US DMV written tests range from 18 questions (Pennsylvania) to 50 questions (Indiana, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Utah, Wisconsin). Passing thresholds span 70% (New York, Texas, Rhode Island) to 88% (Maryland — the strictest in the country). Learner's permits are available at age 14 in 8 states and not until age 16 in 8 others. Permit fees range from $1 (Mississippi) to $80 (New York). Across all 50 states, 80% is the most common passing threshold, required by 36 states.
18–50
questions (PA → IN/FL/MI/NJ/UT/WI)
70–88%
TX/RI/NY (70%) → MD (88%)
14–16
years old (8 states each)
$1–$80
MS ($1) → NY ($80 combined)
Test length by state
Question counts are the number of questions on the standard car/passenger vehicle written knowledge test. Motorcycle and CDL tests differ.
Pennsylvania's written test is the shortest in the US at just 18 questions — but it demands 83% to pass, allowing only 3 wrong answers. The deceptive brevity means each question carries more weight than in a longer test.
Six states tie for the longest test at 50 questions: Indiana, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Utah, and Wisconsin. Indiana is the hardest of these because it also requires 84% to pass (only 8 wrong answers allowed).
The national average test length is 32.5 questions. The most common length is 25 questions, used by 16 states (Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming).
Pennsylvania
18 questions — 83% to pass (3 misses allowed)
50 questions
IN, FL, MI, NJ, UT, WI — Indiana is hardest (84%)
25 questions
16 states · National average: 32.5 questions
Distribution of test lengths across 50 states
Passing scores by state
The minimum percentage of questions answered correctly to pass the written knowledge test on the first attempt.
Maryland has the highest passing threshold of any US state: 88%. On Maryland's 25-question test, that means a test-taker can answer at most 3 questions wrong. No other state is as unforgiving.
80% is the national standard: 36 of 50 states require exactly 80% to pass. This is the most common threshold by a wide margin — nearly three-quarters of all states use it.
Rhode Island allows the most wrong answers in absolute terms: 12 on a 40-question test (70% threshold). Despite having a high question count, the 70% bar means 12 misses still constitute a pass — the widest safety net of any state.
Virginia is the strictest state by passing bar among longer tests: 86% on 35 questions (only 5 wrong answers allowed), making it harder in practice than California (83% on 46 questions — 8 wrong answers allowed).
Maryland — 88%
25 questions · Only 3 wrong answers allowed
Practice the Maryland test →70% — NY, TX, RI
RI allows the most misses: 12 on a 40-question test
| Passing threshold | States | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 88% | Maryland | 1 |
| 86% | Virginia | 1 |
| 85% | Idaho | 1 |
| 84% | Indiana | 1 |
| 83% | California, Pennsylvania | 2 |
| 80% ← most common | AK, AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DE, FL, HI, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NH, NV, NC, ND, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY | 36 |
| 76% | West Virginia | 1 |
| 75% | Georgia, Ohio | 2 |
| 72% | Massachusetts, New Mexico | 2 |
| 70% | New York, Rhode Island, Texas | 3 |
Learner's permit age by state
The youngest age at which an applicant can obtain a learner's permit (instructional permit) for a standard passenger vehicle.
Eight states issue learner's permits to 14-year-olds — the youngest of any US state: Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In South Dakota, a 14-year-old can sit the test immediately with no graduated waiting period before the permit is issued.
Eight states require waiting until age 16 for a learner's permit: Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island — all in the Northeast. New York has the most restrictive combined set: permit at 16, test at 20 questions/70%, and a $80 combined fee.
Age 15 is the most common minimum permit age, used by 23 states. A further 9 states set it at 15.5 and 2 states at 14.5 (Idaho and Montana), making ages 15 through 15.5 the dominant window in the US.
Age 14
AK, AR, IA, KS, MI, NE, ND, SD
Age 15
46% of all states
Age 16
CT, DE, KY, MA, NJ, NY, PA, RI
| Minimum permit age | States | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota | 8 |
| 14.5 | Idaho, Montana | 2 |
| 15 ← most common | Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming | 23 |
| 15.5 | Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin | 9 |
| 16 | Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island | 8 |
Learner's permit fees by state
The cost to obtain a learner's permit for a standard passenger vehicle, as published by each state's licensing agency. Fees are for the permit only unless noted. Source: state DMV fee schedules, verified October 2026. Always confirm current fees directly with your state DMV before visiting.
Mississippi charges just $1 for a learner's permit — the lowest permit fee of any US state. Kansas ($3), Missouri ($3), Virginia ($3), and South Carolina ($2) are also among the least expensive.
New York's combined fee of $80 is the highest in the country — but it covers the permit, the road test, and the license in a single payment. When compared on a permit-only basis, Maryland ($50) and California ($41) are the most expensive.
Most states charge between $10 and $35 for a learner's permit. The median permit fee across 48 states with published data is approximately $15.
