Can you take the permit test online?
Online testing spread quickly after 2020 and then partly retreated, so the current picture is genuinely mixed and worth checking rather than assuming.
Every row below carries the agency it came from and the date it was checked. States are missing from this table when we could not confirm the answer from an official source, which we would rather admit than fill in.
| State | Online testing | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Yes, the knowledge test can be taken online through the DMV's testing portal | Linked directly from the DMV site for permit applicants | Alaska DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Arizona | Yes, the knowledge test can be taken at home through Permit Test @ Home | An in person vision test and photo are still required at an MVD office | Arizona Department of Transportation MVD | 2026-08-28 |
| California | No | DMV eLearning only covers renewals, not first time teen applicants | California DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Colorado | Yes, the @Home Driving Knowledge Test lets applicants test online | Passing confirmation must still be brought to a DMV appointment | Colorado DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Connecticut | No | Vision and knowledge testing is done in person by appointment only at select DMV offices | Connecticut DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| District of Columbia | Yes | A virtual knowledge test option exists alongside in-person testing at DMV centers | DC DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Hawaii | Yes | The written knowledge test can be completed online at any time or in person on set days | City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services | 2026-08-28 |
| Idaho | No | Knowledge and skills tests are booked and taken in person at a county driver's license office. | Idaho Transportation Department, Taking the Driver's Test guide | 2026-08-27 |
| Indiana | No | The knowledge exam is a walk-in, computer-based test taken inside a BMV branch. | Indiana BMV, Knowledge Exam page | 2026-08-27 |
| Iowa | Yes, a parent can proctor the knowledge test at home | Requires an internet connected computer, not a phone or tablet. | Iowa DOT, Instruction Permit Under Age 18 page | 2026-08-27 |
| Kansas | Yes, at ks.knowtodrive.com | A passing result is brought into the driver's license office instead of testing there. | Kansas Department of Revenue, Kansas Driving Handbook | 2026-08-27 |
| Kentucky | No | Testing is scheduled through the Kentucky State Police rather than taken online. | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, DRIVE learner's permit page | 2026-08-27 |
| Maine | No | Knowledge test runs on a digital system but only in person at a BMV branch | Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles | 2026-08-28 |
| Maryland | No | Test runs on a computer but only at an MVA office, not remotely | Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration | 2026-08-28 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Knowledge exam can be taken remotely with a webcam or in person at a Service Center | Massachusetts RMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Michigan | No | Online driver's ed alone does not meet the requirement; testing happens in person | Michigan Secretary of State | 2026-08-28 |
| Mississippi | No | All knowledge exams must be taken in person at a driver license station | Mississippi Department of Public Safety | 2026-08-28 |
| Nebraska | No for the first written test; online upgrade to the provisional permit after a safety course | In-office visit still required for the initial learner's permit exam | Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles | 2026-08-28 |
| Nevada | Yes, written knowledge test only | Available anytime through the KnowTo Drive Nevada portal; the road test still needs a DMV visit | Nevada DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| New York | Yes, for under 18 | Online permit knowledge test available; results are reviewed before an office visit | New York State DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| North Dakota | Yes | KnowTo Drive is the state's official platform for taking the knowledge exam at home | North Dakota DOT | 2026-08-28 |
| Ohio | Yes | Knowledge test available online with no course needed first; capped at two tries per six months | Ohio BMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Oklahoma | Yes, two attempts before an in person visit is required | Online written exam allows two tries, then applicant must test at a Service Oklahoma location | Service Oklahoma | 2026-08-28 |
| Oregon | Yes for the Class C knowledge test | Requires a desktop or laptop with webcam, plus a proctor for testers under 18 | Oregon DMV | 2026-08-28 |
| Pennsylvania | No | The knowledge test must be taken in person at a Driver License Center | PennDOT | 2026-08-28 |
| Rhode Island | No | The computerized knowledge exam is administered at the DMV, weekdays 8:30 am to 2:45 pm | RI Division of Motor Vehicles | 2026-08-28 |
| South Carolina | No | Applicants must visit an SCDMV branch before 4pm to take the knowledge test | SCDMV | 2026-08-28 |
| South Dakota | No | Knowledge and drive tests need a scheduled appointment at a Driver Licensing location | South Dakota Department of Public Safety | 2026-08-28 |
| Tennessee | Yes, ages 15 to 17 can test online | Offered through the state e-Services portal as an alternative to testing in person | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security | 2026-08-28 |
| Utah | No | Written knowledge test must be taken in person at the Driver License Division | Utah Driver License Division | 2026-08-28 |
| Vermont | Yes | Knowledge test can be passed online through the myDMV portal | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles | 2026-08-28 |
| Virginia | No | Knowledge test is computer based at a DMV center or a partnered high school, not remote | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles | 2026-08-28 |
| Washington | No | Knowledge test must be taken in person at an approved testing location | Washington State Department of Licensing | 2026-08-28 |
| Wisconsin | Yes, for permit applicants ages 15 to 17 | One option alongside a DMV center or driver ed course, no prior course needed | Wisconsin DOT | 2026-08-28 |
The conditions matter more than the yes or no
Almost nowhere that allows online testing allows it for everyone with no strings attached. The common pattern is that it is open to applicants under eighteen who have finished a required course, supervised by a parent or guardian who has to confirm identity, with a fee per attempt and a limit on how many times you can fail before you have to come in.
Passing online also rarely finishes the job. In most states you still have to visit an office to prove identity and residency and to be issued the permit itself, so the online test saves you a queue rather than a trip.
Why some states pulled back
Remote proctoring is hard to do well, and agencies that launched at home testing during the pandemic have since had to weigh convenience against the obvious integrity problem of an unsupervised exam. Some tightened the conditions, some restricted it to particular applicant groups, and at least one withdrew it. That is why a page like this needs dates on it: a policy answer from two years ago is not reliable today.
Find your state for the full picture, or work out how many questions you can miss.
More state by state tables
How old do you have to be to get a learner permit?
The answer spans nearly two years depending on where you live, and the age on its own does not tell you when you can drive alone.
How many supervised driving hours do you need?
Most states want fifty hours logged before you take a road test, and a chunk of it after dark, but the detail varies more than people expect.
How much does a learner permit cost?
The headline fee is rarely the whole cost, because what it buys you differs: some states charge per attempt, some bundle several into one application.
How many questions is the permit test in each state?
Question counts and pass marks for every confirmed jurisdiction.