United States, Texas

The Texas DMV test, and how to pass it

Which TX test do you needTX

EExam simulatorFull TxDPS format: 30 questions, 21 to pass, every answer keyed to a statute.1Warm up runA shorter 20 question run pulled from across the TX bank, for a first look before the full sitting.SSigns and lane markingsSigns, signals and lane markings on their own: 61 questions, the group that costs the most points.LState statute questionsThe 24 rules that belong to Texas alone, each carrying the statute number it was drafted against.

Every Texas paper, 9 in totalNo account needed

To pass any Texas knowledge exam you need a grade of 70 percent or better, which the Texas Department of Public Safety states in the Texas Driver Handbook and sets by rule in the Administrative Code. TxDPS does not publish how many questions the Class C exam contains, so any site quoting an exact number is not citing DPS.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook DL-7 (rev. January 2026), Chapter 1; 37 TAC s. 15.52, checked September 9, 2026. TxDPS.

What the format is, and who says so

Questions asked	Not published by the agencyTexas Driver Handbook DL-7 (rev. January 2026) and dps.texas.gov, checked September 9, 2026TxDPS does not publish the number of questions on the Class C knowledge exam. What it does publish is the pass mark, so we give that instead of repeating a count with no source behind it.
Right answers needed	Not published as a countTexas Driver Handbook DL-7 (rev. January 2026), Chapter 1, checked September 9, 2026Expressed as a percentage rather than a count, because the count is not published.
Pass mark as a percentage	70%Texas Driver Handbook DL-7 (rev. January 2026), Chapter 1; 37 TAC s. 15.52, checked September 9, 2026The handbook states it plainly: a grade of 70 percent or better passes any knowledge exam. The same threshold is set by rule in the Texas Administrative Code.
Learner permit age	15, after the first 6 classroom hours of driver education (concurrent method) or all 24 (block method)Transportation Code s. 521.222(a); TxDPS, Texas Learners License as a Teen and Choosing a Driver Education Course, checked September 25, 2026
Supervised hours	30 hours, of which at least 10 must be at nightTxDPS, Texas Provisional License as a Teen; 16 TAC s. 84.500, checked September 25, 2026On top of 7 hours of in-car instruction and 7 hours of in-car observation within the driver education course (16 TAC s. 84.500). The DPS page labels both blocks in-car observation, describing 7 hours driving for the instructor and 7 hours watching the instructor.
Retakes	Three examinations of each element per application, then a new application and feeTransportation Code s. 521.161(d); Texas Driver Handbook DL-7 (rev. January 2026), checked September 25, 2026DL-7 also keeps the application open for 90 days after a failed first attempt; when those 90 days are up, or a third exam is failed, you reapply and pay again.

Where Texas goes its own way

Texas requires driver education of every first-time applicant under 25, not just teenagers, unless the applicant holds a valid license from another state. Every applicant who takes a driving test must first complete the Impact Texas Drivers video course for their age group, dated within 90 days of the test. There is no points system on a Texas license at all: instead a driver becomes a habitual violator at four convictions in 12 months. Drivers under 18 face a total wireless ban including hands-free, and the adult supervising a learner commits a criminal offense if they sleep, are intoxicated or are otherwise not paying attention. Posted limits run to 85 mph on some highways, the highest in the country, and annual safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles ended on January 1, 2025.

Pass mark	70 percent on any knowledge exam
Driver education	Required for every first-timer under 25 unless licensed in another state
Points system	None. Four convictions in 12 months is habitual
Minimum insurance	30/60/25
Move over	Slow to 20 mph below the limit

The Texas paper here carries 24 questions on rules of that kind, alongside 98 drawn from the material that reads the same in every state, federal sign shapes and right of way included.

How do you go from a Texas learner license to an unrestricted Class C?

Texas splits everyone under 18 into two phases. Phase I is a learner license. Phase II is a provisional license. Both expire on your 18th birthday (Transportation Code s. 521.271). The Graduated Driver License program does not apply to motorcycle licenses.

Under-18 path, with the ages DPS actually uses

14
Classroom may start
You may begin driver education classroom work. You cannot apply for a learner license until 15.
15
Learner license
After classroom (6 hours concurrent or 24 hours block), vision, the knowledge exam, and a diploma, GED, or Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (good for 30 days, or 90 days if issued June through August), DPS issues a learner license for $16. Drive only with a licensed adult 21 or older in the front passenger seat.
6 months, and 16
Provisional license
Hold a valid learner license at least six months (s. 521.204(b)) and be 16 or 17. Finish in-car hours, complete Impact Texas Teen Drivers within 90 days of the driving test, pass that test, pay $16.
18
Unrestricted Class C
Learner and provisional cards expire. A new Class C for ages 18 to 84 is $33 for eight years. The curfew, passenger cap, and hands-free phone ban in s. 545.424 end. The statewide texting ban in s. 545.4251 does not.