Mississippi — $1
30 questions · 80% to pass · Permit age: 15
New York — $80
Combined fee covering permit + road test + license
| State | Permit fee | Questions | Pass % | Permit age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $1 | 30 | 80% | 15 |
| South Carolina | $2 | 30 | 80% | 15 |
| Kansas | $3 | 25 | 80% | 14 |
| Missouri | $3 | 25 | 80% | 15 |
| Virginia | $3 | 35 | 86% | 15.5 |
| Oklahoma | $4 | 25 | 80% | 15.5 |
| Alabama | $5 | 30 | 80% | 15 |
| Arkansas | $5 | 25 | 80% | 14 |
| Hawaii | $5 | 30 | 80% | 15.5 |
| Montana | $5 | 33 | 80% | 14.5 |
| North Dakota | $5 | 25 | 80% | 14 |
| South Dakota | $5 | 25 | 80% | 14 |
| Iowa | $6 | 35 | 80% | 14 |
| Arizona | $7 | 30 | 80% | 15.5 |
| West Virginia | $7 | 25 | 76% | 15 |
| Indiana | $9 | 50 | 84% | 15 |
| Georgia | $10 | 40 | 75% | 15 |
| Maine | $10 | 30 | 80% | 15 |
| New Jersey | $10 | 50 | 80% | 16 |
| New Mexico | $10 | 25 | 72% | 15 |
| Tennessee | $10 | 30 | 80% | 15 |
| Wyoming | $10 | 25 | 80% | 15 |
| Nebraska | $13 | 25 | 80% | 14 |
| Alaska | $15 | 20 | 80% | 14 |
| Idaho | $15 | 40 | 85% | 14.5 |
| Kentucky | $15 | 40 | 80% | 16 |
| Texas | $16 | 30 | 70% | 15 |
| Colorado | $18 | 25 | 80% | 15 |
| Connecticut | $19 | 25 | 80% | 16 |
| Utah | $19 | 50 | 80% | 15 |
| Illinois | $20 | 35 | 80% | 15 |
| Vermont | $20 | 20 | 80% | 15 |
| Nevada | $22 | 25 | 80% | 15.5 |
| North Carolina | $23 | 25 | 80% | 15 |
| Oregon | $23 | 35 | 80% | 15 |
| Delaware | $25 | 30 | 80% | 16 |
| Ohio | $25 | 40 | 75% | 15.5 |
| Washington | $25 | 40 | 80% | 15 |
| Rhode Island | $26 | 40 | 70% | 16 |
| Massachusetts | $30 | 25 | 72% | 16 |
| Louisiana | $32 | 40 | 80% | 15 |
| Minnesota | $32 | 40 | 80% | 15 |
| Pennsylvania | $35 | 18 | 83% | 16 |
| Wisconsin | $35 | 50 | 80% | 15.5 |
| California | $41 | 46 | 83% | 15.5 |
| Florida | $48 | 50 | 80% | 15 |
| Maryland | $50 | 25 | 88% | 15 (15y9m) |
| New York | $80 (combined) | 20 | 70% | 16 |
Michigan and New Hampshire fee data not available in our current dataset. Fees may change; verify with your state DMV.
All 50 states at a glance
Sorted by passing threshold (strictest first), then by test length. See the full difficulty ranking →
| State | Questions | Pass % | Misses allowed | Permit age | Permit fee | Difficulty rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 25 | 88% | 3 | 15 (15y9m) | $50 | #5 |
| Virginia | 35 | 86% | 5 | 15.5 | $3 | #3 |
| Idaho | 40 | 85% | 6 | 14.5 | $15 | #2 |
| Indiana | 50 | 84% | 8 | 15 | $9 | #1 |
| California | 46 | 83% | 8 | 15.5 | $41 | #4 |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 83% | 3 | 16 | $35 | #20 |
| Florida | 50 | 80% | 10 | 15 | $48 | #6 |
| Michigan | 50 | 80% | 10 | 14 | — | #7 |
| New Jersey | 50 | 80% | 10 | 16 | $10 | #8 |
| Utah | 50 | 80% | 10 | 15 | $19 | #9 |
| Wisconsin | 50 | 80% | 10 | 15.5 | $35 | #10 |
| Kentucky | 40 | 80% | 8 | 16 | $15 | #11 |
| Louisiana | 40 | 80% | 8 | 15 | $32 | #12 |
| Minnesota | 40 | 80% | 8 | 15 | $32 | #13 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | 80% | 8 | 15.5 | — | #14 |
| Washington | 40 | 80% | 8 | 15 | $25 | #15 |
| Illinois | 35 | 80% | 7 | 15 | $20 | #16 |
| Iowa | 35 | 80% | 7 | 14 | $6 | #17 |
| Oregon | 35 | 80% | 7 | 15 | $23 | #18 |
| Montana | 33 | 80% | 6 | 14.5 | $5 | #19 |
| Alabama | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15 | $5 | #21 |
| Arizona | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15.5 | $7 | #22 |
| Delaware | 30 | 80% | 6 | 16 | $25 | #23 |
| Hawaii | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15.5 | $5 | #24 |
| Maine | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15 | $10 | #25 |
| Mississippi | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15 | $1 | #26 |
| South Carolina | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15 | $2 | #27 |
| Tennessee | 30 | 80% | 6 | 15 | $10 | #28 |
| Arkansas | 25 | 80% | 5 | 14 | $5 | #29 |
| Colorado | 25 | 80% | 5 | 15 | $18 | #30 |
| Connecticut | 25 | 80% | 5 | 16 | $19 | #31 |
| Kansas | 25 | 80% | 5 | 14 | $3 | #32 |
| Missouri | 25 | 80% | 5 | 15 | $3 | #33 |
| Nebraska | 25 | 80% | 5 | 14 | $13 | #34 |
| Nevada | 25 | 80% | 5 | 15.5 | $22 | #35 |
| North Carolina | 25 | 80% | 5 | 15 | $23 | #36 |
