PLIDA B1 is the B1 exam of the Società Dante Alighieri. There is no special citizenship version: the standard adult PLIDA B1 is the one you take, and the Dante's own FAQ says "Il certificato PLIDA B1 è valido per richiedere la Cittadinanza" (the PLIDA B1 certificate is valid for a citizenship application)4. The Interior Ministry lists the Società Dante Alighieri among the recognised certifiers5.
At a glance
| PLIDA B1 | |
|---|---|
| Run by | Società Dante Alighieri, through PLIDA centres in Italy and abroad6 |
| Parts | Listening, reading, writing, speaking: 30 points each7 |
| Duration | About 30–40 min listening, 40 min reading, 60 min writing, about 15 min speaking8,7 |
| To pass | At least 18/30 in each of the four skills; there is no total7 |
| If you fail one part | Passed skills are kept for 18 months; you retake only the others, at any PLIDA centre7,9 |
| Fee | Set by each centre under a ceiling fixed by the Dante (for example €100 in Messina)9 |
| Sessions | 4 a year for adult B1, the same dates at every centre in the world3 |
| Results | About 2–3 months, online, with a PDF certificate9,10 |
The four parts, one by one
PLIDA is paper-based and taken in person only; there is no online PLIDA exam4. In listening and reading, items are weighted by difficulty, so the value of each answer can change from one exam to another7.
Listening (about 30–40 minutes, 20 items, 30 points)
| Part | What you hear | What you do | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Five short dialogues | Choose 1 of 3 pictures | 5 |
| 2 | Four dialogues with instructions | Choose 1 of 3 pictures | 4 |
| 3 | Six short monologues (messages, short stories) | Match information to each text | 6 |
| 4 | Five dialogues with factual information | Choose 1 of 3 written answers | 5 |
Each recording is played twice7. The PLIDA website says listening takes about 30 minutes; the official specifications say about 408,7.
Reading (40 minutes, 18 items, 30 points)
| Part | What you read | What you do | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Six short texts | Choose 1 of 4 answers | 6 |
| 2 | Six descriptive texts | Match people to the right service or offer | 4 |
| 3 | Three texts with gaps | Put the missing paragraphs back | 3 |
| 4 | Five newspaper texts | Match each to its headline | 5 |
Texts are authentic, simplified by at most 10%7. At the end of listening and reading you get 10 minutes to copy your answers onto the answer sheet7.
Writing (60 minutes, 2 tasks, 30 points)
| Task | What you write | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | An informative, narrative or descriptive text from a written or picture prompt, following a 3-point outline | 110–150 words |
| 2 | A narrative text from a prompt or your own experience, following a 3-point outline | 70–100 words |
Writing is marked centrally in Rome on content, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammar, spelling and punctuation7.
Speaking (about 15 minutes, 30 points)
The oral is face to face, alone or in pairs, and recorded7,9.
- Warm-up (about 2 minutes, not marked): a question about your study or work plans.
- Interaction (3–4 minutes, with 3 minutes to prepare): with the examiner or another candidate, you compare options or act out a situation from an outline.
- Monologue (3–4 minutes, with 3 minutes to prepare): you talk about a topic, then answer one question from the examiner.
You may take notes during both preparation times7. The examiners mark communicative effectiveness, interaction (in part 2), vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation7.
How the pass mark works
Each skill is marked out of 30, and you need at least 18 in each of the four7. There is no total score, so no part can compensate for another. The certificate shows your level and the score in each skill9.
Fees
The Dante does not publish one price. Each year it sets a maximum price per level, and each centre sets its own fee under that ceiling9. Examples: the University of Messina charges €100 for B1 and €25 for each retaken skill; the Italian Cultural Center in Minneapolis charges US$250. Ask your centre for the price and whether it includes Dante membership: the 2017 regulation requires candidates to be members, while the 2025 registration guide says membership is not needed to open the online account9,11.
Fees are not refunded. If you withdraw through the centre at least 15 days before the exam, or send a medical certificate within 15 days after it, you get a credit valid for 18 months9.
Dates
Adult PLIDA B1 runs four times a year on the same dates at every PLIDA centre in the world, with no special citizenship sessions3,4. In 2026 the dates were 11 February, 10 June, 9 September and 18 November; the next session is 18 November 2026. The 2027 calendar had not been published when we checked; past calendars came out between late October and late November12.
Not every centre runs every session4. Do not confuse adult B1 with PLIDA Juniores B1, a different exam for ages 13–188.
How to register, step by step
- Open a free account on dante.global with your name and email11.
- Find a PLIDA centre on the official map6. There are PLIDA centres in many countries, with large networks in Italy and Argentina.
- Contact the centre and give it the email of your account. The centre tells you how and when to register, and the price, then enrols you4,11. Registration usually opens about four weeks before each date and closes at a date set by the centre13.
- Keep the booking receipt; it also appears in your digital area10.
- Disability or dyslexia? Tell the centre early: it must ask the Dante about 90 days before the normal deadline, with a medical certificate9.
The first time you take B1 it must be the full exam9.
On exam day
- Arrive at least 10 minutes early with a valid ID. Latecomers are not admitted once listening has started9.
- Use a blue or black permanent pen, also for notes. Pencil, erasable pens and correction fluid get papers annulled. No dictionaries, no notes, devices off7.
- At B1, the centre can explain the instructions in your language or a common language9.
- The oral may be on the same day or another day, as set by the centre9.
Results and certificate
Results reach the centres within 60 working days of the Dante receiving the exam materials9; the Messina centre says not before two months after the exam1. You see your results and download the certificate as a PDF in your area of the PLIDA certification site; the certificate has been digital since the November 2024 session4,10. You can ask to see your papers within 15 days of the results9.
Some sessions offer an "urgent correction" option at extra cost; centres set the terms (Minneapolis charges $40)3,2.
If you fail a part
This is where PLIDA is the most forgiving. If you pass one, two or three skills, those scores are kept for 18 months from your first sitting. You can retake the failed skills in any session, at any PLIDA centre, even several times, using the personal code from your first registration, and you pay only a partial fee7,9. After 18 months, you start again with the full exam.
How to prepare
- Write long: practise 110–150 word texts until you reach 120 comfortably in under 30 minutes.
- Practise reading tasks with four options and paragraph insertion; they differ from the other certificates.
- Use the 3-minute preparation well: write keywords, not sentences.
- The Dante offers free B1 preparation materials on its site14. Follow our 4- or 8-week study plan, and see how PLIDA compares.
Frequently asked questions
Is PLIDA B1 valid for Italian citizenship?
Yes. The Società Dante Alighieri's FAQ says the PLIDA B1 certificate is valid for a citizenship application, and the Interior Ministry lists the Dante among the recognised certifiers. You take the standard PLIDA B1; there is no separate citizenship version.
What is the PLIDA B1 pass mark?
At least 18 out of 30 in each of the four skills. There is no total score.
If I fail one part of PLIDA B1, do I repeat everything?
No. Passed skills are kept for 18 months, and you retake only the failed ones, at any PLIDA centre, for a partial fee.
How much does PLIDA B1 cost?
Each centre sets its price under a ceiling fixed by the Dante. For example, Messina charges €100; centres abroad charge in local currency.
When is the next PLIDA B1 exam?
The next adult B1 date is 18 November 2026. The 2027 calendar had not been published when we checked; there are usually four sessions a year, in February, June, September and November.