FirstTryEn españolIllinois permit test study guide
The Illinois knowledge test is written from the Illinois Rules of the Road 2026. Format: practice format 35 questions, 28 right; the real test needs 80% (source). This guide lists what the handbook tests, the numbers people forget and four sample questions, each with its handbook section.
Start a free Illinois practice test
What the test covers
FirstTry's Illinois bank has 150 questions written from the handbook. The biggest topics, by how many questions the handbook supports:
- Signs, signals and pavement markings: 24 questions
- Sharing the road: 15 questions
- Teen driver rules: 13 questions
- Alcohol and drugs: 12 questions
- Licensing and exams: 12 questions
- Safe driving: 11 questions
- Turns and lanes: 10 questions
- Right-of-way: 9 questions
Numbers to know
Each line is in our words; the link opens the handbook section it comes from, so you can check it.
- In a marked school zone on school days when children are present, you must slow to 20 mph, stop using a handheld phone, and stop for anyone in the crosswalk. handbook section
- Expressway maximums are 55, 65, or 70 mph depending on the road, so 70 mph is the highest. Posted signs tell you which one applies, and conditions may call for less. handbook section
- The posted work zone limit applies 24 hours a day, every day, even when no one is working. It may be lowered further while workers are present. handbook section
- The .08 limit is a legal line, not a safe one; even small amounts of alcohol raise crash risk. handbook section
- For a second offender, refusing costs three years and a failed test costs one year. The suspension starts on the 46th day after the notice, and you may drive for the first 45 days on the temporary receipt. handbook section
- A first DUI brings at least a one-year revocation, a third at least 10 years, and a fourth or later revocation for life. handbook section
- Illinois has zero tolerance for drivers under 21: any amount of alcohol brings at least a three-month suspension. handbook section
- Drivers under 21 lose their licenses for at least two years after a first DUI conviction. handbook section
- Park no more than 12 inches from the curb, with the car facing the same direction traffic moves. handbook section
- Standing or parking is prohibited within 15 feet of a hydrant, even where no sign is posted. The same statewide list bans stopping on sidewalks, in crosswalks, and on bridges. handbook section
- Keep 30 feet clear at stops and signals, and remember that parking is also banned within 50 feet of the nearest rail at a railroad crossing. handbook section
- In both the permit and initial licensing phases, Friday and Saturday driving is barred from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m.; Sunday through Thursday the cutoff is 10 p.m. Local curfews may differ. handbook section
How to study in four days
- Day 1: read the handbook chapters on rules of the road and signs. Do not skim the sign pages; shapes and colors are tested.
- Day 2: read speed limits, right-of-way, parking and the alcohol chapter. Write down every number.
- Day 3: take a full practice test in the real format. Open the handbook section on every question you miss.
- Day 4: take another test. If you pass with room to spare twice in a row, you are ready.
Sample questions
Right-of-way
Traffic is backed up on the far side of an intersection, and your light is green. What should you do?
- Stop on the crosswalk so you are ready to go
- Enter and stop in the intersection until traffic moves
- Wait until there is room on the other side before entering
Show the answer
Wait until there is room on the other side before entering. Do not pull into an intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is room to clear it without blocking other vehicles or pedestrians.
From the handbook: Chapter 4: Traffic Laws > Right of Way (A driver may not:) (PDF p. 29)
Speed limits
Which situation requires you to slow down even if you are already under the posted limit?
- Entering a long straight road
- Approaching the top of a hill
- Driving in light traffic on a dry day
Show the answer
Approaching the top of a hill. The manual lists intersections, curves, hilltops, and narrow winding roads as places where you must reduce speed, whatever the posted maximum.
From the handbook: Chapter 4: Traffic Laws > Speed Limits (PDF p. 27)
Signs, signals and pavement markings
How must you treat a railroad crossbuck sign?
- As a yield sign: give way to any oncoming train or railroad equipment
- As a stop sign, stopping fully every time
- As a speed limit sign
Show the answer
As a yield sign: give way to any oncoming train or railroad equipment. Where several tracks cross, a sign under the crossbuck counts them.
From the handbook: Chapter 10: Traffic Signals and Pavement Markings > Railroad Crossings (PDF p. 84)
Alcohol and drugs
How must cannabis be carried inside a vehicle in Illinois?
- In the cupholder, within easy reach
- In the open, in the hands of a passenger
- In a sealed, odor-proof, child-resistant container
Show the answer
In a sealed, odor-proof, child-resistant container. Cannabis use is banned for everyone inside a moving vehicle, and transporting it illegally can cost driving privileges; a medical card holder can lose the card for two years.
From the handbook: Chapter 6: Driving Under the Influence (DUI) > Medical and Recreational Cannabis (Marijuana) (PDF p. 51)