| North Dakota | 25 | 80% | 5 | 14 | $5 | #37 |
| Oklahoma | 25 | 80% | 5 | 15.5 | $4 | #38 |
| South Dakota | 25 | 80% | 5 | 14 | $5 | #39 |
| Wyoming | 25 | 80% | 5 | 15 | $10 | #40 |
| Alaska | 20 | 80% | 4 | 14 | $15 | #41 |
| Vermont | 20 | 80% | 4 | 15 | $20 | #42 |
| Georgia | 40 | 75% | 10 | 15 | $10 | #43 |
| Ohio | 40 | 75% | 10 | 15.5 | $25 | #44 |
| West Virginia | 25 | 76% | 6 | 15 | $7 | #45 |
| Rhode Island | 40 | 70% | 12 | 16 | $26 | #46 |
| Massachusetts | 25 | 72% | 7 | 16 | $30 | #47 |
| New Mexico | 25 | 72% | 7 | 15 | $10 | #48 |
| Texas | 30 | 70% | 9 | 15 | $16 | #49 |
| New York | 20 | 70% | 6 | 16 | $80 | #50 |
Methodology
Test length and passing score are compiled from each state's official driver handbook and licensing agency website, cross-referenced against DMV Master's 25,000+ state-specific question bank. Data reflects the standard car/passenger vehicle written knowledge test only; motorcycle (Class M) endorsement tests and CDL tests are separate and not included here.
Learner's permit age is the minimum age to apply for a standard passenger vehicle instructional/learner's permit, as published by each state's DMV. Some states have age-and-month requirements (e.g., Maryland requires 15 years and 9 months); these are noted in the all-states table.
Permit fees are the published permit application fee for a standard learner's permit. New York's fee is a bundled payment covering the permit application, road test, and first license. Michigan and New Hampshire fee data was not available in our current dataset.
All data verified as of October 5, 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm current figures with your state's DMV before visiting. The full difficulty ranking methodology (scoring formula) is described on the DMV Test Difficulty Index page.
This data is free to reference with attribution. Suggested citation: "DMV Master 2026 Test Statistics, dmvmaster.org" with a link to this page. For state-specific data pulls or comment, email pass@dmvmaster.org.
We respond within one business day. Per-state press fact sheets are also available at dmvmaster.org/dmv-test-difficulty-by-state.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the shortest DMV written test?
Pennsylvania has the shortest written test at 18 questions — but it requires 83% to pass, meaning only 3 wrong answers are allowed. Don't let the brevity mislead you. Practice the Pennsylvania test →
Which state has the longest DMV written test?
Six states tie at 50 questions: Indiana, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Utah, and Wisconsin. Indiana ranks hardest overall because it also requires 84% to pass — only 8 wrong answers allowed. Practice the Indiana test →
Which state has the strictest passing score?
Maryland requires 88% — the highest threshold in the US. On a 25-question test, that means only 3 wrong answers allowed. Practice the Maryland test →
What is the most common DMV passing score?
80% is the national standard: 36 of 50 states require exactly 80% to pass. The range runs from 70% (New York, Texas, Rhode Island) to 88% (Maryland).
What is the youngest age to get a learner's permit in the US?
Eight states issue permits to 14-year-olds: Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Eight states require waiting until age 16: Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
How much does a learner's permit cost?
Permit fees range from $1 (Mississippi) to $80 (New York, which bundles the permit, road test, and license into one payment). Most states charge between $10 and $35. Maryland at $50 is the most expensive permit-only fee.
How many questions are on the average DMV test?
The national average is 32.5 questions. The most common test length is 25 questions (used by 16 states). Tests range from 18 questions (Pennsylvania) to 50 questions (6 states).
Related DMV research
DMV Test Difficulty by State →
All 50 states scored and ranked by difficulty
The 25 Most-Missed DMV Questions →
The traps most test-takers fall into — and how to avoid them
State-by-State License Guide →
Fees, ages, supervised driving hours, state-specific rules
Take your state's practice test →
Simulate your state's real exam →