DMV Road Test Guide
The road test is where written-test knowledge becomes visible driving: scanning, yielding, lane position, speed control, turns, parking/backing, and calm decisions under an examiner's instructions. Rules and scoring vary by state, so use this as a checklist and confirm appointment details with your own licensing agency.
What examiners usually watch for
Know where the controls are and make sure lights, signals, brakes, mirrors, doors, registration, and insurance are appointment-ready.
Check mirrors and blind spots before lane changes, turns, backing, pulling from the curb, and entering traffic.
Yield correctly at stops, crosswalks, uncontrolled intersections, left turns, emergency vehicles, school buses, and roundabouts.
Keep steady lane position, safe following distance, smooth braking, appropriate speed, and clear steering through turns.
Practice curb approach, reverse movement, signaling, head checks, and any state-specific parking maneuver.
Do not force the examiner to intervene, run a signal, ignore a sign, strike an object, or create danger for another road user.
Before you schedule
- Finish your state's permit hold, supervised-hour, driver education, or pre-licensing requirements.
- Use the official appointment page for your state and read the vehicle/document checklist before test day.
- Practice the route types examiners use: residential streets, business streets, lane changes, left turns, right turns, parking, backing, intersections, and speed changes.
- Keep written-test rules sharp with the free Permit Study Path, especially right-of-way, signs, signals, lane changes, and speed control.
Road test facts by state
Each state links to its own page with test-vehicle requirements, what to bring, what the examiner checks, and the retest wait/fee — pulled from that state's official source rather than left as an outbound link.
| State | Retest wait | Retest fee |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — |
| California | 14 days | — |
| Colorado | — | $15.4 |
| Connecticut | 14 days | $40 |
| Delaware | 10 days | — |
| District of Columbia | 3 days | — |
| Florida | — | — |
| Georgia | 1 days | $10 |
| Hawaii | — | $8 |
| Idaho | 3 days | — |
| Indiana | 7 days | — |
| Iowa | — | — |
| Kansas | 1 days | $1.5 |
| Kentucky | 7 days | — |
| Louisiana | — | — |
| Maine | — | — |
| Maryland | 1 days | — |
| Massachusetts | — | $35 |
| Michigan | 1 days | — |
| Minnesota | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — |
| Missouri | 1 days | $0 |
| Nebraska | 1 days | — |
| Nevada | — | $10 |
| New Jersey | 14 days | — |
| New Mexico | 7 days | — |
| New York | 14 days | — |
| North Carolina | 7 days | — |
| North Dakota | — | $5 |
| Ohio | 2 days | — |
| Oklahoma | 1 days | $4 |
| Oregon | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | 7 days | — |
| Rhode Island | 30 days | — |
| South Carolina | 2 days | — |
| Tennessee | — | — |
| Texas | — | — |
| Utah | — | — |
| Vermont | 7 days | — |
| Virginia | 2 days | — |
| Washington | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — |
Official sources used
This page summarizes public state guidance; it is not a replacement for your own state's appointment instructions.
California DMV
California publishes what the examiner checks during the drive: safe operation, traffic-law use, scanning, and the pre-drive safety inspection.
California DMV
California also publishes a sample scoring sheet showing how critical errors and scored maneuvers are recorded during the test.
New York DMV
Schedule and take a road test ↗
New York explains the scheduling flow, the required pre-licensing course, and what to bring before arriving for the road test.
Texas DPS
Texas lists test-day items such as proof of insurance and the Impact Texas Driver certificate when a driving test is required.
Florida FLHSMV
Class E knowledge and driving skills test ↗
Florida confirms the examiner explains any mistakes after the driving skills test, and asks drivers who don't pass to practice before retesting.
Pennsylvania DMV
Pennsylvania's manual covers the pre-test vehicle-controls check, parallel parking in a 24-by-8-foot space with no more than three adjustments, and automatic-failure rules for crashes or traffic violations.
Illinois Secretary of State
Illinois explains the Cooperative Driver Testing Program, letting certified driver-education instructors administer the behind-the-wheel road exam, plus an A/B-grade exemption from a state-administered test.
