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Pennsylvania permit test 18 questions, 3 misses allowed

PennDOT's knowledge test is one of the shortest in the country at 18 questions, so each one matters: 15 correct passes, and a fourth miss fails. Before the test, you need a physical. After it, Pennsylvania asks for 65 practice hours, including some in bad weather. Here's the complete process.

Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · Pennsylvania Driver's Manual PUB 95 (4-21)

Your first stop is a doctor

Step 1

Physical on form DL-180

A health-care provider completes the back of the form, no earlier than 6 months before you turn 16.

Step 2

Turn 16

You can't apply before your 16th birthday.

Step 3

Driver License Center

DL-180, ID, SSN and residency proof, then vision screening.

Step 4

18-question test

Pass it to get a permit valid one year. Fail, and retest the next business day.

Pennsylvania DMV practice test

Scored at PennDOT's 15-of-18 standard. Our bank has 25 questions from PUB 95, so you'll see more than the real test.

Free quiz · no sign-up

Pennsylvania permit practice test

Questions
25
To pass
83.33%
About
17 min

Instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.

Preview the 25 free questions

  1. How many questions are on the Pennsylvania knowledge test?

    • 15
    • 18
    • 20
    • 25

  2. How many correct answers do you need?

    • 12
    • 14
    • 15
    • 16

  3. After failing the knowledge test, when can you retest?

    • The same day
    • The following business day
    • After 7 days
    • After 30 days

  4. When is the earliest you can apply for a Pennsylvania learner's permit?

    • At 15
    • At 15½
    • On your 16th birthday
    • At 17

  5. How early can the DL-180 physical be done before your 16th birthday?

    • 3 months
    • 6 months
    • 1 year
    • Any time

  6. How long must you hold the permit before the road test?

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

  7. How many skill-building hours do drivers under 18 need?

    • 40
    • 50
    • 65
    • 70

  8. How many of those must be in bad weather?

    • 0
    • 3
    • 5
    • 10

  9. What is the junior license curfew?

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

  10. During the first six months, how many non-family passengers under 18 are allowed?

    • 0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3

  11. After six months with no at-fault crashes or convictions, how many?

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4

  12. How old must a supervising licensed parent, guardian or spouse be?

    • 16
    • 18
    • 21
    • 25

  13. How long is a learner's permit valid?

    • 6 months
    • 1 year
    • 2 years
    • 4 years

  14. At what BAC is a driver under 21 guilty of DUI?

    • .00
    • .02%
    • .05%
    • .08%

  15. What is Pennsylvania's maximum speed limit?

    • 65 mph
    • 70 mph
    • 75 mph
    • 55 mph

  16. What is the school zone limit when the lights are flashing?

    • 15 mph
    • 20 mph
    • 25 mph
    • 35 mph

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

    • 5 feet
    • 10 feet
    • 20 feet
    • 25 feet

  18. What is the penalty for failing to stop for a school bus?

    • A 30-day suspension
    • A 60-day suspension + 5 points
    • 3 points
    • A warning

  19. When don't you have to stop for a school bus?

    • On a four-lane road
    • On the opposite side of a divided highway
    • After dark
    • When no children are visible

  20. If you can't move over for an emergency response area, slow to at least:

    • 10 mph below the limit
    • 15 mph below
    • 20 mph below the limit
    • 25 mph

  21. What is the maximum first-offense fine for failing to move over?

    • $100
    • $250
    • $500
    • $1,000

  22. Within what distance of an oncoming vehicle must you use low beams?

    • 300 feet
    • 500 feet
    • 750 feet
    • 1,000 feet

  23. When must your headlights be on?

    • When wipers are on because of weather
    • When it's cloudy
    • On interstates only
    • Never during the day

  24. What is a jughandle used for?

    • Merging
    • Making left turns from the right lane
    • Parking
    • Exiting tolls

  25. How long must a driver under 18 wait after failing the road test?

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

18 languages, on request

Every Driver License Center offers the test in writing and audio in English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Hindi, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Nepali, Polish, Somali and Urdu. Ask at the counter.

PUB 95 doesn't mention an online test, the permit fee or appointment rules. It's also the April 2021 edition, so laws passed since then may be missing. Check PennDOT.

65 hours, and 5 of them in bad weather

Pennsylvania is one of the few states that requires practice in bad weather. Under 18, you hold the permit at least six months and log 65 hours of skill-building driving, including 10 at night and 5 in bad weather. Someone must certify the hours. Your supervisor must be a licensed driver 21+, or a licensed parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse 18+, in the front seat. Passengers can't outnumber seat belts.

On the road test, under-18 drivers who fail wait 7 days, and you get three tries per permit.

The junior license

  • No driving 11 p.m.–5 a.m. unless with a parent, guardian or spouse 18+. Exceptions cover public or charitable service, volunteer fire company duty and employment, with a notarized affidavit.
  • First six months: one non-family passenger under 18, unless a parent or guardian is present.
  • After that: up to three, but not if you've had an at-fault crash or a conviction.

Driving the Pennsylvania way

Jughandles

At some intersections, you can't turn left from the left lane. Instead, you exit right onto a curved ramp (the jughandle), then cross at the signal. PUB 95 covers this on page 49, and it shows up on tests.

Ramp meters

On a single-lane ramp, one car goes per green.

Lights

Headlights are required when your wipers are on because of weather, and in posted work zones (an extra $25 fine). Dim to low beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and 300 feet when following.

Penalties worth memorizing

Not stopping for a school bus60-day suspension, 5 points, fine. Stop at least 10 feet away, unless you're on the opposite side of a highway divided by a barrier, guide rail or median.
Move OverMove to a lane not next to emergency response areas and disabled vehicles marked with flares or signs, or slow to 20 mph below the limit. Fines up to $500, $1,000 and $2,000, plus 2 points.
TextingBanned for all drivers on interactive wireless devices. GPS and integrated systems are exempt.
Under-21 DUIBAC .02% or higher

The top speed limit is 70 mph. School zones are 15 mph when the lights flash or during posted times.

Neighbors

New York · New Jersey · Delaware · Maryland · West Virginia · Ohio

Pennsylvania permit test FAQ

How many questions are on the PA permit test?

18 multiple-choice questions on traffic signs, Pennsylvania driving laws and safe driving. You need 15 correct, about 83%.

What happens if I fail the Pennsylvania knowledge test?

You can retest the following business day.

Do I need a physical for a Pennsylvania permit?

Yes. A health-care provider completes the physical on the back of form DL-180, no earlier than six months before your 16th birthday.

What languages is the PA knowledge test in?

Written and audio versions in English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Hindi, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Nepali, Polish, Somali and Urdu, available on request at every Driver License Center.

How many hours do PA teens need?

65 hours of skill-building driving, including at least 10 at night and 5 in bad weather, with the permit held six months.

Is the PA driver's manual current?

The English PUB 95 we used is dated April 2021 (4-21). Laws passed after that, including newer distracted-driving rules, may not be in it, so check PennDOT's current pages.

Keep studying

Sources: PA Driver's Manual PUB 95 (PDF); PennDOT manual page. Not affiliated with PennDOT.