Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

Free Massachusetts permit practice tests

Massachusetts sets its knowledge test passing score at just 18 of 25 correct, a 72 percent threshold that is notably more forgiving than the 80 percent minimum used in most other states, even though the resulting Junior Operator license carries a strict 12:30 a.m. curfew.

Questions
25
Correct to pass
18
18 of 25 (72%)
Questions here
263
all free, all cited

Format verified against Massachusetts RMV, Learner's Permit Knowledge Test FAQs on 2026-08-27. Check the official page before you book, because states do change their rules.

Every Massachusetts test

Work through them in order.

The essentials

Start here. Five distinct sets drawn from across the whole bank, plus a marathon that keeps going until you have seen everything.

Signs, signals and right of way

The two areas that fail the most people. Work through the sign tests until every shape and color is automatic, then handle the intersection scenarios.

The rules that get you fined

Speed, alcohol, phones, seat belts and the state specific limits that carry real penalties. These questions cite the statute so you learn the rule, not just the answer.

The exam simulator

The real thing: your state's exact question count and pass mark, scored the way the licensing agency scores it.

Your missed questions

Every question you get wrong anywhere on this site saves to a review deck on your own device. It comes back after a day, then three days, then a week, and retires once you have answered it correctly three times running. Open any test above and the review button appears as soon as the deck has something in it.

Getting licensed in Massachusetts

What the process looks like

  • Anyone between 16 and a half and 18 who wants a Massachusetts license is a Junior Operator, and the RMV requires a valid learner's permit for at least 6 consecutive months before the road test.
  • Junior Operator applicants under 18 must also complete driver's education: 30 hours of classroom instruction plus 18 hours in a training vehicle, including at least 12 hours actually behind the wheel.
  • For the first 180 days after licensing, a Junior Operator cannot carry any passenger under 18 unless it is an immediate family member or a licensed driver at least 21 with a year of experience is in the front seat.
  • Junior Operators cannot drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m., and the license automatically converts to a full unrestricted Class D license on the holder's 18th birthday.
  • A permit holder under 18 cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is licensed, has at least a year of driving experience, and is not suspended or revoked.

The RMV says that if you fail the exam you will be given instructions at the end of it on how to pay for and take another exam. There is a charge to retest, so budget for it, but check the current amount with the RMV rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere.

The knowledge test is written from the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Motor Vehicles and Aircraft. Our questions teach those same rules and cite the section behind each answer, so what you learn holds up on test day and on the road afterwards.

How the Massachusetts written test is scored and what happens at the Massachusetts road test.

Frequently asked

Massachusetts permit test questions, answered

How many questions are on the Massachusetts RMV permit exam?

25. The RMV's own knowledge test FAQ states that you will be asked 25 questions and you must get 18 to pass, within a 25 minute limit. Verified against Massachusetts RMV on 27 August 2026.

What score do I need to pass the Massachusetts permit test?

You need 18 of the 25 questions correct, which is 72 percent, a lower bar than the 80 percent most other states set for their knowledge tests.

What happens if I fail the Massachusetts knowledge test?

The RMV gives you instructions at the end of the exam on how to pay for and take another one. There is a retest charge, so confirm the current amount with the RMV before you book.

How long do I have to finish the Massachusetts permit exam?

25 minutes for all 25 questions. Once you begin, the clock runs and you cannot pause and come back later. Driver's manuals, other reference material, and electronic devices are all off limits, online or in person.