DMV Practice Test Blog
Guides, tips and study advice for permit, license, motorcycle and CDL applicants. Read the topic you need, then take a free practice test for your state.
Permits and Licensing
How graduated licensing works, what you need for a permit, and how the stages differ. See also: How to get a learner’s permit.
Graduated Driver Licensing Explained: The Three Stages
Why new drivers move through a permit and an intermediate license before a full license, and what to check for your state.
5 min readPermits and LicensingHow Many Supervised Driving Hours Do Teens Need? A State Comparison
From 20 hours to 70, here is how the required practice time varies across all 50 states and DC.
5 min readPermits and LicensingLearner's Permit vs Driver's License: What Actually Changes
Supervision, tests and limits: the practical differences between a learner's permit and a driver's license.
4 min readPermits and LicensingWhat to Bring to the DMV for a Permit Test: A Checklist
A practical checklist of documents and preparation for your permit visit, plus what to check before you leave.
4 min readTest Prep
Study methods, pass marks and what to do if a knowledge test does not go your way. See also: DMV test study tips.
How to Pass the DMV Written Test on Your First Try
A simple plan to prepare for the knowledge test: read, practice, review your misses and take a mock exam.
6 min readTest PrepWhat Happens If You Fail the DMV Written Test?
Retake rules vary by state, but the plan is the same: find your gaps, study them and try again.
4 min readTest PrepHow Many Questions Can You Miss on a DMV Test?
Pass marks vary by state. Here is how to work out exactly how many misses you can afford.
3 min readRoad Rules and Signs
Right-of-way, road signs and how to share the road safely. See also: Road signs guide.
Four-Way Stop Rules: Who Has the Right of Way?
Four-way stop rules are simple: first to arrive goes first, and ties go to the driver on the right. Here are the rules and the traps.
4 min readRoad Rules and SignsHow to Read a Road Sign You Have Never Seen
Road sign shapes and colors work as a code. Shape, color, then symbol lets you read almost any sign.
4 min readRoad Rules and SignsSharing the Road With School Buses, Bicyclists and Trucks
Safe habits around buses, bikes, motorcycles and trucks, and what knowledge tests ask about them.
5 min readMotorcycles
Permits, braking and the skills behind the rider knowledge test. See also: Motorcycle permit practice test.
Motorcycle Permit vs License: What Is the Difference?
Motorcycle permit vs license: what a permit allows, what it does not and how riders move on to a full license.
4 min readMotorcyclesMotorcycle Braking Basics: Front Brake vs Rear Brake
The front brake gives most of your stopping power. Learn how to use both brakes smoothly.
4 min readCDL
Classes, air brakes and entry-level training for commercial drivers. See also: CDL practice test.
CDL Classes Explained: Class A, Class B and Class C
Weight and cargo decide which commercial license you need. Here is how the three classes differ.
4 min readCDLCDL Air Brakes Test: The Numbers You Need to Memorize
The pressures and leak limits that show up again and again on CDL air brake questions.
4 min readCDLWhat Is ELDT? Entry-Level Driver Training for a CDL
Since 2022, first-time CDL applicants must complete required training before certain tests. Here is what that means.
4 min readReady to test what you learned?
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