Maryland written test scoring: 22 of 25, one quick retake

The MVA's knowledge test page lists 25 questions for a Class C, Class M or moped permit and requires a score of 88 percent or higher, which is 22 correct and 3 misses. Class A and Class B tests are shorter at 20 questions. The 88 percent figure is the part worth planning around, because it is noticeably stricter than the 80 percent bar most states use and it cuts the margin for error nearly in half. Time is tight too: you get 20 minutes to finish. There is no fee for the knowledge test itself, since the MVA puts the cost on issuing the permit or license instead, and a passing score stays valid for a maximum of six months, so the credential has to be collected inside that window or the exam is sat again.

Maryland's retake rule changes shape after the first failure. Fail once and the MVA lets you retest as soon as the next business day, provided an appointment is open. Fail twice or more and the MVA requires at least a 7 calendar day wait before the next attempt. That escalation is worth knowing in advance, because a second miss turns a same week plan into a next week one and the six month validity clock on any earlier pass keeps running through it.