How to register for the Latvian language state exam: a 2026 guide

Published 12 June 2026.

The Latvian language state exam (valsts valodas prasmes pārbaude) is what you take when you need an official certificate of your language level: for a residence permit, for work, and in a number of other situations. The process itself is straightforward, but a lot of the instructions floating around online are out of date: since 2025 the exam is administered not by VISC but by the Education Development Agency (VIAA), and the old links no longer work.

Here is the current procedure, step by step.

The exam has six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. You choose which one to sit, and the right choice depends on your goal:

If your situation is non-standard, confirm the required level with the institution asking for the certificate (the OCMA/PMLP, your employer). There is no point registering for a higher level "to be safe": the exam is harder and it makes no legal difference to your goal.

A detailed breakdown of which level is required for work, for a residence permit and for citizenship, with references to the regulations in force, is in a separate article: what level of Latvian you need.

Before registering, it is worth honestly assessing your current level. The VIAA website has the exam programme and sample tasks for every level: open the tasks for your level and try to complete them. If the A2 tasks are still difficult, it is safer to prepare first. At Latvian Easy you can study Latvian in the format that suits you — in a group, one-to-one or in a pair — and you can read more about the lessons on the Latvian for adults page. If you want to gauge the timeline in advance, we have a separate breakdown: how long it takes to learn Latvian to A2.

Exams are held in person only, in five cities: Riga, Daugavpils, Rēzekne, Liepāja and Ventspils. The schedules for each city are published on the VIAA website, for example the exam schedule in Riga. Pages for the other cities are there too.

One practical point: slots for the nearest dates fill up quickly, especially in Riga. If you need the exam by a specific deadline (for example, to submit documents to the PMLP), register early and leave a buffer in case you need a retake.

You must apply no later than 7 working days before your chosen exam date.

The most convenient way is the e-service "Pieteikšanās valsts valodas pārbaudījumu kārtošanai" on the Latvija.gov.lv portal. To log in you will need Smart-ID, eParaksts or internet banking access. In the application you select the level, city and date from those available, and indicate how you want to receive the decision on your result. Receiving a paper document is paid; the electronic version is free. Through the same e-service you can also register a minor child and withdraw your own application up until the registration is confirmed.

If the e-service is not available to you (for example, you have no means of electronic identification), you can submit the application directly to VIAA. Contacts for the examinations unit: vvpp@viaa.gov.lv, phone 67281232, 67814480, 60001613.

After you apply, you will receive confirmation with the place and time of the exam through the contact channel you specified in the application.

The state fee for the exam is 52 euros. It is paid only by third-country nationals. Exempt from the fee are:

You need a valid identity document with you (a passport or eID). If you are entitled to adjusted conditions for health reasons, you will also need a rehabilitation specialist's opinion, which you attach to the application in advance.

The exam tests four skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking. The structure and assessment criteria for each level are described in the exam programme on the VIAA website, and it is worth getting familiar with them beforehand: a significant share of failures at A2 come not from the language itself but from not knowing the task format.

How each part is built, how long it lasts and what the tasks look like is covered separately in our article on how the A2 Latvian exam works.

The decision on your result is available from the seventh working day after the exam, through the certificate e-service on Latvija.gov.lv.

If you do not pass, you can register again, with no limit on the number of attempts. The regulations set no specific waiting period between attempts: you register again and wait for an available date, and in practice it is the exam schedule that sets the pause. Only one case is singled out: if you are removed from the exam for breaching the rules of conduct, the next attempt is possible no sooner than six months later. The fee is payable again for each attempt, so it is cheaper and faster to prepare properly once than to sit the exam as a trial run.

At Latvian Easy we prepare students for the state language exam at every level, from A1 to C1. You can study in whichever format works for you — group, one-to-one or in a pair. Read more on the Latvian for adults page, or write to us and we will match a format to your goal and timeline.