Texas DMV Permit Practice Test 2026

This page covers what you need to know for the Texas driver's license knowledge exam: how the test works, the Texas-specific rules that often show up on it, and sample questions with explained answers. Everything here is based on the official Texas driver's manual and state traffic code (sources are listed at the bottom). The real Texas test has 30 questions and you need 21 correct (70%) to pass.

When you're ready, take a free 25-question practice test that mixes Texas-specific questions with general driving questions, with an explanation after every answer. Each attempt draws a new set. No signup needed.

Texas Permit Test and Licensing Facts

Knowledge Test	30 questions, must score 21/30 (70%) to pass
Minimum Permit Age	15
Minimum License Age	16
Speed Limits	Highway: up to 70 mph \| Residential: 30 mph \| School Zone: 15 mph
DWI Law	BAC limit: 0.08% (Under 21: Zero Tolerance)
Point System	Texas repealed its Driver Responsibility Program (point surcharges) in 2019. Drivers with 4 or more moving violations in 12 months, or 7 or more in 24 months, can be suspended as habitual violators.

Rules Specific to Texas

Texas has the highest posted speed limit in the US at 85 mph on a toll road (SH 130)
Texas uses the term DWI and has zero tolerance for drivers under 21
Texas requires an Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) video course as part of the licensing process

Sample Texas Permit Test Questions

These questions cover rules that are specific to Texas. They're the ones people most often miss, because the answer differs from state to state.

