Why so many people fail, and how not to
The guide doesn't say why the failure rate is so high, but the questions point to the usual traps. Missouri tests detailed rules that common sense won't give you: the 1 a.m. curfew (not midnight), the 182-day permit period, the five points for passing a school bus, and the 15-day delay before an administrative suspension starts. If you missed any of those in the quiz above, reread Chapters 1, 5, 10 and 11 of the Driver Guide.
Who can supervise you depends on your age
| Permit holder | Allowed supervisors |
|---|---|
| Under 16 | A parent, stepparent, grandparent or guardian; a qualified driving instructor; or someone 25+ licensed 3 years with written parent permission |
| 16 and older | Any licensed driver 21+ |
Either way, the driver and every passenger must be belted.
The intermediate license (16)
You qualify after holding the permit 182 days, completing 40 hours of driving instruction (10 at night), going 12 months with no alcohol convictions and 6 months with no traffic convictions, and passing the driving test. It costs $14. Then:
- First 6 months: at most one non-family passenger under 19.
- After that: at most three.
- Always: no driving alone from 1:00 to 5:00 a.m., except for a school activity, a job or an emergency, or with a licensed driver 21+.
At 18, you move up to the full under-21 license.
Road rules the guide stresses
- School buses: failing to stop means 5 points and, for a first offense, a 90-day suspension. You don't stop if you're on the opposite side of a highway with four or more lanes, or at a school loading zone where students don't cross.
- Emergency vehicles: pull right and stop, but clear the intersection first. Never stop inside a roundabout. Exit, then pull over. For a stationary vehicle with red or blue lights on a road with four or more lanes, move to a lane not next to it if you safely can. Otherwise, slow down.
- Funeral processions have the right of way at intersections, except over emergency vehicles and police.
- Alcohol: administrative action at .08, or .02 for minors. The suspension starts 15 days after notice.
- School zones: slower speeds when the lights are flashing or children are present.
- Deer: crashes peak from sunset to midnight and around sunrise, especially in January, May, and October through December.
Thinking about two wheels? Missouri offers a motorcycle permit at 15½ with a rider course: daylight only, within 50 miles, 250cc or less, no passengers. See our motorcycle permit test.
The guide doesn't cover test languages, retake waits, online testing or statewide speed limits, so we don't either.
Bordering states
Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Eight neighbors, eight different tests.