Texas Department of Public Safety

The Texas written test, explained

People say written test, DPS paperwork says knowledge test. Same exam. Nobody hands you a pencil anymore: you answer on a screen. What matters is the scoring, and here it is with nothing rounded off.

30
Questions
Texas DPS, verified 2026-08-27
21
Correct to pass
21 of 30 (70%)
Texas DPS, verified 2026-08-27

What the questions cover

Everything comes back to the Texas Transportation Code: traffic signals and signs, right of way, speed rules, passing and lane use, parking, alcohol limits, and the licensing rules that apply to new drivers. The exam is multiple choice with one correct answer per question.

Texas quirk worth knowing: if you are under 25, your driver education provider gives you this exam, not a DPS office. Adults 25 and over who skip driver ed take it at DPS. And the pass mark is 21 of 30, which is 70 percent. Sites claiming you need 80 percent are quoting the wrong state.

How to prepare without wasting evenings

Reading rules is passive; retrieval is what sticks. Take a full-length run in the real format, read the explanation on every miss, and let the review deck bring your weak spots back tomorrow. Most people are consistently passing practice runs within a week of short daily sessions.

Take the free Texas practice test