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Edition warning: the newest OMV driver's guide we could download is DPSMV2052, revised April 2013. OMV's manuals page now points to a PowerDMS copy we couldn't open. Treat the numbers below as from that edition, and check them with OMV.

Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles

Louisiana permit test driver ed first

In Louisiana, driver education comes before the permit test: 30 classroom hours and 8 behind the wheel. Then you pass the OMV's computer test with 80%. This page covers the three GDL stages and Louisiana's three BAC limits, with a 25-question practice test.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · Class D & E Driver's Guide, R04/2013

Classroom

30 h

Behind the wheel

8 h

Knowledge test

80%

On test day

Go to an OMV office at least an hour before the last test is given. Bring proper ID — the guide says you need it every time you take the test — plus proof of residency. Non-citizens need at least 180 days left on their visa or I-94. You'll do vision screening, take the multiple-choice test (on a computer in most offices), pay the fee and get your permit.

The guide doesn't give a question count, languages, an online option or a retake wait. The fee table in the PDF we have is unreadable, so we don't quote a permit fee.

Three stages, and the clock matters

Stage 1 — learner's permit (15)

Drive only with a licensed adult 21+ or a licensed sibling 18+. Hold the permit 180 days. You can't move up before 16.

Stage 2 — intermediate (16)

A parent signs a statement of 50 practice hours, 15 at night, and you pass a road test with 80%. Then two time windows apply:

TimeRule
6 p.m.–5 a.m.At most one passenger under 21 who isn't immediate family
11 p.m.–5 a.m.No driving unless a licensed adult 21+ or sibling 18+ is with you

Stage 3 — full license (17)

You qualify after finishing stages 1 and 2, or at 17+. If you're 18 or older and applying for the first time, you take a 38-hour driver ed course (required since August 2012).

Through all of this — learner, intermediate, under 18, and the first year of any license — no wireless devices while driving. Texting while driving is illegal for everyone.

Louisiana OMV practice test

25 questions from the guide, scored at 80%. This isn't the length of the real test, which OMV doesn't publish.

Free quiz · no sign-up

Louisiana OMV permit practice test

Questions
25
To pass
80%
About
17 min

Instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.

Preview the 25 free questions

  1. At what age can you get a Louisiana learner's permit?

    • 14
    • 15
    • 15½
    • 16

  2. How many classroom hours of driver ed come before the permit?

    • 20
    • 30
    • 38
    • 40

  3. How many behind-the-wheel hours are part of teen driver ed?

    • 6
    • 8
    • 10
    • 14

  4. What score passes the knowledge test?

    • 70%
    • 75%
    • 80%
    • 85%

  5. An adult supervising a learner must be at least:

    • 18
    • 19
    • 21
    • 25

  6. A sibling may supervise a learner if the sibling is at least:

    • 16
    • 18
    • 19
    • 21

  7. How long must you hold the learner's permit?

    • 90 days
    • 120 days
    • 180 days
    • 365 days

  8. At what age can you get an intermediate license?

    • 15½
    • 16
    • 16½
    • 17

  9. How many practice hours must a parent certify?

    • 30
    • 40
    • 50
    • 60

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

    • 5
    • 10
    • 15
    • 20

  11. What is the intermediate curfew?

    • 10 p.m.–5 a.m.
    • 11 p.m.–5 a.m.
    • Midnight–5 a.m.
    • 11 p.m.–6 a.m.

  12. From what time does the intermediate passenger limit apply?

    • 6 p.m.
    • 8 p.m.
    • 9 p.m.
    • 11 p.m.

  13. During those hours, how many passengers under 21 who aren't immediate family are allowed?

    • 0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3

  14. The intermediate license is held until what age?

    • 16½
    • 17
    • 18
    • 21

  15. How long a driver ed course must first-time applicants 18+ take?

    • 8 hours
    • 30 hours
    • 38 hours
    • 50 hours

  16. What is the legal BAC limit for drivers 21+?

    • .05
    • .08
    • .10
    • .02

  17. What is the BAC limit for drivers under 21?

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

  18. What is the BAC limit for commercial drivers?

    • .02
    • .04
    • .06
    • .08

  19. How far from a stopped school bus loading children must you stop?

    • 10 feet
    • 20 feet
    • 30 feet
    • 50 feet

  20. When are low-beam headlights required?

    • Only in hard rain
    • Whenever your wipers are needed
    • After 8 p.m.
    • Only in fog

  21. A driver 21+ tests at .20 or higher. What suspension applies?

    • 90 days
    • 1 year
    • 2 years
    • 5 years

  22. About how much alcohol does the body clear each hour?

    • .005
    • .015
    • .05
    • .08

  23. May a learner's permit holder use a wireless device while driving?

    • Yes, hands-free
    • No
    • Only at red lights
    • Yes

  24. How long may a non-resident with a valid license drive in Louisiana?

    • 30 days
    • 60 days
    • 90 days
    • 180 days

  25. What does the guide say about driving very slowly?

    • It's always safe
    • It can impede traffic and is dangerous
    • It's required at night
    • It's legal anywhere

One state, three BAC limits

  • .02 — under 21
  • .04 — commercial drivers
  • .08 — everyone else 21+

For drivers 21+, refusing a test, or failing it between .08 and .19, brings a 90-day suspension. At .20 or higher, it's two years. The guide also reminds you that the body clears only about .015% per hour. Coffee doesn't change that.

Other guide rules worth a point

  • Stop at least 30 feet from a school bus loading or unloading children.
  • Wipers on means low-beam headlights on.
  • Slow down near schools and playgrounds when children are present, and in residential and business areas. Don't go below a posted minimum or impede traffic.
  • Visitors with a valid license may drive here 90 days.
  • Littering penalties run from a $50 fine plus 8 hours of community service up to $5,000, a one-year suspension and jail (R.S. 30:2531).

Around Louisiana

Compare Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi, or see the general DMV permit practice test.

Louisiana permit test FAQ

What score do I need on the Louisiana permit test?

80%. The OMV Class D & E Driver's Guide says the multiple-choice test is taken on a computer in most offices. It doesn't say how many questions there are.

Do I need driver's ed for a Louisiana permit?

Yes, at 15. The guide requires 30 classroom hours and 8 hours behind the wheel. First-time applicants 18 or older take a 38-hour course.

Who can ride with a Louisiana permit driver?

A licensed adult 21 or older, or a licensed sibling 18 or older.

When should I get to the OMV?

The guide says to arrive at least an hour before the last test of the day, and to bring proper ID every time you test.

Is the Louisiana driver's guide up to date?

The newest copy we could download is the April 2013 revision. OMV now links its manuals through PowerDMS, which we couldn't open, so a newer edition may exist.

Can learners use a phone hands-free?

No. Learner and intermediate holders, all drivers under 18, and first-year licensees may not use a wireless device while driving.

Keep studying

Sources: OMV Class D & E Driver's Guide (PDF); OMV driver manuals page. Not affiliated with Louisiana OMV.