Ohio Temps Test: How It Works and What to Expect

The Ohio temps test is the knowledge test for a Temporary Instruction Permit Identification Card (TIPIC), Ohio's learner's permit. It has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need at least 30 correct (75%) to pass. You can take it online through BMV Online Services or in person at a BMV Driver Examination Station or a select Deputy Registrar License Agency, and you must be at least 15 years and 6 months old.

Ohio calls the learner's permit a Temporary Instruction Permit Identification Card under ORC 4507.05. 'Temps' is the common nickname. The official study guide is the Ohio Driver Manual, form HSY 7607 (10/25), which the state also calls the Ohio Driver Manual - Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws. The manual does not replace the Ohio Revised Code or the Ohio Administrative Code, and it may not cover every applicable law, so check the Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws and the Ohio Driver Manual PDF for the full rules.

How many questions are on the Ohio temps test?

The test has 40 multiple-choice questions. You need 75% to pass, which means 30 correct and no more than 10 missed. The handbook does not break the test into named sections or topics. Study Sections 2 through 10 of the manual to prepare.

The handbook does not state a time limit for the test, so check with the BMV before you go. The BMV offers a Sample Knowledge Test on its Driver License page so you can see the question style before test day.

Permit test Ohio: where and how to take it

Ohio gives you three ways to take the knowledge test:

• Online through BMV Online Services. You get two attempts in a six-month period.
• In person at a BMV Driver Examination Station. You get unlimited attempts, but only one per day.
• In person at select BMV Deputy Registrar License Agencies. You get unlimited attempts, but only one per day.

Vision screening is required before a TIPIC is issued. Bring your glasses or contacts if you use them. Driving restrictions may apply based on your results. Ohio's vision standards are set in OAC Rule 4501:1-1-20.

Passing the knowledge test does not give you the permit. After you pass, you go to a Deputy Registrar License Agency to buy the TIPIC. The handbook gives a 60-day deadline for this step.

What age do you need to be to take the Ohio permit test?

The minimum age to take the vision screening and knowledge test is 15 years and 6 months. The BMV's Driver License page says both the knowledge test and the vision screening are required before a TIPIC is issued.

What documents do you need for an Ohio TIPIC?

You must show documents from Ohio's Acceptable Documents List that prove:

• Your full legal name
• Your date of birth
• Your Social Security number, if one was assigned
• Your citizenship or legal presence
• Your Ohio street address

A federally compliant card requires two documents that prove your address. The Compliant and Standard Acceptable Documents Lists are on the BMV website.

If you are a minor, a parent or guardian must be present to co-sign the TIPIC application. If you already have an Ohio ID card, it is canceled when the TIPIC is issued, because an Ohio resident may hold only one driver license or ID card at a time. You can also register as an organ, eye and tissue donor when you apply.

How much does the Ohio temps permit cost?

The TIPIC fee is listed on the BMV Documents and Fees page, and fees can change. Check that page for the current amount before you go, and bring a payment method the office accepts. Some fee amounts differ between older third-party sites and the BMV, so rely on the BMV page.

The handbook does not list a fee for the knowledge test, and no official page checked gives one. Ask the BMV what it costs when you schedule. The handbook also does not state how long a TIPIC stays valid. Sources disagree on this, so check with the BMV.

Can you take the Ohio test in another language?

The test is offered in ten languages: American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Russian, Somali and Spanish. You may use your own interpreter, but you must schedule an appointment at a Driver Examination Station to do so.

At a Driver Examination Station, deaf or hard-of-hearing applicants can request an audio test, a printed paper test, an ASL test, or visual instructions during the driving test. For other accommodation requests, the handbook directs you to HRRequestADA@dps.ohio.gov.

What if you fail the Ohio permit test?

You must wait one day before you retest. You can retest as many times as you need, but only one attempt per day in person.

Online attempts are capped at two in a six-month period, and an online failure counts toward that cap. If you have used both online attempts, check with the BMV about your options before scheduling again.

What supervision rules apply to an Ohio permit?

These rules come from Ohio's handbook. They apply to Ohio permit holders only.

• Under 16: a parent, guardian, custodian, licensed driving instructor, or a person 21 or older acting in loco parentis must sit in the front passenger seat.
• Ages 16 and 17: any valid licensed driver 21 or older may sit in the front seat, except from midnight to 6 a.m. During those hours, a parent, guardian or custodian with a valid license must be present.
• Age 18 and over: practice only with a licensed driver 21 or older.
• All ages: carry your TIPIC when you drive, wear your seat belt and make sure every passenger wears one, and do not drive with more passengers than the belts installed.
• All ages: the adult in the front seat must not be intoxicated, and no one may use a mobile electronic device while driving.
• Under 18: you may not use any electronic device while driving, even hands-free. A first violation carries a 60-day suspension and a $150 fine.

The BMV's Driver License page also mentions a notarized BMV 2438 form as another way to meet the midnight-to-6 a.m. requirement. The handbook does not mention this form, so check the BMV page or ask the BMV before relying on it.

What comes after the Ohio permit?

Drivers under 21 must complete driver education, which the handbook describes as 24 hours of classroom or online instruction plus 8 hours of driving. You must also log 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night. More information is available from Ohio Driver Training.

For drivers under 18, the six-month TIPIC hold applies. To get a driver's license, you need a notarized Fifty-Hour Affidavit (BMV 5791) and a parent or guardian co-signature. You schedule the road test through ohiodrivingtest.com or at a Driver Examination Station. If you are under 21 and fail the road test, you must wait two days before retesting. Drivers 21 and older must take the Abbreviated Adult Driver Training Course first unless they completed approved driver education within the past year.

How should you study for the Ohio temps test?

Start with Sections 2 through 10 of the Ohio Driver Manual, then take practice questions until you can consistently score above the 30-correct line. The GetMyPermit Ohio practice test uses questions in the same multiple-choice style, so you can find the topics you miss before test day.

Sources

• Ohio Driver Manual, HSY 7607 (10/25)
• BMV Driver License and ID Cards
• BMV Documents and Fees
• Ohio Driver Manual - Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws
• Ohio Driver Training
• OAC Rule 4501:1-1-20