Maryland practice tests
The Maryland knowledge test for a Class C learner's permit has 25 multiple-choice questions on Maryland traffic laws, road signs and safe driving, and you need a score of 88 percent or higher, which is 22 correct, within a 20-minute time limit. You take it on a computer at an MVA office, with a vision screening, when you apply for a learner's instructional permit from age 15 years and 9 months. Our free Maryland practice tests follow the real format, 25 questions with 22 to pass and a 20-minute timer, and every answer comes from the Maryland Driver's Manual (October 2026 edition).
- 25 questions
- 20 minutes
- 22 to pass
The test in Maryland
Every figure links to the page it was read from, with the date it was checked. Formats change; the source wins over this table.
| What | Figure | Source · checked |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 25 multiple-choice questions (Class C, Class M and moped permit)The test checks Maryland traffic laws, road signs and safe driving rules, and the questions come from the Maryland Driver's Manual. Signs are part of the same test, not a separate test. Tests are usually given on a computer at an MVA office. | Maryland MVA: Knowledge testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| To pass | 88 percent or higher (22 of 25)88 percent of 25 is exactly 22. Our practice tests use the same rule: 25 questions, 22 correct to pass. | Maryland MVA: Knowledge testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Time limit | 20 minutesStated on the MVA knowledge test page and in the manual (Section 1). Our practice tests use a 20-minute timer. Applicants with disabilities may ask for extra time. | Maryland MVA: Knowledge testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Retakes | Next business day after a first fail; at least 7 calendar days after two or more failsThe knowledge test page's FAQ gives this rule, if an appointment is available. A passing score is valid for at most six months. | Maryland MVA: Knowledge testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Languages | English, Spanish, American Sign Language and 14 moreAmharic, Arabic, Chinese (Traditional), Farsi, French, Hindi, Korean, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese and Yoruba. Spoken language interpreters are allowed for noncommercial tests at your expense. The manual says that if the test is offered in your language, you must attempt it in that language at least 5 times before an interpreter may be used. | Maryland MVA: Knowledge testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Online testing | None listed: the test is taken at an MVA officeThe MVA says you take the knowledge test at an MVA office location. The MVA's Online Driver Test Tutorial is a practice tool only. | Maryland MVA: Knowledge testschecked 2026-11-01 |
| Minimum age | 15 years and 9 monthsUnder 18, a parent or legal guardian must co-sign the application. Under 16, you also bring a school attendance form (DL-300, or DL-300A from a parent or guardian). | Maryland MVA: Learner's permitchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Learner's permit rules | Supervisor 21 or older, licensed at least 3 years, in the front passenger seat; 60 practice hours, 10 at nightNo other front-seat passengers are allowed and no cell phone use, even hands-free, except to call 911. Drivers 25 and older need 14 practice hours (3 at night). Everyone completes a certified driver education course (30 hours of classroom, 6 hours behind the wheel). The supervisor and phone rules are on the learner's permit page; the practice hours and driver education hours are on the MVA provisional license page and in the manual (Section 2.B), which also says a Type 1 permit lasts up to 2 years. | Maryland MVA: Learner's permitchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Time on the permit | Under 18, or 18 without a high school diploma: 9 months; 18 with a diploma or 19 to 24: 3 months; 25 and older: 45 daysYou must have no moving violation conviction or probation before judgment in the past 9 months. Then you pass the driving skills test for a provisional license. | Maryland MVA: Provisional licensechecked 2026-11-01 |
