Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing
Pennsylvania permit test: 18 questions, three misses
Original Pennsylvania questions with the law cited under every answer, scored the way PennDOT scores it.
- Exam Simulator18 questions, pass with 15, scored the way PennDOT scores it
- Practice Test 120 questions, a broad first pass across signs, right of way, rules and safety
- Road Signs Full197 questions, every sign, signal and pavement marking question
- Laws and Limits12 questions drawn from the 75 Pa.C.S.
Work through them in order.
PA Practice Test 1
PA Practice Test 2
PA Practice Test 3
PA Practice Test 4
PA Practice Test 5
PA Full Marathon
PA Road Signs Mini
PA Road Signs Full
PA Right of Way
PA Complex Situations
Pennsylvania Laws and Limits
PA Alcohol, Phones and Safety
PA Rules of the Road
Pennsylvania Exam Simulator
Every question you miss saves to a review deck on this device. See how the review deck works.
Know the format before you book.
Pennsylvania runs one of the shortest knowledge tests in the country and one of the least forgiving. PennDOT sets the exam at 18 questions and requires 15 correct, about 83 percent, so three wrong answers is the entire margin and a fourth ends the attempt. That is a higher bar than the 80 percent many states use, on a paper short enough that one careless read costs more here than it would on a 40 or 50 question exam. The consolation is speed, because PennDOT lets an applicant who fails retake the test the next business day, so a bad sitting costs a day rather than a week. The practice requirement is the opposite of the exam, long and unusually specific: permit holders under 18 must log 65 hours of supervised driving, of which 10 have to be at night and 5 in bad weather, and the permit itself has to be held six months from its issue date before a road test.
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.
Source: PennDOT, Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Testing section, verified 2026-08-27
What the process looks like.
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.
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.
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.