DMV permit test facts for every state
How many questions each state's knowledge test has, the score you need to pass, and how old you must be for a learner's permit. All from each state's own driver licensing agency. 33 states have published the number of questions.
Knowledge test by state
| State | Agency | Questions | To pass | Score | Permit age | Hold permit | Supervised hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | ALEA | – | – | – | 15 | 6 months (under 18) before Stage II | 50 |
| Alaska | DMV | 20 | 16 | 80% | 14 | 6 months (applicants 16 or 17) before a provisional license | 40 |
| Arizona | MVD | 30 | 24 | 80% | 15½ (graduated or motorcycle instruction permit); 18 for an operator (Class D) permit | 6 months (or until age 18) before a Class G license; the 6 months start when the permit is issued in an office. Credit is given for time held on an out-of-state permit. | 30 |
| Arkansas | State Police / DFA | – | 20 | – | 14 | Learner's/intermediate license is restricted until the 16th birthday and until 6 months of restricted driving are completed (counted from permit issue). | – |
| California | DMV | – | – | 80% | 15½ | 6 months (or until age 18) before the drive test for applicants under 18 | 50 |
| Colorado | DMV | – | – | – | 15 | 12 months for minors | 50 |
| Connecticut | DMV | 25 | 20 | 80% | 16 | 16-17: 120 days if trained at a commercial driving school or high school program, 180 days with home training; 18+: 90 days (adult learner's permit; exemptions for prior license holders and out-of-state active-duty military) | 40 |
| Delaware | DMV | 32 | 26 | 81% | 16 | 12 months of valid driving authority (then converts automatically to a Class D license) | 50 |
| Washington DC | DMV | – | – | – | 16 | 6 months (GRAD, ages 16-20), violation-free; permit valid 2 years for US citizens, non-renewable | 40 |
| Florida | FLHSMV | 50 | 40 | 80% | 15 | 12 months or until the 18th birthday, whichever comes first | 50 |
| Georgia | DDS | 40varies | 30 | 75% | 15 | 1 year and 1 day (Class CP) before a Class D provisional license | 40 |
| Hawaii | HDOT | 30varies | 24 | 80% | 15½ | 180 days before a provisional license | – |
| Idaho | ITD DMV | 40 | 34 | 85% | 14½ (Driver Training permit, for driver's education); Supervised Instruction Permit after driver training; 17+ may get a Class D Instruction Permit | Minimum 6-month violation-free supervised instruction period (under 17) | 50 |
| Illinois | Secretary of State | 35 | 28 | 80% | 15 | 9 consecutive months (ages 15-17). The SOS lists no minimum holding period for applicants 18 and older. | 50 |
| Indiana | BMV | – | – | 80% | 15 if enrolled in a BMV-licensed behind-the-wheel driver education course; 16 without driver education | 180 days | 50 |
| Iowa | DOT | 25 | 20 | 80% | 14 | 12 months (instruction permit, or permit plus special minor's restricted license) before an intermediate license at 16 | 20 |
| Kansas | KDOR Division of Vehicles | 25 | 20 | 80% | 14 | Under 17: hold a Kansas-issued instruction permit for 1 full year (or until 17, whichever comes first) before the driving test/restricted license; driver's-ed permit slip (DE-99) time doesn't count. Permit holders 17 and older have no minimum hold period. | 50 |
| Kentucky | KSP / KYTC | – | – | 80% | 15 | 180 days for permit holders 15-20; 30 days for applicants 21 and older | 60 |
| Louisiana | OMV | 40 | 32 | 80% | 15 (learner's permit); 14 for the Class E Temporary Instructional Permit (TIP) used only during driver education | At least 180 days and until age 16 for those who start at 15; a 16-year-old holds it 180 days or until turning 17; applicants 17 and older need not hold it 180 days | 50 |
| Maine | BMV | 30 | 24 | 80% | 15 (driver education required if under 18) | 6 months if under 21 (no wait at 21+) | 70 |
| Maryland | MVA | 25varies | 22 | 88% | 15 years 9 months | Under 18: 9 months without a violation. Age 18 with a diploma/GED, or 19-24: 3 months without a violation. 25 and older: at least 45 days. Any age with a moving-violation conviction/PBJ or a suspension: 9 months from the most recent one. Type 1 permit is valid up to 2 years. | 60 |
| Massachusetts | RMV | 25 | 18 | 72% | 16 | 6 consecutive months (under 18) with a clean record before the road test | 40 |
| Michigan | Secretary of State | – | – | – | 14 years 9 months (GDL Level 1 Learner's License; Segment 1 can start at 14 years 8 months) | 6 months (Level 1) before the driving skills test and Level 2; 3 months before starting Segment 2 | 50 |
| Minnesota | DVS | – | – | 80% | 15 | 6 months (180 days) if 18 or younger; 3 months (90 days) if 19 or older. An 18-year-old who turns 19 during the wait follows the 19-and-older rule. | 50 |
| Mississippi | DPS Driver Service Bureau | – | – | – | 15 | 12 months (or until the 17th birthday, whichever comes first). Applicants 17 and older need not hold a permit and may get the permit and license the same day. Out-of-state permit time counts. | 50 |
| Missouri | DOR | 25varies | 20 | 80% | 15 | 6 months (182 days) beginning the day after issuance, before an intermediate license | 40 |
| Montana | MVD | – | – | – | 14½ while in (or after completing) a state-approved traffic education course; otherwise 15 at a driver exam station. Check with MVD before you go. | At least 6 months and 1 day on the learner license (NCLP) before the first-year restricted license, with no traffic violations or alcohol or drug offenses in that time | 50 |
