The Maryland permit test, explained

The short answer

The Maryland knowledge test for a learner’s permit has 25 questions and a 20-minute limit, and you need 88 percent to pass, which means 22 right. You can apply from 15 years and 9 months. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian co-signs, and you also pass a vision screening.

Source: Knowledge tests, Maryland MVA

Maryland has one of the highest pass marks we have seen. With 88 percent required, you can miss only three of the 25 questions.

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This text was written with AI help, checked against the Maryland MVA’s pages and approved by Fri Vei AS. Last updated .

Checked against the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration · Report a mistake

Drivoku is not connected to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). Every fact below links to the MVA page it comes from, checked on November 4, 2026.

The Maryland permit test at a glance

Maryland learner’s permit and knowledge test
Minimum age15 years and 9 months (MVA)
Number of questions25 (MVA)
Passing score88 percent (22 of 25)
Time limit20 minutes
Languages17, including American Sign Language (MVA)
Also neededA vision screening; under 18, a parent or guardian co-signs

How many questions are on the Maryland permit test?

Twenty-five, with a 20-minute time limit. You need 88 percent, so 22 right; you can miss 3 (MVA knowledge tests). The MVA offers the test and its study materials in 17 languages, including American Sign Language.

What to bring

From the MVA’s learner’s permit page:

  • Proof of identity, such as a birth certificate or US passport, and proof of your Social Security number.
  • Two documents proving Maryland residency.
  • Proof of your relationship to your parent or guardian, if your identity document does not show it.
  • Under 16: a school attendance form, either DL-300 completed by your school or DL-300A signed by a parent or guardian.
  • Under 18: a parent or legal guardian to co-sign your application.

A permit cannot be renewed. If yours expires, you apply again and retake the knowledge test.

Rules for teen drivers in Maryland

Maryland, like every state, uses graduated driver licensing, which the MVA calls the Rookie Driver program. From the MVA pages on the learner’s permit and the provisional license:

  • With the permit: always drive with a supervising driver who is at least 21 and has held a license for at least three years. No phone use while driving, not even hands-free, except to call 911.
  • Before the provisional license (drivers under 18): hold the permit for at least nine months and log 60 hours of supervised practice, at least 10 of them at night.
  • Provisional license, first 151 days (drivers under 18): no passengers under 18 except immediate family, unless a qualified supervising driver is with you.
  • Nights (drivers under 18): no driving from midnight to 5 a.m. unless a licensed driver aged 21 or older with three years of experience is with you; the MVA lists the other exceptions on its page.

What Drivoku covers for Maryland

Our free permit practice test and the questions below cover road rules and signs that apply in every state, with signs from the national sign manual. They do not cover Maryland’s own laws; the MVA’s Maryland Driver’s Manual has those.

Practice five questions every state shares

Five shared road rules

Answer one question at a time. You see the answer and the reason after each one. Nothing you pick is saved or sent anywhere.

Question 1 of 5

  1. Seat belts and child safety

    Where does NHTSA recommend children under 13 ride, when a back seat is available?

    • In the back seat Right
    • In the front seat with a belt
    • In the front seat with an air bag
    • On an adult's lap

    The right answer is A: In the back seat

    WhyNHTSA recommends children under 13 ride in the back seat, away from front air bags.

    Source: NHTSA: Air Bags, The Topic — Protection

    Report this question

  2. Intersections and turns

    You plan to turn onto a one-way street. Its permitted traffic direction runs from your left to your right. There are no other turn restrictions. Which turn follows that street's legal direction?

    • A left turn across the near side of the street
    • Either turn if the destination street is empty
    • A left turn followed by an immediate lane change
    • A right turn Right

    The right answer is D: A right turn

    WhyEnter a one-way street only in its designated direction of travel.

    Source: UVC § 11-308(b) One-way roadways and rotary traffic islands (model law)

    Report this question

  3. Speed and space

    Which statement about your speed is correct?

    • You must never drive below the posted limit, even in bad weather
    • Drive at a safe speed for conditions; don't needlessly block normal traffic Right
    • The posted limit is only a suggestion
    • You must match the speed of the fastest car

    The right answer is B: Drive at a safe speed for conditions; don't needlessly block normal traffic

    WhyDrive at a safe speed for conditions, even below the limit, but don't needlessly impede normal traffic.

    Source: UVC § 11-801 Basic rule (model law), UVC § 11-805 Minimum speed regulation (model law)

    Report this question

  4. Night and bad weather

    You are using high beams on a dark two-way road. An oncoming vehicle is getting close enough that your high beams could dazzle its driver. What should you do?

    • Keep high beams on until the other driver flashes theirs
    • Switch to parking lights until the other vehicle passes
    • Keep high beams on and aim your car toward the shoulder
    • Switch to low beams Right

    The right answer is D: Switch to low beams

    WhyDim high beams to low beams to avoid blinding an oncoming driver.

    Source: California Driver Handbook (California DMV): Signals, Horns, and Headlights: Using Your Headlights, Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 9: Some Special Driving Situations, Headlights, Florida Driver License Handbook (FLHSMV): Low Visibility; Night Driving

    Report this question

  5. Alcohol and drugs

    Some medicines you can buy without a prescription can make you drowsy or dizzy. What does this mean for driving?

    • They are safe once you feel awake
    • They can impair your driving Right
    • Only prescription drugs impair driving
    • They only matter at high doses

    The right answer is B: They can impair your driving

    WhySome over-the-counter and prescription medicines cause drowsiness or dizziness and can impair your driving.

    Source: NHTSA: Drug-Impaired Driving, Many Substances Can Impair Driving

    Report this question

Each topic's level is free in the app. Pro lets you practice every topic as much as you want.

In the app, questions you miss come back until you get them right. 5 questions a day are free.

45 free questions on this website and 379 in the app, checked against the MUTCD, the Uniform Vehicle Code and Texas law, with the reason for every answer. About the app

Out now on iPhone and Android.

Keep going with the 25-question permit practice test, the same length as the Maryland test, and the road signs quiz. Other states: permit test by state.

Common questions

How many questions can you miss on the Maryland permit test?

Three. You need 88 percent of 25, which is 22 right.

How old do you have to be for a learner’s permit in Maryland?

15 years and 9 months.

How long do you have to hold a Maryland learner’s permit?

For drivers under 18, at least nine months, with 60 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night, before the provisional license.

Is the Maryland permit test available in other languages?

Yes. The MVA offers it in 17 languages, including American Sign Language.

Sources

(4)
  1. Knowledge tests, Maryland MVA
  2. Learner’s permit, Maryland MVA
  3. Provisional driver’s license, Maryland MVA
  4. Learner’s permit exam now available in 17 languages, Maryland MVA