Permit test cheat sheet: the numbers to know

Not an answer key: nobody has the real questions. This is the list of numbers the handbooks test and people forget, eight per state, each in our words with a link to the handbook section it comes from. Learn these, then take a practice test.

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California

• Near schools, the limit is 25 mph within 500 feet while children are outside or crossing. Some school zones have limits as low as 15 mph. handbook section
• Where your view of cross traffic is blocked, the limit drops to 15 mph. Ease forward slowly until you can see clearly. handbook section
• The limit is 15 mph near such a crossing. You may go faster only if the crossing is controlled by gates, a warning signal, or a flagman. handbook section
• In business and residential districts, the speed limit is 25 mph unless a sign says otherwise. handbook section
• If no sign posts a different limit, 65 mph is the top speed on most California highways. handbook section
• Two-lane undivided highways have a 55 mph limit unless posted otherwise. The same 55 mph limit applies to vehicles towing trailers. handbook section
• If you are over 21, driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher is illegal. Even a lower BAC can affect your driving. handbook section
• Drivers under 21 may not drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher, which is almost no alcohol at all. handbook section

California study guide

Florida

• Florida's standard limit for city, business, and residential areas is 30 MPH where no other limit is posted. handbook section
• The standard maximum on Florida streets and highways is 55 MPH unless signs show another limit. Limited access highways can go up to 70 MPH. handbook section
• No Florida road has a speed limit above 70 MPH. handbook section
• The standard school zone limit in Florida is 20 MPH. handbook section
• On a 70 MPH highway, the slowest legal speed is 50 MPH. handbook section
• The idea of a 10 MPH cushion is a myth. Going over the limit at all can earn you a speeding ticket. handbook section
• A BAL of .08 or more, or refusing a breath or blood test, triggers an administrative suspension at the time of arrest. handbook section
• Drivers under 21 face an automatic six-month suspension with a BAL as low as .02. handbook section

Florida study guide

Illinois

• 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

Illinois study guide

New York

• New York City has a default speed limit of 25 mph that is not always signed. Some cities also set limits below 55 mph without posting every block. handbook section
• Work areas can post a speed limit as low as 25 mph. Even with no posted limit, you must drive at a reduced speed through a work zone and obey flag persons. handbook section
• When no limit is posted, do not drive faster than 55 mph. handbook section
• Roundabouts are built with small diameters and curved entries so that every vehicle inside travels at 30 mph or less. handbook section
• Expressway speed limits are normally 55 mph, and some rural stretches are posted at 65 mph. handbook section
• Above .05 percent is evidence of impairment, .08 percent or higher is evidence of intoxication, and .18 percent or more supports a charge of aggravated DWI. handbook section
• Zero Tolerance applies to drivers under 21: a BAC from .02 to .07, which one drink can produce, brings a six-month suspension. A second violation means revocation for one year or until age 21, whichever is longer. handbook section
• A first chemical test refusal by a driver over 21 brings a revocation of at least one year. If the refusal comes within five years of an earlier refusal or alcohol-related violation, the minimum rises to 18 months. handbook section

New York study guide

Pennsylvania

• The school zone limit is 15 mph while the yellow lights flash or during the hours shown on the sign. handbook section
• Pennsylvania's top speed limit is 70 mph. On interstates the maximum limit is posted after each interchange. handbook section
• A truck may not exceed 35 mph with anyone in its open bed, and a child under 18 may not ride there except in limited cases such as farm work, hunting, or a parade. handbook section
• One drink means 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of regular beer, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. Know how much alcohol is in what you drink. handbook section
• Pennsylvania does not let drivers under 21 drive with any measurable alcohol; at 0.02 or more they are considered to be driving under the influence. handbook section
• At 0.08 or higher an adult is considered to be driving under the influence. A driver can also be convicted at a lower level after being stopped for erratic driving. handbook section
• Anyone under 21 is barred from buying, drinking, possessing, or transporting alcohol, and that includes having it in the vehicle they drive. handbook section
• Park as close to the curb as you can, never more than 12 inches away. Where there is no curb, pull as far off the roadway as possible. handbook section

Pennsylvania study guide

Texas

• The handbook's speed table sets 30 mph for urban districts. Local governments can set other limits, so posted signs come first. handbook section
• Alleys have a 15 mph limit in the handbook's speed table. handbook section
• Based on traffic studies, limits on many limited-access highways run from 75 up to 85 mph. Always drive by the posted sign. handbook section
• Unless an officer directs you otherwise, either move out of the lane next to the stopped vehicle or drop to 20 mph or more below the limit when the limit is 25 mph or higher. handbook section
• Where the limit is below 25 mph, the move-over rule requires you to creep past at less than 5 mph unless an officer directs otherwise. handbook section
• Adults are legally intoxicated at a BAC of 0.08 or more. A lower BAC can still count if alcohol has taken away the normal use of your mind or body. handbook section
• For alcohol laws, a minor is anyone under 21, and a minor may not buy, try to buy, drink, or have alcohol. handbook section
• An open container in the passenger area is illegal whether the vehicle is moving, stopped, or parked, and the fine can reach $500. handbook section

Texas study guide

How many you can miss

• New York: The real New York test also has 4 road-sign questions, and you need 2 of them right. This practice covers the written rules.
• CDL General Knowledge: Federal rules require at least 80 percent on every CDL knowledge test. Many states give 50 General Knowledge questions (40 right to pass), but the count varies by state and license class, so check with yours.

Start a free practice test in your state

• Permit test study guide
• Permit test questions and answers
• Road signs practice test