Ohio BMV
Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws — Section 11 ↗
Ohio covers driving-test scheduling, the maneuverability test's point deductions for stopping or bumping markers, and the TIPIC documentation required to test.
Georgia DDS
Georgia lists road-test vehicle requirements — registration, a valid insurance card, and a DDS safety inspection — and requires an accompanying licensed driver 21 or older.
North Carolina DMV
North Carolina describes the driving skills test's basic patterns — intersection approach, backing, three-point turnabouts, and yielding — plus the 7-day wait to retest after a failure.
Michigan Secretary of State
Driving Skills Test Study Guide ↗
Michigan explains the driving skills test's three components — vehicle inspection, basic control skills, and on-road driving — and that failing any one ends the test immediately.
Alabama ALEA
Alabama's Road Test Study Guide prepares applicants for the Road Skill Test, and its graduated license program requires 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice verified by a parent, guardian, or certified instructor before testing.
Alaska DMV
Alaska requires every exterior light to use an actual lens rather than tape and a windshield free of cracks in the driver's field of vision, and road test appointments can be rescheduled without a fee only up to 24 hours in advance — retest fees themselves are non-refundable.
Arizona MVD
Arizona fails an applicant who accumulates 21 or more points on a 5-to-8-mile, 15-to-20-minute test route, and bans both vehicles without working air conditioning (June 1–September 22, afternoons) and any use of driver-assist features like auto-drive or parking assistance during the test.
Arkansas DPS
Arkansas publishes its driver license study guide in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, and will not administer any test — knowledge or skills — if required identification documents are missing at the appointment, with no exceptions.
Colorado DMV
Colorado's driving skills test is booked through an approved third-party testing school rather than the DMV directly, bars passengers or pets from the vehicle during testing, limits an applicant to one full test per day, and charges a $15.40 fee for each retest.
Connecticut DMV
Connecticut requires applicants to complete a free online Work Zone Safety Course and pass both the vision and knowledge tests before scheduling a road test, which evaluates turns, backing up, parking, and reactions to any road sign or situation encountered.
Delaware DMV
Driver License Road Test Requirements ↗
Delaware requires an accompanying licensed driver 21 or older to remain on-site during the road test in case the applicant fails, disables Intelligent Parking Assist technology and phone/music use during the test, and only tests non-motorcycle applicants on weekdays other than Wednesday, starting 10 days after the knowledge exam is passed.
DC DMV
Road Skills Test Requirements ↗
DC DMV requires a 72-hour wait to retest after a failed road skills test, and bars a 7th attempt for 12 months if an applicant fails six times within a 12-month period; the vehicle must also have no dashboard warning lights illuminated, including a low-fuel light.
Honolulu Dept. of Customer Services
Hawaii licenses drivers at the county level rather than statewide; in Honolulu, the road test's vehicle safety pre-check must pass before the driving evaluation begins or the test is rejected outright, and a passing score is valid for only 30 days.
Idaho ITD
Idaho's roughly 30-minute skills test opens with a vehicle-knowledge inspection where an applicant must locate and demonstrate specific required items — failing to do so stops the test before driving begins — and applicants without a valid license may not drive themselves to the appointment.
Indiana BMV
Indiana requires a pre-test vehicle inspection (working brake lights and turn signals, no cracked windshield, no spare tire in use), gives a passed test two years of validity, and imposes a 7-day retest wait after one failure that grows to two months after a third failure.
Iowa DOT
Prepare for Your Driving Test ↗
Iowa's guidance confirms parallel parking is not part of the driving test, but does require a pre-test vehicle inspection covering working turn signals, mirrors, seatbelts, and brakes, plus scored two-second following distance and 100-foot turn signaling.
Kansas Department of Revenue
Kansas requires applicants to provide their own vehicle for the driving exam and bring acceptable proof of identity and Kansas residency to the appointment; completing driver's education can eliminate the in-office skills test entirely.
Kentucky State Police
Graduated Driver Licensing Program ↗
Kentucky requires the road skills test to be scheduled with the State Police only after holding a permit 180 days, with a licensed driver 21 or older accompanying the applicant and a signed Practice Driving Log in hand; a failed test means a seven-day wait to retest.
