Skip to content

Idaho Transportation Department · county DMV offices

Idaho permit test six mistakes, max

Idaho's 40-question Class D test has an 85% pass mark, so you can miss six and no more. Teens start younger than most — a Driver Training Permit at 14½ — and spend at least six violation-free months under supervision. Everything below is from the July 2026 Idaho Driver's Handbook.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · Idaho Driver's Handbook, July 2026

Your mistake budget on test day

34 right (dark) to pass, 6 wrong (orange) allowed. Fail and you wait 3 days and pay $5 again.

Test-day facts

  • Where: your county DMV office. ITD sets the rules; the counties run the counters.
  • Order: vision screening (20/40 in at least one eye), then the 40-question test, then fees.
  • Languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Swahili, Vietnamese and ASL.
  • Bring: proof of identity, SSN and Idaho residency. Under 17, also proof of driver's training and your supervised hours.

From the handbook itself: ITD warns that web-based practice tests aren't accurate, except its own sample questions (20 of them, with answers, on page 134). We take that seriously. Our questions below are written from the handbook's rules and numbers, not copied from the real exam. Use them to learn the material, then take ITD's sample set.

Fees

Knowledge test$5.00
Class D Instruction Permit (17+)$20.00
Driver Training + Supervised Instruction Permit$21.50
Parent-led Driver Training + SIP$16.50 (includes the $6.50 skills test receipt)

We didn't find an online knowledge test option in the handbook.

Idaho permit practice test

25 questions, scored at Idaho's real 85% standard. Getting 21 of 25 right is a pass here, so treat anything less as a sign to study more.

Free quiz · no sign-up

Idaho permit practice test

Questions
25
To pass
85%
About
17 min

Instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.

Preview the 25 free questions

  1. How many questions are on the Idaho Class D knowledge test?

    • 25
    • 30
    • 40
    • 50

  2. What is the most you can miss and still pass?

    • 4
    • 6
    • 8
    • 10

  3. After failing the knowledge test, how long must you wait?

    • 1 day
    • 3 days
    • 7 days
    • 14 days

  4. What is Idaho's knowledge test fee?

    • $3
    • $5
    • $10
    • $20

  5. What is the earliest age for a Driver Training Permit?

    • 14
    • 14½
    • 15
    • 15½

  6. How long is the minimum supervised instruction period for drivers under 17?

    • 3 months
    • 6 months
    • 9 months
    • 12 months

  7. How many supervised driving hours are required?

    • 30
    • 40
    • 50
    • 60

  8. How many of those hours must be at night?

    • 5
    • 10
    • 15
    • 20

  9. How old must the supervisor of a driver under 17 be?

    • 18
    • 19
    • 21
    • 25

  10. How does Idaho define "daylight" for licensed drivers under 16?

    • Sunrise to sunset
    • 5 a.m.–10 p.m.
    • 6 a.m.–9 p.m.
    • 6 a.m.–midnight

  11. In the first six months, a driver under 17 may carry how many unrelated passengers under 17?

    • 0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3

  12. What penalty does a driver under 17 face for a second moving violation?

    • A warning letter
    • A 30-day suspension
    • A 60-day suspension
    • A 1-year suspension

  13. At what BAC can a driver under 21 be charged with DUI?

    • .00
    • .02
    • .04
    • .08

  14. What is the BAC limit for commercial drivers?

    • .02
    • .04
    • .05
    • .08

  15. Unless posted otherwise, what is the interstate maximum?

    • 65 mph
    • 70 mph
    • 75 mph
    • 80 mph

  16. Unless posted, what is the maximum in residential, business and urban districts?

    • 25 mph
    • 30 mph
    • 35 mph
    • 45 mph

  17. Unless posted, what is the maximum on state highways?

    • 55 mph
    • 60 mph
    • 65 mph
    • 70 mph

  18. Dim your high beams when an oncoming vehicle is within:

    • 200 feet
    • 350 feet
    • 500 feet
    • 1,000 feet

  19. Dim your high beams when following another vehicle within:

    • 100 feet
    • 200 feet
    • 300 feet
    • 500 feet

  20. When are studded snow tires legal in Idaho?

    • Year-round
    • October 1–April 30
    • November 1–March 31
    • Never

  21. On a highway with two lanes each way, a school bus stops on the opposite side. You:

    • Must stop
    • Need not stop
    • Stop only if its lights are amber
    • Yield

