Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing

Free Pennsylvania permit practice tests

Pennsylvania runs one of the shortest standard knowledge tests in the country at just 18 questions, yet it demands one of the more detailed practice logs anywhere, requiring teen permit holders to rack up a specific 5 hour bad weather driving quota on top of the more common night driving hours.

Questions
18
Correct to pass
15
15 of 18 (83%)
Questions here
263
all free, all cited

Format verified against PennDOT, Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Testing section on 2026-08-27. Check the official page before you book, because states do change their rules.

Every Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

What the process looks like

  • You must be at least 16 to apply for a non-commercial learner's permit in Pennsylvania, and applicants under 18 need parental or guardian consent.
  • Permit holders under 18 must log at least 65 hours of supervised practice driving, including 10 hours at night and 5 hours in bad weather, before scheduling a road test.
  • Teens must hold the learner's permit for at least six months before the road test, then carry a junior license with passenger and nighttime driving limits until age 18.
  • A young driver can qualify for an unrestricted license before turning 18 only by keeping a crash and violation free record for 12 months and completing an approved driver's education course, submitted on PennDOT form DL-59.

PennDOT allows applicants who fail the knowledge test to retake it the next business day.

The knowledge test is written from the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes). 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 Pennsylvania written test is scored and what happens at the Pennsylvania road test.

Frequently asked

Pennsylvania permit test questions, answered

How many questions are on the Pennsylvania permit test?

PennDOT's knowledge test has 18 multiple choice questions, and you need 15 correct, about 83 percent, to pass. Verified against PennDOT on 27 August 2026.

What score do I need to pass the PA knowledge test?

15 out of 18 questions correct, roughly 83 percent, which is a higher bar than the 80 percent used by many other states.

What happens if I fail the Pennsylvania knowledge test?

PennDOT lets you retake the test the next business day, so a single failed attempt does not cost you much time.

Do Pennsylvania teens need practice hours before the road test?

Yes. Permit holders under 18 must log at least 65 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night and 5 hours in bad weather conditions, before they can take the road test.