Ages and fees from TxDPS teen pages and the Driver License Fees page. Six-month hold: s. 521.204(b). Expiration at 18: s. 521.271. Under-18 limits: s. 545.424.

Six months and age 16 are both required. Get the learner license the week you turn 15 and you still wait until 16. Get it at 15 years and 8 months and the six-month hold is the longer gate. A hardship license (form DL-77) can skip the six-month hold from 15, but DL-7 still requires the full course and the driving test, and the license expires on your next birthday. From 18 to 24 there is no six-month hold, but s. 521.1601 still requires a driver education certificate for a first license unless you hold a valid license from another state. At 25 or older, DPS requires no course. The DPS page for new residents says that at 18 or older, a valid out-of-state license, or one that has not been expired more than two years, exempts you from the knowledge exam, the driving test, the Impact Texas Drivers video, and the adult course. Under 18, DPS always requires the driving test.

Which driver education course do you actually take?

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses course providers and sets what the courses must cover. DPS issues the license and runs the exams. Providers can hold in-person, online, and parent-taught endorsements, and TDLR recognizes two lengths: a 24-hour teen course and a 6-hour adult course. The two do not mix. TDLR says teen classroom hours cannot count toward the adult course if you turn 18 partway through, and hours from an out-of-state school do not transfer at all.

Course routes TDLR licenses, and where DPS lets you test afterward

Route	Who it is for	Hours required	Where you test
Teen in-person or online	Under 18	24 classroom, then 7 observation, 7 in-car instruction, 30 practice (10 at night)	Knowledge exam in the course or at DPS. Driving test at DPS or a certified Third Party Skills Testing school.
Parent-taught	Under 18, taught by an eligible parent, guardian, or designated alternate	Same 24 + 7 + 7 + 30. The parent applies to TDLR for instructor authorization ($20) and buys the curriculum from a provider with a parent-taught endorsement. An alternate instructor may not charge a fee.	Knowledge exam in the course or at DPS. In-car work starts only once the learner license is issued.
Public school	Under 18, where the school offers it	Same teen course. Certificate is form DE-964E.	Same DPS or Third Party Skills Testing options.
Adult 6-hour course	18 to 24, first Texas license	6 classroom hours. DPS publishes no practice-hour minimum.	Knowledge exam at DPS unless your course gives it (DL-7 says certain courses do). Driving test at DPS or a Third Party Skills Testing school. Course and both exams waived if you surrender a valid out-of-state license.
No course	25 or older, first Texas license	None required.	Knowledge exam at DPS. Driving test at DPS or a Third Party Skills Testing school.

Course types and parent-taught rules from TDLR. Teen in-car hours and the adult 6-hour rule from TxDPS. Testing options from the DPS Third Party Skills Testing page and DL-7.

The two classroom methods DPS publishes for teens

1
Concurrent (6 hours, then the rest)
Complete the first 6 classroom hours, pass the knowledge exam, get the learner license, and finish the remaining 18 classroom hours while you practice with a licensed adult.
2
Block (all 24 hours first)
Finish all 24 classroom hours, pass the knowledge exam, then apply for the learner license. You do not drive on public roads until that license is issued.

Impact Texas Drivers is a separate DPS video, with a 90-day certificate

After the behind-the-wheel work and before the driving test, watch the Impact Texas Drivers video for your age: the 2-hour Impact Texas Teen Drivers at 15 to 17, or the 1-hour Impact Texas Adult Drivers from 18 up. DPS charges nothing for either. Bring a printed certificate, because DPS offices and third-party schools do not take an electronic copy. It is good for 90 days; if you have not passed the driving test by then, you watch it again. It does not replace the distracted-driving module inside the TDLR course.

How do you book the road test, and what does DPS actually check?

Book a DPS skills test on the Texas Scheduler. The Customer Service Center cannot schedule, reschedule, or cancel road tests. Appointments go out 180 days. You must already have applied, because the scheduler asks for your assigned driver license number. Select Class C under Road Skills Test. If you are under 18, bring a parent or guardian, or a notarized application they already signed. You may instead test at a DPS-certified Third Party Skills Testing school. A teen still needs a DE-964 or DEE-964, a learner license held at least six months, and an Impact Texas Teen Drivers certificate dated within 90 days. Bring the result to DPS in a sealed envelope, unless the school uses the TPST Submission Portal; then DPS reviews the packet online and, if it is approved, you can pay on the Texas by Texas website without visiting an office. DPS does not set the school's fee.

