FirstTryEn españolPermit test study guide
The permit test is written from your state's driver handbook, so the handbook is the study guide. This page tells you which chapters matter, how to study in four days, and links a guide for each state with its format, its biggest topics and the numbers people forget.
Study guide by state
- California permit test study guide
- Florida permit test study guide
- Illinois permit test study guide
- New York permit test study guide
- Pennsylvania permit test study guide
- Texas permit test study guide
- CDL permit test study guide
What is on the permit test
Across the six state banks (900 questions written from the handbooks), the topics with the most questions are road signs, signals and pavement markings; right-of-way; speed limits; alcohol and drug rules; parking; turns and lanes; sharing the road with trucks, bicycles and pedestrians; and the permit and provisional-license rules for new drivers. Each state guide shows its own counts.
How to study in four days
- Day 1: rules of the road and signs. Learn sign shapes and colors; they are tested in every state.
- Day 2: speed limits, right-of-way, parking distances, alcohol limits and the new-driver rules. Write every number down.
- Day 3: a full practice test in your state's format. Open the handbook section on every miss.
- Day 4: a second test. Two passes in a row with room to spare means you are ready.
Tips from the misses
- Read the whole question. Many ask what you must do, some what you must not.
- Distances and speeds are exact. Learn the number, not "about a car length".
- When two answers seem right, pick the safer one; the handbook's rule is usually the cautious one.
- Do not study a third-party summary instead of the handbook. The test is written from the handbook.
How many questions, and how many you can miss
| State | Questions | Right to pass | You can miss | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California, under 18 | 46 | 38 (83%) | 8 | DMV page |
| California, 18 or older | 36 | 30 (83%) | 6 | DMV page |
| Florida | 50 | 40 (80%) | 10 | DMV page |
| Illinois | 35 (practice format) | 28 (80% on the real test) | 7 (practice) | DMV page |
| New York | 20 | 14 (70%) | 6 | DMV page |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 15 (83%) | 3 | DMV page |
| Texas | 30 (practice format) | 21 (70% on the real test) | 9 (practice) | DMV page |
| CDL General Knowledge | 50 (practice format) | 40 (80% on the real test) | 10 (practice) | DMV page |
- 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.