  22. What is Idaho's minimum vision standard?

    • 20/20
    • 20/40 in at least one eye
    • 20/50
    • 20/70

  23. Texting while driving in Idaho is:

    • Legal
    • An infraction
    • A felony
    • Legal at red lights

  24. Low beams must light the road for at least:

    • 50 feet
    • 100 feet
    • 200 feet
    • 350 feet

  25. What happens if you get a traffic conviction during the supervised instruction period?

    • A warning
    • The permit is canceled and the six months start over
    • A fine only
    • Nothing

Which permit do you need?

PermitWhoRules
Driver Training Permit (DT)14½ to under 17Valid only with your driver training instructor
Supervised Instruction Permit (SIP)Under 17, during or after driver trainingAt least 6 months, violation-free. Supervisor licensed 21+ in front, with no other front-seat passengers. 50 hours, 10 at night
Class D Instruction Permit17+Valid 1 year. Supervisor licensed 18+. Knowledge test required

A traffic conviction during the supervised period cancels the permit and restarts the six months. After it, you pass the knowledge test and the skills test with a Skills Test Examiner — 12 or fewer errors passes, and a fail means a three-day wait. You can be licensed from 15.

New-driver limits

  • Under 16: drive only in "daylight", which Idaho defines as 5 a.m.–10 p.m., unless a licensed driver 21+ is in front.
  • Under 17, first six months: no more than one passenger under 17 unless they're related to you by blood, adoption or marriage.
  • Under 17, violations: a warning letter for the first, a 30-day suspension for the second, 60 days for the third and beyond.

Speed limits

Interstates75 mph (80 where posted)
State highways65 mph (70 where posted)
Residential, business, urban35 mph unless posted

Don't linger in the far-left lane holding up traffic. Slow-moving vehicles (25 mph or less) may travel only in daylight.

The equipment numbers nobody expects

Idaho's handbook includes vehicle equipment standards, and they make good test questions:

  • Foot brakes must stop a car from 20 mph within 25 feet, and the parking brake within 55 feet.
  • High beams must show 350 feet ahead, low beams 100 feet.
  • Headlights go on from sunset to sunrise. Dim them within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and 200 feet when following.
  • Studded snow tires are legal only October 1–April 30.

Alcohol, phones, buses

DUI limits are .02 under 21, .04 commercial and .08 at 21+, with stiffer penalties at .20. A first DUI can mean up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine and a 90–180 day suspension — a full year if you're under 21. Texting while driving is an infraction with no points, and hands-free use is exempt. For school buses, stop for flashing reds or a stop arm unless you're on the opposite side of a highway with four or more lanes.

Not verified: whether Idaho offers an online knowledge test, and the details of its Move Over law.

Neighbors

See Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Idaho permit test FAQ

How many questions are on the Idaho permit test?

40. You can miss no more than six, so you need 34 correct (85%) — one of the higher pass marks in the country.

How long do I wait if I fail the Idaho knowledge test?

Three days, and you pay the $5 knowledge test fee again.

What age can you get a permit in Idaho?

14½, for a Driver Training Permit so you can start an approved driver training program. Drivers 17+ can get a Class D Instruction Permit, valid one year, with a licensed supervisor 18+.

What languages is the Idaho knowledge test offered in?

English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Swahili and Vietnamese, plus American Sign Language.

Are online Idaho practice tests accurate?

The handbook itself warns that web-based practice tests aren't accurate, except ITD's own sample questions, which are on page 134 of the handbook. Use ours to learn the handbook's material, and use ITD's to check yourself.

Where do I take the Idaho permit test?

At your county DMV office. ITD sets the rules, but the counties deliver driver services.

Keep studying

Source: Idaho Driver's Handbook (July 2026), Idaho Transportation Department. Independent study site; not affiliated with ITD.