What has to be in the car on test day

Your learner license, or a license with a B restriction
If that card is lost, bring one approved identity document.
The driving test fee, or the receipt if you already paid
Payment is good for 90 days. The DPS fee page has no line for the driving test itself. Its only test entry is the $11 replacement license, which covers a test to add or remove restrictions.
Unexpired Impact Texas Drivers certificate
Printed, and dated within 90 days of the appointment. No certificate, no test.
Driver education certificate if you are under 25
DE-964 or DEE-964, DE-964E from a public school, or ADE-1317 or ADEE-1317 for the adult course.
A vehicle you provide, with current registration and liability insurance
You cannot be listed as an excluded driver. Two plates, unless it carries a single out-of-state or temporary plate; no dealer plates. No extra passengers. No pets.

From the DPS driving-test appointment page, the road-test scheduling FAQ, and How to Prepare for a Drive Test (DL-60, revised March 2026).

DL-60 puts the drive at about 20 minutes. Before you leave the lot, a License and Permit Specialist checks the plates, speedometer, horn, front and rear turn signals, brake lights, at least one rearview mirror, seat belts, that the driver and front passenger doors open normally, registration and insurance, and lights and wipers when weather or time of day calls for them. You are graded on backing in a straight line, parallel parking, approaching intersections, turning, stopping, vehicle control, observing traffic, lane position, and signals, with a signal 100 feet before any turn or lane change. A dangerous or illegal maneuver ends the test on the spot as a fail. DL-7 sets the rest of the line: DPS will not approve the application if more than 30 points come off, or if you break the law, ignore an instruction, drive dangerously, or crash. Neither DL-7 nor DL-60 says how many points any single error costs.

Speed limit 85 sign beside Texas State Highway 130Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

What hours, passengers, and phones apply while you are under 18?

Learner, s. 521.222(d): the person beside you holds a license for that type of vehicle, is 21 or older, and has at least one year of driving experience.
Learner, s. 521.222(g): that person commits an offense if they sleep, are intoxicated as defined by Penal Code s. 49.01, or do anything that stops them observing and responding to you.
Learner, DPS: no phone use at all, hands-free included, except in an emergency. A suspension adds its days to the six-month hold.
Under 18, s. 545.424(a) and (f): no wireless communication device while driving, handheld or hands-free, except in an emergency.
Under 18, s. 545.424(a-1): no driving after midnight and before 5 a.m. unless it is for work, a school-related activity, or a medical emergency, and no more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member. Under subsection (c), neither limit applies while a qualifying adult sits beside you as the learner rules require.
s. 545.424(e) and (g): an officer may not stop you solely to check this section. A first phone offense under (a) or (b) is a fine of $25 to $99; a repeat is $100 to $200.

DPS fees for the cards in this path

$16

Learner license, under 18

TxDPS Driver License Fees

$16

New Class C, under 18 (expires at 18)

TxDPS Driver License Fees

$33

New Class C, ages 18 to 84 (8 years)

TxDPS Driver License Fees

Worked example

Priya Shah, Houston: learner the week she turns 15, driving test the week she turns 16

1Priya is born June 8, 2010. On June 10, 2024, two days after she turns 14, she starts a TDLR 24-hour teen classroom course and finishes all 24 hours (the block method) before her 15th birthday.
2On June 12, 2025, four days after turning 15, she goes to DPS with a parent, her DE-964, identity and residency documents, a VOE her school signed on May 20, 2025 (23 days old, inside the 30-day limit), and $16. She passes the vision test and the knowledge exam.
3Her six months are up on December 12, 2025, but she is still 15, so age is the later gate: June 8, 2026. Until then she drives with her father, 47 and licensed since he was 16, in the front passenger seat.
4By early May 2026 she has 7 hours of observation, 7 hours of in-car instruction, and 30 logged practice hours with 10 at night. She watches the 2-hour Impact Texas Teen Drivers video on May 15, 2026, which gives her until August 13, 2026 to pass.
5On June 10, 2026, two days after turning 16 and 363 days after getting her learner license, she takes the Class C driving test in her mother's registered, insured sedan. It runs about 20 minutes, she stays inside the 30-point limit, and she passes.
6She pays $16 and leaves with a temporary permit. The provisional card arrives by mail and expires on June 8, 2028, her 18th birthday.

Outcome. Through June 7, 2028 she may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. except for work, a school activity, or a medical emergency, may carry only one passenger under 21 who is not family, and may not use a phone even hands-free. On June 8, 2028 the provisional license expires and she pays $33 for an adult Class C good for eight years.

Which handbook sections the exam draws on

These are the sections of the Texas Driver Handbook, form DL-7, revised January 2026 that the knowledge exam is drawn from, in the handbook’s own order.

