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How Many Questions Can You Miss on the Permit Test?

Most states let you miss 3 to 10 questions on the permit test. See the question count, passing score and misses allowed in each state, with gaps marked.

31 October, 2026
13 min read

It depends on your state. Where we could confirm it, you can miss anywhere from 3 questions (Pennsylvania) to 10 (New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin). The most common passing score in the official handbooks we checked is 80%.

Many handbooks don't print the number of questions or the passing score, and we won't guess. Those states are marked "not confirmed" below, with a link to the official handbook so you can check. Always confirm with your state's DMV before test day, because rules can change.

What is a passing score on the permit test?

A passing score is the number or percentage of questions you must answer correctly. States state it differently. Some give a percentage, some give a count (for example, 20 of 25), and a few give a limit on how many you can miss.

Official handbooks that state an 80% passing score include Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Utah, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Virginia (part two). Ohio is 75% and Texas is 70%. Louisiana's handbook is also reported to say 80%, but the only copy we found was on a third-party site, so treat Louisiana as unconfirmed and check with the state.

How many questions can you miss?

Take the number of questions and subtract the number you must get right. In 20 of 25, for example, you can miss 5. Only Idaho's handbook states a miss limit directly (up to 6 on a 40-question test). Every other "can miss" number in this post is our own arithmetic from the stated passing score.

Some tests have extra rules. New York requires at least 2 of its 4 road-sign questions right. Georgia scores signs and rules separately. Virginia requires a perfect score on its sign questions. Check the state entries below.

Does the test stop early when you pass or fail?

We couldn't confirm that any state's official handbook says the test stops early. None of the official handbooks we checked states an early stop on a pass or a fail. One third-party copy of the New Hampshire manual says the test ends automatically if you get more than 8 questions wrong. That is unconfirmed, so check with New Hampshire's DMV. Some online tests, such as Alaska's, give your pass or fail result right away, but that is not the same as stopping early.

How many questions are on the permit test in each state?

Here is every state and D.C. "Not confirmed" means we could not verify the figure in an official source. Each entry links to the state's handbook where we have one.

