The general pattern
There is no national permit test. Each state's licensing agency writes its own, so the number of questions, the pass mark and the format all vary. Across the country, though, the tests look broadly alike: a multiple-choice exam of a few dozen questions on traffic laws, signs and safe driving, with most states requiring somewhere in the 70–85% range to pass.
The number matters less than you'd think. A longer test gives you more room to absorb a mistake or two; a shorter one means each question is worth more. Either way, the preparation is the same: learn the rules well enough to score 90% or more on practice tests, and the exact length stops mattering.
Permit test questions and pass marks by state
Every figure below comes from the state's own driver handbook or licensing-agency website, as recorded on our state pages in October 2026. Where a state doesn't publish a number, the table says Not published, and we don't fill the gap with a figure from another site. 21 of 51 jurisdictions publish both the question count and the pass mark. Rows marked ⚑ have a source caveat. Follow the state link for the full rules and official sources.
| State | Questions | Pass mark | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not published | Not published | ALEA does not publish an official count or pass mark. |
| Alaska | 20 | 80% | 16 correct, 25-minute limit. |
| Arizona | 30 | 80% | 24 correct. |
| Arkansas | Not published | Not published | Arkansas State Police does not publish an official count or pass mark. |
| California | Not published | 80% | Question count not published. |
| Colorado | Not published | Not published | Colorado DMV does not publish an official count or pass mark. |
| Connecticut | 25 | 80% | 20 correct. |
| Delaware | 32 | 81.25% | 26 correct. |
| District of Columbia | 30 | Not published | 30 on the GRAD test (ages 16–20), 25 on the standard test (21+); pass mark not published. |
| Florida | 50 | Not published | Pass mark not stated in the handbook. |
| Georgia | 40 | 75% | Two 20-question sections (road rules, road signs); 15 correct on each. |
| Hawaii | 30 | Not published | Count from the Honolulu online permit test; pass mark not published. |
| Idaho | 40 | 85% | Miss no more than 6. |
| Illinois | 35 | 80% | At least 35 questions (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1030.80). |
| Indiana | Not published | 80% | 80% on each component; question count not published. |
| Iowa | Not published | Not published | Iowa DOT does not publish the count or pass score for the real test. |
| Kansas | 25 | 80% | 20 correct; not timed. |
| Kentucky | Not published | 80% | Question count not published. |
| Louisiana | Not published | 80% | Count not published. ⚑ Source is the 2013 OMV guide; a newer edition may exist. |
| Maine | 30 | 80% | 24 correct. |
| Maryland | 25 | 88% | 22 correct, 20-minute limit. |
| Massachusetts | 25 | 72% | 18 correct, 25-minute limit. |
| Michigan | Not published | Not published | Teens under 18 pass the Segment 1 driver-ed exam (70%) instead of an SOS test; the adult test's count and pass score aren't published. |
| Minnesota | Not published | 80% | Question count not published. |
| Mississippi | Not published | Not published | MDPS publishes neither the count nor the pass score. |
| Missouri | 25 | 80% | 20 correct, plus a separate road sign test. |
| Montana | Not published | Not published | Montana MVD does not publish the count or pass score. |
| Nebraska | Not published | Not published | Nebraska DMV does not publish the count or pass score. |
| Nevada | Not published | Not published | The DMV 700 handbook does not state the count or pass score. |
| New Hampshire | 40 | 80% | The test stops after more than 8 wrong. |
| New Jersey | 50 | 80% | 40 correct. |
| New Mexico | Not published | Not published | The NM manual gives no count or pass score. |
| New York | 20 | 70% | 14 correct, including at least 2 of the 4 road-sign questions. |
| North Carolina | Not published | Not published | NCDMV does not publish the count or pass score. |
| North Dakota | Not published | Not published | NDDOT does not publish the count or pass score. |
| Ohio | 40 | 75% | 30 correct. |
| Oklahoma | Not published | Not published | Service Oklahoma does not publish the count or pass score. |
| Oregon | 35 | 80% | 28 correct. |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 83% | 15 correct. |
| Rhode Island | 40 | Not published | Computer test, up to 90 minutes; the manual does not state the pass score. |
| South Carolina | Not published | Not published | SCDMV does not publish the count or pass score. |
| South Dakota | Not published | Not published | SD DPS does not publish the count or pass score. |
| Tennessee | Not published | Not published | The Tennessee manual does not publish the count or pass score. |
| Texas | Not published | 70% | DPS does not publish the question count. |
| Utah | Not published | 80% | DLD does not publish the question count. |
| Vermont | 20 | 80% | 16 correct. |
| Virginia | Not published | 80% | Part 1: 10 sign questions, all 10 must be right. Part 2: 80%; Part 2 question count not published. |
| Washington | Not published | Not published | The DOL guide does not publish the count or pass score. |
| West Virginia | 25 | 76% | At least 25 questions; 19 correct. |
| Wisconsin | 50 | 80% | 40 correct, plus a separate 15-question signs test (12 correct). |
| Wyoming | Not published | Not published | WYDOT does not publish the count or pass score. ⚑ Source is the 2021 manual (latest found). |
How to work out how many you can miss
Once you know your state's numbers, calculate your margin. Multiply the total questions by your pass percentage to get the minimum correct, then subtract that from the total. A few examples, using made-up but typical formats:
| Questions | Pass mark | Need correct | Can miss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 80% | 16 | 4 |
| 25 | 80% | 20 | 5 |
| 30 | 80% | 24 | 6 |
| 40 | 75% | 30 | 10 |
| 50 | 80% | 40 | 10 |
If the result isn't a whole number, round the "need correct" figure up — you can't get 80% with 19.5 answers.
Tests that end early
Some states use a test that stops as soon as the outcome is certain. If you reach the number of correct answers needed to pass, the test ends and you pass, even if there were more questions to go. The same happens in reverse: miss one more than the allowed number and it ends immediately. Don't read anything into a short test until you see the result.
Separate sections
A few states split the exam into sections — typically road signs and road rules — and require a passing score on each. In that format, being brilliant at rules doesn't make up for weak signs. If your state works this way, take the road signs test until you score 100%; it's the cheapest insurance you can buy.
Motorcycle and CDL tests
Motorcycle permits use a separate knowledge test based on the state's motorcycle operator manual. Commercial licenses use their own tests too; federal regulations require every CDL knowledge test to have at least 30 questions with a pass score of at least 80%. See our motorcycle permit test and CDL practice test.
Practicing at the right length
Our exam mode draws questions at random and grades you against a pass mark, so you can rehearse the real thing. On the national pages it uses a common format of 25 questions at 80%. As each state page goes live, its exam mode will use that state's verified count and pass mark. Start with the free practice permit test.