Your license to drive. Learner rules, driver education, the habitual violator count and license validity.
Right of way. Intersections, yielding, emergency vehicles and who goes first in Texas.
Signs, signals and markers. Turning on red, dark signals, and what Texas markings require.
Passing and turning. Overtaking, shoulder use and signaling requirements.
Speed and parking. Texas speed limits, the 85 mph maximum and stopping rules.
Alcohol and drugs. Zero tolerance, DWI thresholds and implied consent in Texas.
Special situations. Move over, school buses, phones, pickup beds and inspections.
Sharing the road. Motorcycles, cyclists, pedestrians and the Class M rules.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook, form DL-7, revised January 2026. Read the official handbook.

Common questions

How many questions does the Texas permit test have?

TxDPS does not publish the number of questions on the Class C knowledge exam. What it does publish is the pass mark: 70 percent. TxDPS does not publish the number of questions on the Class C knowledge exam. What it does publish is the pass mark, so we give that instead of repeating a count with no source behind it.

How old do you have to be to get a learner permit in Texas?

15, after the first 6 classroom hours of driver education (concurrent method) or all 24 (block method).

How many supervised driving hours does Texas require?

30 hours, of which at least 10 must be at night. On top of 7 hours of in-car instruction and 7 hours of in-car observation within the driver education course (16 TAC s. 84.500). The DPS page labels both blocks in-car observation, describing 7 hours driving for the instructor and 7 hours watching the instructor.

How many times can you retake the Texas permit test?

Three examinations of each element per application, then a new application and fee. DL-7 also keeps the application open for 90 days after a failed first attempt; when those 90 days are up, or a third exam is failed, you reapply and pay again.

Is Impact Texas Drivers the same thing as driver education?

No. Driver education is the TDLR course: 24 classroom hours for teens, 6 for adults 18 to 24. Impact Texas Drivers is a free DPS video you watch after the in-car work and just before the driving test. DPS states that it does not replace the distracted-driving module inside either course, so you do both. At 18 or older, DPS accepts either the adult or the teen version.

Can the adult in the front seat sleep while I hold a learner license?

No, and it is the adult who commits the offense. Transportation Code s. 521.222(g) makes it an offense for the person beside a learner to sleep, be intoxicated, or do anything that stops them watching and responding to the driver. Under s. 521.222(d) that person must also hold a license for that type of vehicle, be 21 or older, and have at least one year of driving experience.

If DPS suspends my learner license, does the six-month clock keep running?

No. DPS and TDLR both state that a suspension during the learner phase adds those days to the six-month hold, so you still complete six months with a valid card. Section 521.204(b) requires that hold before a Class C for anyone under 18, other than a hardship license.

Can I take the driving test at a driving school instead of a DPS office?

Yes, if DPS has certified the school for Third Party Skills Testing. At 16 or 17 you need a DE-964 or DEE-964, a learner license held at least six months, and an Impact Texas Teen Drivers certificate dated within 90 days. From 18 to 24 you need a DE-964, DEE-964, ADE-1317 or ADEE-1317, a valid restricted Texas license, and the adult video certificate. At 25 or older you need the restricted license and the adult video. The school sets its own price, which DPS does not regulate.

What does the whole under-18 path cost in DPS fees?

$65 in card fees if you follow it from 15 to 18: $16 for the learner license, $16 for the under-18 Class C, and $33 for the Class C you get at 18, good for eight years. Each figure includes a $1 administrative fee that DPS drops for mail transactions. The Impact Texas Drivers video is free. The appointment page asks for a driving test fee, but the fee page it links to has no driving test line for a teen; its only test entry is the $11 replacement license for adding or removing restrictions. DPS does not set course prices or what a Third Party Skills Testing school charges. A parent-taught course adds TDLR's $20 instructor authorization.

I am under 18 and already licensed in another state. Do I start over with a six-month learner license?

DPS publications do not agree. Its Graduated Driver License page says out-of-state transfers under 18 must get a Texas learner license and serve the six-month hold, or wait until 18. The Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7, January 2026) says a 16- or 17-year-old with a valid out-of-state license is issued a provisional license after passing the driving test, and a 15- to 17-year-old with an out-of-state permit gets a learner license. The DPS page for new residents matches DL-7: a minor who surrenders a valid license or permit from another state is issued the Texas equivalent. Two points are not in dispute. That page says a valid license or learner license from another U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province waives the knowledge exam, and both it and DL-7 say everyone under 18 takes the driving test. Confirm with DPS which rule the office applies before you book.

What else do people ask about the Texas permit test?

Sources

Other states: all US permit practice tests.

Sources: Texas Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division; Texas Driver Handbook, form DL-7, revised January 2026. Checked September 9, 2026. Original practice questions, never the examination questions themselves. TxDPS does not run this site and does not endorse it.