Week | Goal | With what |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | find the gap: one timed exercise per skill, note your mistakes | Model test B2 Beruf with sample tasks for all written parts; the official Übungstest 1 with solutions |
| 2 | train the skill below 24 or below 36 every day | Reading: Part 1 to Part 4; Listening: Part 1 to Part 4; Writing: forum post, complaint, Telefonnotiz |
| 3 | stabilise the second weak skill, speak out loud | Speaking: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3; Sprachbausteine: Part 1, Part 2 |
| 4 | under exam conditions | the exam simulation (VIP; reading, listening, Sprachbausteine, Telefonnotiz) or the official Übungstest under time pressure; speaking with a partner and a timer |
On LexDeutsch, in reading, listening, the Sprachbausteine and the Telefonnotiz the first three versions of each part can be used without signing up; further versions and the exam simulation are part of VIP. The writing trainers for forum post and complaint and the speaking trainers for Parts 1–3 are accessible without signing up.
Our tip for week 4: put the dress rehearsal on a day after which you still have two or three days to go over it. You only see which mistakes keep repeating when you evaluate the rehearsal. Nobody can promise that you will pass; practising in a targeted way is still what you can influence yourself. An overview of all parts is given by telc B2 Beruf exam.
Sources and official information
The facts on format, points and rules on this page come from these documents of the exam providers and authorities. The current version on the provider’s site always takes precedence.
- Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2, Übungstest 1 (telc gGmbH 2020, herausgegeben vom BAMF)
Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) · format and timing, points and pass mark, answer key
- Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2, Übungstest 2 (telc gGmbH 2022)
telc gGmbH · format and timing, answer key
- Durchführungshinweise zu den Deutsch-Tests für den Beruf, gültig ab Juni 2024
Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) · exam rules, retakes
- Deutschsprachförderverordnung (DeuFöV), § 15 Zertifikatsprüfungen
Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · job-related language courses, retakes
Frequently asked questions
How many points do I need to pass the DTB B2?
At least 144 of 240 points. In addition, at least three of the four skills must reach 36 of 60 points; one skill may lie between 24 and 35 points.
I have at least 144 points and still failed – why?
Then the second condition is not met: either two skills are below 36 points, or one skill is below 24 points. A high total does not make up for that.
Do the Sprachbausteine count towards reading?
No. In the DTB B2, the Sprachbausteine belong to writing: 12 tasks at 0.5 points each, together 6 of the 60 points in writing.
Can I retake only the written or only the oral exam?
No, as a rule not. According to the Durchführungshinweise zu den Deutsch-Tests für den Beruf (§ 9), the DTB can only be retaken in full. A partial exam is only possible as an exception, if it is approved because there are reasons you are not responsible for.
Do I have to pay for the retake myself?
Not for Berufssprachkurse: under § 15(3) DeuFöV, the BAMF bears the exam costs, including the one-time retake. Clarify the details with your Kursträger.
Are points deducted for wrong answers?
No. Points are given for correct solutions and for marking by criteria; a deduction for wrong answers is not described in the Übungstest. So do not leave any task empty (our tip).
How long should I prepare for the retake?
That depends on how many points are missing. If only a few points are missing in one skill, four weeks of targeted practice may be enough; if a skill is below 24 points, plan more time or ask about attending the course again (our tip).
Keep reading and practising
- telc B2 Beruf examStructure, 240 points and the pass rule at a glance.
- Speaking Part 1: procedure, topics, markingSpeaking about a topic, examiner questions and explanation (1A–1C).
- Speaking Part 3: finding solutions togetherSolving a workplace problem and dividing up tasks.
- Telefonnotiz B2 BerufListening and writing: six points that count towards writing.
- Berufssprachkurse B2BAMF courses, costs and the final exam.
- Model test B2 BerufSample tasks for all written exam parts with solutions.
Sources: Übungstest 1, Deutsch-Test für den Beruf B2, telc gGmbH, 2020 (published by the BAMF), pp. 7, 44, 47–49; telc Prüfungsregularien, valid from 15.04.2025, p. 4; Durchführungshinweise zu den Deutsch-Tests für den Beruf, valid from June 2024, pp. 2, 10–11; Deutschsprachförderverordnung (DeuFöV), § 15. All worked examples were created by LexDeutsch itself. telc is a registered trademark of telc gGmbH. LexDeutsch is an independent learning portal and has no commercial or organisational connection with telc gGmbH or the BAMF. This page is not legal advice; the information given by your Kursträger and the BAMF is what counts.