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Montana Department of Justice · Motor Vehicle Division

Montana permit test as early as 14½

Montana has some of the most flexible permit ages in the country: 14½, 15 or 16, depending on your traffic education. The learner license, called an NCLP, costs $5 a year, and a first-year rule violation is punished with community service before a suspension. Here's how it all works, with a Montana MVD practice test.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · Montana Driver Manual (cover: revised April 2024; file 25-0100M posted May 2026)

Find your starting age

If you...Earliest NCLPWhere
are enrolled in or have finished state-approved traffic ed14½Through the program
have completed traffic ed15Driver exam station
skipped traffic ed16Driver exam station

Online traffic ed courses don't count toward the early ages, according to the manual.

Test day at an exam station

  1. Book at cars.dojmt.gov. Appointments are required.
  2. Bring proof of authorized presence, identity and Montana residence. If you're under 18, bring consent signed by a parent, guardian or responsible adult before you test.
  3. Pass the vision test and the written test.
  4. Pay: $5.00 per year of license validity, plus the 3% administrative fee MVD adds to every transaction. Cash, check and card are accepted, and receipts are valid for a year.

Unverified: the manual doesn't give the written test's question count, pass score, languages, online option or retake wait. Its cover says “Revised April 2024,” but the file was posted in May 2026, so we cite both. The speed-limit table didn't extract cleanly, so we don't reproduce it.

Montana MVD practice test

25 questions from the Montana Driver Manual, scored against an 80% target. This isn't an official length or pass mark.

Free quiz · no sign-up

Montana MVD 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. With state-approved traffic education, what is the earliest age for a learner license (NCLP)?

    • 14
    • 14½
    • 15
    • 16

  2. Without traffic education, at what age can you get an NCLP?

    • 15
    • 15½
    • 16
    • 17

  3. Does an online traffic ed course qualify you for an early permit?

    • Yes
    • No
    • Only at 15
    • Only at 16

  4. How long must a driver under 18 hold the NCLP?

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

  5. How many supervised practice hours are required?

    • 30
    • 40
    • 50
    • 60

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

    • 5
    • 10
    • 15
    • 20

  7. What is the First-Year Restricted License curfew?

    • 10 p.m.–5 a.m.
    • 11 p.m.–5 a.m.
    • Midnight–5 a.m.
    • 1–5 a.m.

  8. In the first six months, how many unrelated passengers under 18 may you carry?

    • 0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3

  9. In the second six months, how many?

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4

  10. What is the penalty for a first GDL violation?

    • A fine
    • 20–60 hours of community service
    • Revocation
    • A warning

  11. What is the penalty for a second violation?

    • Community service
    • A 6-month suspension
    • A 1-year suspension
    • A fine

  12. How long does the First-Year Restricted License last?

    • 6 months
    • 1 year
    • 2 years
    • Until 21

  13. Who must wear a seat belt when a restricted licensee drives?

    • The driver
    • The front seat
    • Everyone
    • Under 18 only

  14. What does a learner license cost per year?

    • $1
    • $5
    • $8
    • $10

  15. What administrative fee is added to MVD transactions?

    • 1%
    • 2%
    • 3%
    • 5%

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

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

  17. What is the adult BAC limit?

    • .05
    • .08
    • .10
    • .12

  18. How far from a school bus with red lights must you stop?

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

  19. What should you do when a school bus shows flashing yellow lights?

    • Pass quickly
    • Slow down and proceed carefully
    • Ignore them
    • Stop 100 feet back

  20. How low can a Montana school zone limit be?

    • 10 mph
    • 15 mph
    • 20 mph
    • 25 mph

  21. What happens to fines in school zones?

    • They're the same
    • They're doubled
    • They're tripled
    • They're waived

  22. What speed does the manual give for roundabouts?

    • 15 mph or less
    • 25 mph
    • 30 mph
    • The posted highway speed

  23. Which way does traffic flow in a roundabout?

    • Clockwise
    • Counterclockwise
    • Either way
    • It's signal-controlled

  24. What is a funeral procession's maximum speed on a highway posted 55 or higher?

    • 45 mph
    • 50 mph
    • 55 mph
    • 65 mph

  25. What does a replacement license cost?

    • $5
    • $8
    • $10
    • $16

Six months on the NCLP

Under 18, you hold the NCLP six consecutive months (it's valid up to a year) and log 50 hours, 10 at night. Your supervisor is a licensed parent, guardian or responsible adult, or an adult licensed driver they authorize. For Step 2, a parent signs the GDL Parent/Guardian Certification form.

The First-Year Restricted License

For one year (or until 18), everyone in the car wears a seat belt, and you don't drive 11 p.m.–5 a.m. unless it's an emergency, farm work, school, church, work or a parent-authorized trip. The passenger cap grows halfway through:

  • Months 1–6: 1 unrelated passenger under 18
  • Months 7–12: 3

A licensed adult supervising lifts the cap. Penalties escalate:

First violation20–60 hours of community service
Second violation6-month suspension

On Montana roads

School zones and buses

School zone limits can be as low as 15 mph (§61-8-310 MCA), and fines are doubled in every school zone. Flashing yellow on a bus means slow down and proceed carefully. Flashing red means stop at least 30 feet away, from either direction.

Roundabouts

Enter at 15 mph or less, yield to traffic already circulating, and go counterclockwise.

Everything else

  • BAC limits: .08, or .02 under 21.
  • For an emergency vehicle, clear the intersection, pull right and stop until it passes.
  • Funeral processions go no faster than 55 mph on highways posted 55 or higher.
  • Undercarriage lights that flash or use emergency colors are illegal.
  • A replacement license costs $10. New residents switch after establishing residence.

Neighboring states

Idaho (40 questions at 85%) · Wyoming · North Dakota · South Dakota

Montana MVD permit test FAQ

How old do you have to be to get a permit in Montana?

14½ if you're enrolled in or have finished state-approved traffic education, 15 with completed traffic ed, or 16 at a driver exam station without it. Online traffic ed courses aren't approved.

How many questions are on the Montana permit test?

The Montana Driver Manual doesn't give a question count or pass score for the written test, and we couldn't confirm them.

Do I need an appointment for the Montana written test?

Yes. The manual says appointments are required at driver exam stations. You can book online.

How much does a Montana learner license cost?

$5.00 per year of validity, plus a 3% administrative fee on every MVD transaction. Cash, check or credit card are accepted.

What is the Montana teen driving curfew?

On a First-Year Restricted License, no driving 11 p.m.–5 a.m., except for emergencies, farm work, school, church, work, or trips your parent authorizes.

What happens if I break the first-year rules?

A first violation means 20–60 hours of community service. A second means a six-month suspension.

Keep studying

Sources: Montana Driver Manual (PDF); Montana MVD. Not affiliated with the Montana Department of Justice.