Texas DMV permit practice test
The Texas permit test (the Texas DPS Class C knowledge exam) has 30 multiple-choice questions, and you need 21 right to pass (70%). Passlane runs practice tests in exactly this format inside ChatGPT, written from the Texas Driver Handbook with every answer cited to its section and page.
Updated · The Open Apps, Inc.
The Texas test format
| Test | Texas DPS Class C knowledge exam |
|---|---|
| Questions | 30 |
| Correct answers to pass | 21 (70%) |
| Time limit | None published; Passlane's mock test allows 30 minutes |
| Study from | Texas Driver Handbook (rev. January 2026) |
The handbook sets the pass mark at 70 percent. The 30-question length is the DPS exam as given, not printed in the handbook.
Key numbers from the Texas Driver Handbook
These come up again and again. Each links to the page of the handbook that states it.
| Rule | Answer | Handbook |
|---|---|---|
| Blood alcohol, drivers under 21 | None: any detectable amount is an offense | Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF p. 18 |
| Blood alcohol limit, 21 and older | 0.08% or higher | Chapter 10: Alcohol and Drug Impact on the Driving Ability, PDF p. 61 |
| Following distance above 30 mph | 4 seconds | Chapter 8: Speed and Speed Limits, PDF p. 51 |
| Signal before a turn or stop | At least 100 feet | Chapter 6: Signaling, Passing, and Turning, PDF p. 44 |
| Stopping at a railroad crossing | At least 15 feet from the nearest rail | Chapter 5: Signals, Signs, and Markers, PDF p. 39 |
| Parking near a fire hydrant | No closer than 15 feet | Chapter 7: Parking, Stopping, or Standing, PDF p. 48 |
| Phones, drivers under 18 | No; drivers under 18 may not use any wireless device, except in an emergency | Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF p. 9 |
| Graduated license phase two: passengers | More than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member | Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF p. 9 |
| Graduated license phase two: night driving | Between midnight and 5:00 a.m. | Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF p. 9 |
| Learner license age | At least 15 (and under 18) | Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF p. 7 |
| Learner license minimum | At least six months | Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF p. 8 |
| Headlights | From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, and when you can't see 1,000 feet | Chapter 9: Some Special Driving Situations, PDF p. 53 |
Sample questions
A sign with eight sides always means:
- AStop (right answer)
- BYield
- CSchool zone ahead
- DRailroad crossing ahead
The eight-sided (octagon) shape is used only for stop signs, so you can recognize one even from behind or when it is covered with snow.
Source: Texas Driver Handbook (rev. January 2026), Chapter 5: Signals, Signs, and Markers, PDF page 32
What should you do when you reach this sign?
- ASlow down and be ready to stop for traffic and pedestrians, then go when the way is clear (right answer)
- BAlways come to a full stop
- CSpeed up to merge ahead of other traffic
- DStop only if a police officer is present
Yield means let other traffic and pedestrians go first. Slow down, stop if you must, and continue only when you will not interfere with anyone.
Source: Texas Driver Handbook (rev. January 2026), Chapter 5: Signals, Signs, and Markers, PDF page 32
In which direction does traffic travel in a roundabout in the United States?
- ACounterclockwise, to the right around the center island (right answer)
- BClockwise, to the left around the center island
- CEither direction
- DWhichever way the first car goes
Traffic in a U.S. roundabout always moves counterclockwise, so every entry and exit is a right turn.
Source: Texas Driver Handbook (rev. January 2026), Chapter 9: Some Special Driving Situations, PDF page 56
What score do you need to pass a Texas knowledge exam?
- A70 percent or better (right answer)
- B50 percent or better
- C80 percent or better
- D100 percent
The Texas handbook sets the pass mark at 70 percent for every knowledge exam.
Source: Texas Driver Handbook (rev. January 2026), Chapter 1: Your License to Drive, PDF page 13
How to study
- Read the handbook once. Skim the Texas Driver Handbook end to end; the test is written from it.
- Take a mock test. In ChatGPT, say “Give me a Texas DMV permit practice test”. You get the state's question count, pass mark and a clock.
- Fix your misses. Every miss shows the right answer and the handbook page. Read that page, then say “Retake my missed questions”.
- Drill road signs. Say “Quiz me on road signs” for questions with real sign images.
- Pass twice in a row. When you pass two mock tests in a row, Passlane marks you as ready. Take one more right before your appointment.
Practice in ChatGPT
Passlane DMV Permit Test is a ChatGPT plugin. Type one of these:
- “Give me a Texas DMV permit practice test”
- “10 practice questions for the Texas permit test”
- “Quiz me on road signs”
- “Retake the questions I missed”
Questions
- How many questions are on the Texas permit test?
- 30 multiple-choice questions for a first-time permit applicant. The handbook sets the pass mark at 70 percent. The 30-question length is the DPS exam as given, not printed in the handbook.
- What score do I need to pass the Texas permit test?
- 21 correct out of 30 (70%).
- Is the Texas permit test timed?
- Texas DPS does not publish a time limit for the knowledge test. Passlane's mock test gives you 30 minutes (one minute a question) so you practice at a steady pace.
- What should I study for the Texas permit test?
- The Texas Driver Handbook (rev. January 2026). The test covers the rules of the road, road signs, safe driving and alcohol and drug laws described there.
- Are Passlane's questions the real test questions?
- No. Passlane writes its own questions from the handbook, and each one cites the handbook section and page that states the rule. It never copies test banks or the handbook's own review questions.
- Is Passlane free?
- Yes. No account, no ads and no in-app purchases.