Child passenger safety: a child must be in a child safety seat or booster seat until what age unless the child is at least 4 feet 9 inches tall?
- A. Until at least age 6
- B. Until at least age 8
- C. Until at least age 10
- D. Until at least age 12
Answer: Until at least age 8. Booster seats help the belt fit correctly; use the seat that matches the child’s size.
Move Over / Slow Down: if you can’t move over for a stopped emergency vehicle and the posted speed limit is 25 mph or more, how much must you reduce your speed?
- A. At least 5 mph below the posted limit
- B. At least 10 mph below the posted limit
- C. At least 20 mph below the posted limit
- D. At least 25 mph below the posted limit
Answer: At least 20 mph below the posted limit. Change lanes when you safely can; otherwise, slow down substantially and proceed with caution.
Work zone rule: what can happen to the fine for speeding in a work zone when workers are present, according to the state’s work zone safety guidance?
- A. It may be doubled
- B. It may be cut in half
- C. It is always waived
- D. It stays the same in all cases
Answer: It may be doubled. Work zones are unpredictable; slow down and watch for workers and sudden lane shifts.
Turn signal requirement: when turning or changing lanes, how far in advance must you signal before making the movement?
- A. At least 50 feet
- B. At least 100 feet
- C. At least 150 feet
- D. At least 200 feet
Answer: At least 100 feet. Signal early so other road users have time to react to your planned movement.
Parking restriction: you must not park within what distance of a fire hydrant?
- A. Within 10 feet
- B. Within 15 feet
- C. Within 20 feet
- D. Within 30 feet
Answer: Within 15 feet. Keep the hydrant accessible so firefighters can connect hoses quickly.
What is the minimum age to apply for a Texas learner license (instruction permit)?
- A. 14
- B. 15
- C. 15½
- D. 16
Answer: 15. You must be at least 15 and under 18, and have completed the classroom part of driver education plus the vision and knowledge exams.
Who may supervise a Texas learner license holder?
- A. Any licensed driver 18 or older
- B. A licensed driver at least 21 with at least one year of driving experience
- C. A licensed driver at least 25
- D. Only a certified driving instructor
Answer: A licensed driver at least 21 with at least one year of driving experience. The supervisor must be at least 21, have at least a year of experience, sit in the front passenger seat, and be alert and sober.
Which course must every Texas driver license applicant complete before the driving exam?
- A. Defensive Driving
- B. Impact Texas Drivers (ITD)
- C. Texas Alcohol Awareness
- D. Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education
Answer: Impact Texas Drivers (ITD). All applicants must complete the Impact Texas Drivers course for their age group before taking the driving exam.
What score do you need to pass a Texas knowledge exam?
- A. 60 percent
- B. 70 percent
- C. 75 percent
- D. 80 percent
Answer: 70 percent. Texas requires a grade of 70 percent or better on any knowledge exam.
A Texas provisional (Phase Two) driver may not drive between which hours, except for work, school activities, or a medical emergency?
- A. 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- B. 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- C. Midnight and 5 a.m.
- D. Midnight and 6 a.m.
Answer: Midnight and 5 a.m.. Phase Two drivers can't drive from midnight to 5 a.m. unless it's needed for work, a school-related activity, or a medical emergency.
Under Texas Phase Two restrictions, how many passengers under 21 who are not family members may a provisional driver carry?
- A. None
- B. No more than one
- C. No more than two
- D. No more than three
Answer: No more than one. Provisional drivers may not have more than one passenger under 21 who isn't a family member.
Can a Texas driver under 18 use a hands-free phone while driving?
- A. Yes, hands-free is always allowed
- B. Yes, but only on highways
- C. No, not even hands-free, except in an emergency
- D. Only if a parent is in the car
Answer: No, not even hands-free, except in an emergency. Drivers under 18 may not use any wireless communication device, including hands-free, except in an emergency.
Unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit in a Texas urban district?
- A. 25 mph
- B. 30 mph
- C. 35 mph
- D. 40 mph
Answer: 30 mph. The statewide limit in an urban district is 30 mph unless a city sets a different posted limit.
What is the speed limit in a Texas alley?
- A. 10 mph
- B. 15 mph
- C. 20 mph
- D. 25 mph
Answer: 15 mph. Texas sets alleys at 15 mph.
At speeds above 30 mph in good conditions, what following distance does the Texas handbook recommend?
- A. 1 second
- B. 2 seconds
- C. 3 seconds
- D. 4 seconds
Answer: 4 seconds. Keep at least 2 seconds at lower speeds and 4 seconds above 30 mph. A four-second gap is also best practice for new drivers.
When must you use headlights in Texas?
- A. Only between sunset and sunrise
- B. From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, or when you can't see clearly for 1,000 feet
- C. From 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise
- D. Only on unlit roads
Answer: From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, or when you can't see clearly for 1,000 feet. Headlights are required from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise, and any time people or vehicles can't be seen clearly at 1,000 feet.
When must you switch to low beams for a vehicle you are following in Texas?
- A. Within 100 feet
- B. Within 200 feet
- C. Within 300 feet
- D. Within 500 feet
Answer: Within 300 feet. Use low beams within 300 feet of a vehicle you're following and within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle.
In Texas, you may not park within how many feet of a crosswalk at an intersection?
- A. 10 feet
- B. 15 feet
- C. 20 feet
- D. 30 feet
Answer: 20 feet. Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection is prohibited.
How close may you park to a stop sign, yield sign, or flashing signal at the side of the road in Texas?
- A. No closer than 15 feet
- B. No closer than 20 feet
- C. No closer than 30 feet
- D. No closer than 50 feet
Answer: No closer than 30 feet. Don't park within 30 feet of the approach to a stop sign, yield sign, flashing signal, or other traffic control signal at the roadside.
In Texas, you may not park within how many feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing?
- A. 15 feet
- B. 25 feet
- C. 50 feet
- D. 100 feet
Answer: 50 feet. Parking within 50 feet of the nearest rail is prohibited, whether or not the vehicle is occupied.
When a railroad crossing signal is flashing, where must you stop?
- A. Right at the gate
- B. Between 5 and 10 feet from the nearest rail
- C. Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail
- D. At least 100 feet from the tracks
Answer: Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail. Stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail when a flagger directs you, lights are flashing, bells are sounding, or any device warns of a train.
How close may you follow a fire truck answering an alarm with its flashing red lights on?
- A. No closer than 100 feet
- B. No closer than 250 feet
- C. No closer than 500 feet
- D. No closer than 1,000 feet
Answer: No closer than 500 feet. You may not follow within 500 feet of a fire truck answering an alarm or an ambulance with its flashing red lights on.
What is the fine for a first conviction of failing to stop for a Texas school bus with flashing red lights?
- A. $100 to $200
- B. $200 to $500
- C. $500 to $1,250
- D. $1,000 to $2,000
Answer: $500 to $1,250. A first offense carries a fine of $500 to $1,250. Repeat offenses within 5 years cost $1,000 to $2,000 and can bring a license suspension.
What are Texas's minimum liability insurance amounts?
- A. $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000
- B. $30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000
- C. $50,000 / $100,000 / $50,000
- D. $15,000 / $30,000 / $10,000
Answer: $30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000. Texas requires $30,000 for injury or death of one person, $60,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage.
You have a crash that police don't investigate and that causes no injuries, but it causes $1,000 or more in property damage. What must you do?
- A. Nothing, if no one was hurt
- B. File a written crash report with TxDOT within 10 days
- C. Report it to your insurer only
- D. Call DPS within 24 hours
Answer: File a written crash report with TxDOT within 10 days. If police don't investigate a crash with injury, death, or $1,000+ damage, you must file a written report with TxDOT no later than the 10th day after the crash.
What is the minimum legal tire tread depth for a vehicle in Texas?
- A. 1/32 of an inch
- B. 2/32 of an inch
- C. 4/32 of an inch
- D. 6/32 of an inch
Answer: 2/32 of an inch. All vehicles must have tires in safe condition with a tread depth of at least 2/32 of an inch.
What happens if a Texas driver under 21 is found to have any detectable amount of alcohol while driving?
- A. Nothing unless BAC is 0.08 or more
- B. A warning only
- C. Their license can be suspended
- D. They must retake the knowledge test
Answer: Their license can be suspended. Texas has zero tolerance for drivers under 21. DPS can suspend the license for any detectable amount of alcohol.

Texas Permit Test FAQ

How many questions are on the Texas permit test?

The Texas knowledge test has 30 multiple-choice questions. You need at least 21 correct answers (70%) to pass.

How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Texas?

The minimum age for a learner's permit in Texas is 15. The minimum age for a driver's license is 16.

What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Texas?

Texas calls impaired driving DWI. The limit is 0.08% BAC for drivers 21 and over, and zero tolerance (any detectable alcohol) for drivers under 21.

How does the Texas driver point system work?

Texas repealed its Driver Responsibility Program (point surcharges) in 2019. Drivers with 4 or more moving violations in 12 months, or 7 or more in 24 months, can be suspended as habitual violators.

What are the default speed limits in Texas?

Typical limits in Texas are up to 70 mph on highways, 30 mph in residential areas and 15 mph in school zones. Posted signs always take priority.

Sources

The facts and questions on this page are based on the following official Texas government sources:

Facts and questions last checked against the Texas Driver Handbook on September 24, 2026.

Laws change. Always check the current Texas driver's manual before your test. This site is unofficial and not affiliated with any Texas government agency.