  • Alabama: Number of questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. The test fee is $5.00 per knowledge test. See the Alabama handbook.
  • Alaska: Number of questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. The online test gives immediate pass/fail results. See the Alaska handbook.
  • Arizona: Not confirmed. Check the Arizona handbook and the state MVD.
  • Arkansas: Not confirmed. Check the Arkansas handbook.
  • California: Questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. You get three attempts before you must reapply. See the California handbook.
  • Colorado: Not confirmed. Check the Colorado handbook.
  • Connecticut: 25 questions, 20 correct to pass, so you can miss 5. See the Connecticut handbook.
  • Delaware: Not confirmed. Check the Delaware handbook.
  • District of Columbia: Not confirmed. We could not verify the number of questions, passing score, misses allowed or early stop from an official D.C. DMV page (dmv.dc.gov). Check with D.C. DMV directly.
  • Florida: The Class E exam has 50 multiple-choice questions. Passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. See the Florida handbook.
  • Georgia: Two parts, Road Signs and Road Rules. Each has 20 questions (40 total) and you need 15 correct on each, so you can miss 5 per part. See the Georgia manual.
  • Hawaii: Not confirmed. Check the Hawaii handbook.
  • Idaho: 40 questions, and the handbook says you can miss up to 6 before failing. That works out to 34 of 40 correct, about 85%, though the handbook states no percentage. See the Idaho manual.
  • Illinois: Questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. You get three attempts per exam within one year of paying the application fee. See the Illinois handbook.
  • Indiana: You need 80% or higher on each of two parts, Signs and Traffic rules/laws. The number of permit test questions is not stated in the handbook, so check with the BMV. See the Indiana manual.
  • Iowa: Not confirmed. Check the Iowa manual.
  • Kansas: 25 multiple-choice questions, 80% to pass (20 of 25), so you can miss 5. The test is untimed and takes about 15 to 20 minutes. See the Kansas handbook.
  • Kentucky: Passing score is at least 80%. Number of questions: not confirmed. See the Kentucky manual.
  • Louisiana: Unconfirmed. A third-party copy of the manual says you must answer 80% correctly, but we could not verify that or the number of questions from an official source. Check with Louisiana's state licensing office.
  • Maine: Not confirmed. Check the Maine handbook.
  • Maryland: 25 questions with a 20-minute limit. Passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. See the Maryland handbook.
  • Massachusetts: 25 multiple-choice questions, 18 correct to pass, so you can miss 7. The time limit is 25 minutes. See the Massachusetts manual.
  • Michigan: Not confirmed. The 70% minimum in the handbook applies only to teen driver-education segment exams, not the permit test. See the Michigan handbook.
  • Minnesota: Passing score is 80%. Number of questions: not confirmed. See the Minnesota handbook.
  • Mississippi: Not confirmed. Check the Mississippi manual.
  • Missouri: 25 multiple-choice questions, 20 correct to pass, so you can miss 5. See the Missouri guide.
  • Montana: Not confirmed. Your licensing receipt allows three attempts within one year. See the Montana manual.
  • Nebraska: Not confirmed. Check the Nebraska manual.
  • Nevada: Not confirmed. A retest costs $10. See the Nevada handbook.
  • New Hampshire: Unconfirmed. A third-party copy of the manual reports 40 multiple-choice questions, a 40-minute limit, and an automatic end to the test if more than 8 questions are wrong (so 8 misses at most). We could not verify this in an official source, and no passing percentage is stated. Check with New Hampshire DMV.
  • New Jersey: 50 questions plus a survey question about organ donation. You need 80% (40 of 50), so you can miss 10. See the New Jersey manual.
  • New Mexico: Not confirmed. Check the New Mexico manual.
  • New York: You must answer at least 14 of 20 correctly, so you can miss no more than 6. You must also get at least 2 of the 4 road-sign questions right. See the New York manual.
  • North Carolina: Questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. The signs test requires you to identify signs by color and shape and explain what each means. See the North Carolina handbook.
  • North Dakota: Not confirmed. Check the North Dakota manual.
  • Ohio: 40 multiple-choice questions, 75% to pass (30 correct), so you can miss 10. See the Ohio handbook.
  • Oklahoma: Not confirmed. Check the Oklahoma manual.
  • Oregon: The Class C test has 35 multiple-choice questions and you need 28 correct, so you can miss 7. See the Oregon manual.
  • Pennsylvania: 18 multiple-choice questions, 15 correct to pass, so you can miss 3. See the Pennsylvania manual.
  • Rhode Island: Questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. The test has a 90-minute maximum but usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. See the Rhode Island manual.
  • South Carolina: Not confirmed. Check the South Carolina manual.
  • South Dakota: Questions, passing score and misses allowed: not confirmed. The $28.00 Instruction Permit fee allows 3 attempts within 6 months. See the South Dakota manual.
  • Tennessee: Not confirmed. Check the Tennessee manual.
  • Texas: You must score 70% or better on any knowledge exam. Number of questions and misses allowed: not confirmed. See the Texas handbook.
  • Utah: You must score 80% or better. The test is untimed and generally takes 30 to 45 minutes. Number of questions: not confirmed. See the Utah handbook.
  • Vermont: The knowledge test is online with 20 questions. You need at least 16 correct, so you can miss up to 4. See the Vermont manual.
  • Virginia: Part one has 10 traffic-sign questions, and you must get all 10 right before you can take part two. Part two is multiple choice and needs at least 80% correct. The number of part-two questions, and how many you can miss, is not confirmed. See the Virginia manual.
  • Washington: Unconfirmed. A third-party-hosted copy of the driver guide (file dated 2020) says 40 multiple-choice questions with 32 correct needed, so you could miss 8. Confirm with the Washington Department of Licensing (dol.wa.gov) before relying on it.
  • West Virginia: The handbook says "at least 25 questions" and you must answer 19 of 25 correctly, so you can miss 6. The test has a time limit, but the handbook doesn't say how long. See the West Virginia handbook.
  • Wisconsin: The knowledge test has 50 questions and you need 40 (80%), so you can miss up to 10. The separate Highway Signs Test has 15 questions and you need 12 (80%), so you can miss up to 3. See the Wisconsin handbook.
  • Wyoming: Number of questions and passing score: not confirmed. Applicants who miss 13 or more questions must wait three days to retest, which suggests the test has more than 13 questions. See the Wyoming manual.

How to use these numbers

Don't aim for the minimum. Even in states that let you miss 10, a few tricky questions can add up fast. If your state has separate parts, like Georgia, Virginia or Wisconsin, you have to pass each one.

Read your state's handbook, then take a few practice tests so the question style feels familiar. Check your state DMV site for the current question count and passing score before you go.

Sources