| Nebraska | DMV | 25varies | 20 | 80% | 15 (Learner's Permit LPD); 14 (School Learner's Permit LPE) | 6 months on LPE/SCP/LPD before a POP | 50 |
| Nevada | DMV | 25varies | 20 | 80% | 15½ | Under 18: hold the instruction permit at least 6 months before applying for a license | 50 |
| New Hampshire | DMV | 40 | 32 | 80% | 15½ (practice driving only; New Hampshire issues no learner's permit) | – | 40 |
| New Jersey | MVC | 50 | 40 | 80% | 16 (special learner permit, through an approved behind-the-wheel driver training course); 17 (examination permit) | 6 months of supervised driving for permit holders under 21; 3 months for 21 and older (non-GDL applicants: at least 20 days) | 50 |
| New Mexico | MVD | – | – | 70% | 15 | 6 months (extended 30 days for each traffic violation conviction while on the permit) | 50 |
| New York | DMV | 20 | 14 | 70% | 16 | 6 months for applicants under 18 (junior permit must be held in valid status at least 6 months, excluding any time suspended or revoked, before a road test can be scheduled) | 50 |
| North Carolina | NCDMV | – | – | 80% | 15 (Level 1 Limited Learner Permit, ages 15-17); 18+ for the adult learner permit | Level 1 permit must be held 9 months before applying for the Level 2 Limited Provisional License (minimum age 16) | 60 |
| North Dakota | NDDOT | – | – | – | 14 | Ages 14-15: 12 months or until 16, whichever comes first, but at least 6 months. Ages 16-17: 6 months or until 18, whichever comes first. | 50 |
| Ohio | BMV | 40 | 30 | 75% | 15½ | 6 months (under 18); 14 days for temporary residents 21 and older | 50 |
| Oklahoma | DMV (Service Oklahoma) | 20 | 15 | 75% | 15 (enrolled in or completed approved driver education); 16 without driver ed | 180 days before the intermediate license | 50 |
| Oregon | DMV | 35 | 28 | 80% | 15 | 6 months (under 18, before a provisional license); out-of-state permit time counts | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | PennDOT | 18 | 15 | 83% | 16 | Under 18: 6 months from permit issue date before the road test. Permit valid 1 year; three road test attempts per permit. | 65 |
| Rhode Island | DMV | 40 | – | – | 16 (Limited Instruction Permit, ages 16 to 18) | Under 18: 6 months before the road test, with no moving violation or seat belt conviction in the previous 6 months. 18 and older: hold the learner's permit at least 30 days before the first road test. | 50 |
| South Carolina | SCDMV | – | – | – | 15 | At least 180 days if 17 or younger (apply on the 181st day); at least 30 days if 18 or older (apply on the 31st day) | 40 |
| South Dakota | DPS | – | – | 80% | 14 | 275 days (180 days with approved driver education scoring 80%+ on written and driving portions) on the Instruction Permit, then 6 months on the Restricted Minor's Permit | 50 |
| Tennessee | TDOSHS | 30varies | 24 | 80% | 15 | 180 days (under 18) before the Intermediate Restricted License; permits expire 1 year from issue | 50 |
| Texas | DPS | – | – | 70% | 15 (learner license; driver education classroom may start at 14) | 6 months (learner and/or hardship license) before a provisional license; extended by the number of days of any suspension | 30 |
| Utah | DLD | 50varies | 40 | 80% | 15 | Ages 15-17: 6 months (and until age 16); age 18: no holding period but driver education required; age 19+: 90 days unless an approved driver education course is completed. Permit and test score valid 18 months. | 40 |
| Vermont | DMV | 20 | 16 | 80% | 15 | 1 year before a Junior Driver's License, with a clean record (no recalls, suspensions or revocations) for the prior 6 months | 40 |
| Virginia | DMV | 40 | 34 | 85% | 15 years 6 months | Under 18: at least 9 months and completion of state-approved driver education. 18 and older (before Jan. 1, 2027): 60 days OR completion of driver education while holding the permit. From Jan. 1, 2027: ages 18-20 must hold 90 days AND complete driver education; 21+ hold 60 days OR complete driver education. | 45 |
| Washington | DOL | 40 | 32 | 80% | 15 if enrolled in an approved driver training course (apply 1-10 days before the course starts); 15½ without a course (but then no license until 18) | 6 months (under 18) | 50 |
| West Virginia | DMV | 25 | 19 | 76% | 15 (Level 1 GDL instruction permit); 18+ regular Class E instruction permit | Level 1: 6 months (180 consecutive days) conviction-free before Level 2; adults never licensed: 30 days before the road test | 50 |
| Wisconsin | DMV | 50varies | 40 | 80% | 15 | 6 months violation-free if under 18 (7 days if 18 or older) | 50 |
| Wyoming | WYDOT | – | – | 80% | 15 | 10 days (learner's permit must be held at least 10 days before applying for an intermediate permit or full privileges) | 50 |
"–" means the agency doesn't publish the figure or we haven't confirmed it yet. Each state's page links to its source.
Questions
How many questions are on the DMV permit test?
It depends on the state: from 18 questions (Pennsylvania) to 50 (Florida, New Jersey, Utah and Wisconsin). Most states ask between 20 and 50. The table shows every state.
What score do you need to pass the permit test?
Most states require about 80% correct; a few accept 70% or 75%, and some require 85% or more. Check your state in the table.