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles
Louisiana's rules cap the road skills test fee at $40, require test vehicles to carry $500,000 in auto liability insurance, and restrict administration to DPS-certified third-party examiners after the applicant signs a Disclosure of Terms form.
Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Maine disqualifies antique-registered vehicles from the road test and automatically reschedules any exam at no fee if BMV offices close for snow or ice, while applicants under 21 must log 70 hours of practice driving, including 10 at night, before testing.
Maryland MVA
Maryland's skills test includes a timed reverse two-point turnabout scored on mirror use, signals, and control, and ends immediately for any unsafe act — including rolling through a stop sign, an avoidable crash, or driving over a curb.
Massachusetts RMV
Passenger (Class D) Road Tests ↗
Massachusetts caps Class D road test attempts at 6 per 12-month period with a mandatory 2-week wait after a fail, and requires the vehicle to seat both the examiner and a sponsor and let the examiner make an emergency stop using the parking brake.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Get Ready for Your Driver's Road Test ↗
Minnesota requires proof the test vehicle is insured (even if not in the applicant's name) and bars anyone but the driver examiner from riding along, with valid ID required before the test can begin.
Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau
Regular Driver License — Light Commercial Class D ↗
Mississippi does not require a road skills test for a regular license at all — driver's education substitutes for it — while a motorcycle endorsement still requires passing a separate knowledge and skills test unless an AAMVA-endorsed safety course was completed.
Missouri Department of Revenue
Driver Guide — Chapter 2: The Driver Examination ↗
Missouri's four-part driver examination scores starts and stops for smoothness and safety and measures following distance from the vehicle ahead, and first-time drivers under the Graduated Driver License program must test at a State Highway Patrol examination station.
Montana Motor Vehicle Division
Driver Licensing Forms & Manuals ↗
Montana requires 15-year-old applicants to log 50 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction with a parent or responsible adult, including 10 hours at night, before the driving skills test, and sets a minimum 7-day wait to retest after a failure.
Nebraska DMV
What Do You Need to Take a Driving Test? ↗
Nebraska requires the test vehicle to have a working speedometer, a clean interior, and working seat belts — front only for 1964-and-later models, front and rear for 1973-and-later — and it must be representative of the license class being tested.
Nevada DMV
Nevada requires an examiner safety inspection of the vehicle's registration and insurance before the skills test, bars rental cars, and requires beginning drivers under 18 to present a driver's-education Certificate of Completion and a Beginning Driver Experience Log.
New Hampshire DMV
Driver Licensing Testing Requirements ↗
New Hampshire's 15-to-20-minute road test scores skill in handling the vehicle in traffic, driving habits, and knowledge of signs and rules of the road, requires a licensed driver to bring the test vehicle and remain on-site until testing finishes, and sets a 10-calendar-day minimum wait to retest.
New Jersey MVC
New Jersey requires an accompanying licensed driver at least 21 years old who has held a New Jersey license for 3+ years, red reflective decals on the plates of drivers under 21, and a test vehicle the examiner can reach the parking or foot brake from the passenger seat.
New Mexico MVD
Chapter 11: Road and Written Test Requirements ↗
New Mexico's road test route must include a four-block straightaway, at least two turns each direction, a signal-controlled intersection, and a stop-sign intersection, and disqualifies applicants immediately for skipping the seatbelt, running a light, or speeding 15+ mph over the limit — more than 30 points deducted is a failing grade.
North Dakota DOT
North Dakota requires minors to complete a formal driver's-education course and log 50 hours of practice driving before the road test, though the state can waive the Class D road test for students who complete state-approved behind-the-wheel and classroom training.
Service Oklahoma
Oklahoma's Class D skills test runs a 5-mile, 20-minute route evaluating parallel parking, hill parking, and lane changes, bars pets or extra passengers, and requires 16-to-18-year-olds to hold a violation-free learner permit for at least 180 days before testing.