| Provisional license restrictions (under 18) | No driving midnight to 5 a.m.; no passengers under 18 except immediate family for the first 151 daysThe passenger rule does not apply when a qualified supervising driver is in the car. Exceptions to the night rule: a supervising driver 21 or older with 3 years of experience, or driving to or from a job, school activity, organized volunteer program or athletic event. No wireless device use, even hands-free. Everyone must wear a seat belt. No measurable alcohol under 21. A full license follows automatically at 18 or older after 18 months on the provisional license with no convictions. | Maryland MVA: Provisional licensechecked 2026-11-01 |
| Fee: learner's permit | $65 (Type I, no previous license; includes conversion to full license)A Type II permit for currently or previously licensed drivers is $45. Fees effective September 1, 2025. The knowledge tests page says there is no MVA fee for the knowledge test itself. | Maryland MVA: License and ID feeschecked 2026-11-01 |
| What to bring | Proof of identity and age, proof of Social Security number, and the forms for your ageThe learner's permit page lists a birth certificate, U.S. passport, Permanent Resident card or similar for identity, and a Social Security card, pay stub or W-2 or 1099 for the number. Under 16, bring the DL-300 or DL-300A school form. The manual also lists two documents proving Maryland residency and, if born outside the U.S., proof of lawful status. Original or certified copies only. | Maryland MVA: Learner's permitchecked 2026-11-01 |
| Manual | Maryland Driver's Manual (DL-002), October 2026 editionPosted on the MVA's Maryland Driver's Manuals page on October 20, 2026. | Maryland Driver's Manual (DL-002), October 2026, PDFchecked 2026-11-01 |
Full tests
- Test 125 questions · 20 min · pass 22difficulty 1 of 6
- Test 225 questions · 20 min · pass 22difficulty 2 of 6
- Test 325 questions · 20 min · pass 22difficulty 3 of 6
- Test 425 questions · 20 min · pass 22difficulty 4 of 6
- Test 525 questions · 20 min · pass 22difficulty 5 of 6
- Test 625 questions · 20 min · pass 22difficulty 6 of 6
Handbook chapters
- Chapter 1: Tests, permits and licensesHow to get a Maryland driver's license: the vision screening, the 25-question knowledge test (88 percent to pass in 20 minutes), the learner's instructional permit, the provisional license, the full license, co-signers and out-of-country licenses.
- Chapter 2: Basic drivingMaryland basic driving rules: defensive driving, who yields the right-of-way, speed for conditions, the 3 to 4 second following distance, lane use, turns, U-turns, passing rules and parking safely.
- Chapter 3: Signs, signals and pavement markingsMaryland traffic control devices: what every traffic light and arrow means, turning on red, lane use signals, pedestrian signals, sign colors and shapes, regulatory, warning and guide signs, and every type of pavement line.
- Chapter 4: Driving situations and conditionsMaryland rules for low visibility, headlights (1,000 feet, 500 feet, 300 feet), night, fog, rain, snow and ice, skids, hydroplaning, railroad crossings, work zones, roundabouts, interstates, funeral processions and slow-moving vehicles.
- Chapter 5: Dangerous driving behaviorsMaryland rules on alcohol and drugs (the .08 BAC limit, no alcohol under 21, open containers), aggressive driving and road rage, distracted driving and the hand-held phone ban, and drowsy driving.
- Chapter 6: Sharing the roadSharing Maryland roads with pedestrians, emergency vehicles, large trucks and buses (the No-Zones), school buses (stop 20 feet away), motorcycles, bicycles (3 feet to pass), mopeds and scooters, plus driver assistance technology.
- Chapter 7: Crashes, emergencies and traffic stopsWhat Maryland law requires after a crash, penalties for leaving the scene, when to call the police, hitting unattended property or animals, roadside emergencies, what to do in a traffic stop and the Move Over law.
- Chapter 8: Restrictions, violations and penaltiesMaryland provisional license restrictions for drivers under 18 (seat belts, the 151-day passenger rule, midnight to 5 a.m., wireless devices), implied consent, fake IDs, suspension, revocation and cancellation, provisional license penalties and disability parking violations.
- Chapter 9: Other important informationMaryland medical conditions you must report, supervising driver rules, organ donation, voter registration, insurance, seat belt and child seat laws, air bags, anti-lock brakes, headphones, parking maneuvers on the driving test, bicyclist rules and electric bikes.