Oregon DMV
What to Expect on Your Drive Test ↗
Oregon's roughly 20-minute drive test opens with an equipment check of 10-plus safety components — lights, brakes, mirrors, seatbelts, tires, horn — and cancels the test on the spot if the vehicle fails, before scoring backing-up skill, lane changes, and hazard response.
Rhode Island DMV
Rhode Island bars cameras, recording devices, antique or low-speed vehicles, rental cars, and pets from the road test, and sets escalating retest waits — 30 days after a first failure, 90 after a second, 180 after a third or more.
South Carolina DMV
South Carolina requires a vision, knowledge, and road test for an original license or a class upgrade, waives the road test only for a moped license, and requires a first-time applicant to hold a beginner's permit for 180 days before testing unless they're 18 or older.
South Dakota DPS
Driver License Testing Information ↗
South Dakota requires an appointment for driver license testing, requires a knowledge-test score of 80% or higher before the driving test, and then scores the driving test itself on whether the applicant can safely perform normal driving tasks.
Tennessee DOSHS
Teen/Graduated Driver License ↗
Tennessee requires an unlicensed applicant to bring someone 21 or older with a valid license to the road skills test, and under its graduated program a 15-year-old must hold a learner permit for 6 months before testing at 16, then hold the intermediate license's Level 1 permit for 180 days before advancing.
Utah DLD
Utah limits driving-skills-test applicants to one attempt per day, requires the test to be completed within six months of applying for a license, and charges an added fee for further retesting after three failed attempts.
Vermont DMV
Vermont requires a road-test appointment booked in advance through its online mydmv portal, requires proof of valid auto insurance for the test vehicle, and imposes a minimum seven-day wait before a driver can retake a failed road test.
Virginia DMV
Virginia requires a learner's permit to be held at least 60 days before the road skills test (unless the applicant completed driver education), limits testing to once per business day, and requires a two-day wait to retest after a failure.
Washington DOL
What to Expect on Your Drive Test ↗
Washington's drive test scores 11 competency areas including backing, parallel parking without assist features, hill parking, and emergency stops, and the examiner will not conduct the test at all if any required vehicle equipment — from turn signals to inside-and-outside-opening doors — isn't working.
West Virginia DMV
Skills Testing — Appointment & Documents ↗
West Virginia requires a valid instruction permit plus either a 50-hour driving log or a Driver's Education certificate for applicants under 18, and the test vehicle must carry a valid inspection sticker, insurance card, and registration card, with a licensed driver accompanying the applicant to the appointment.
Wisconsin DMV
Wisconsin's road-test examiner inspects the test vehicle beforehand for safety defects and valid registration, requires the applicant to know how to operate every in-cabin control the examiner may ask for — from wipers to the parking brake — and drives roadways chosen by the examiner to gauge real traffic response.
Wyoming WYDOT
Wyoming requires applicants to furnish their own vehicle for the driving skills test, with a route through intersections and stop lights to test normal-traffic handling, an automatic failure for any traffic-law violation, and the examiner's discretion to set a wait of days or weeks before a retest.
Florida DHSMV
Class E Knowledge Exam & Driving Skills Test ↗
Florida lists the vehicle-inspection failure conditions and the 14 maneuvers scored on the Class E Driving Skills Test, but publishes no numeric point scale — the test is pass/fail on critical errors.
Frequently asked questions
What do DMV road test examiners check?
Road-test scoring is state-specific, but public examiner criteria commonly focus on safe vehicle control, obeying traffic laws and signs, lane position, turns, observation, speed control, parking/backing, and whether you create a hazard or need examiner intervention.
What should I bring to my road test?
Check your own state's appointment page first. Common requirements include your learner permit, required certificates, a registered and insured test vehicle, and a licensed driver who can bring you to the appointment if your permit requires supervision.
How many mistakes can you make on the road test?
There is no national number. California's public sample score sheet says applicants fail with any critical driving error or more than 15 scoring-maneuver errors, but other states use their own scoring systems.
Can DMV Prep help after I pass the written test?
Yes. Use the Permit Study Path, road-signs guide, and free practice tests to keep rules fresh while you build supervised driving experience.