Driving Tests

Colorado Driving Test at a Driving School: What to Bring and Scoring

informational·how to guide·Published June 2, 2026

Where do I take the Colorado driving test and what do I bring?

As of 2026, State driver license offices in Colorado do not give drive tests. Take the test at a Certified Commercial Driving School or a county office that offers it. You must be at least 16, and under 18 you must hold your instruction permit for 12 full months. Bring a valid permit and a registered, insured car with front and rear plates, unless the school provides a car.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the Colorado DMV page on permits and first-time driver licenses, the Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337, January 2025) and DMV Rule 8 of 1 CCR 204-30, as of 2026. It also uses the DMV driver education page. Confirm the rules with the Colorado DMV (dmv.colorado.gov) before you drive.

Where you take the drive test

The DMV does not book drive tests. Certified Commercial Driving Schools give most of them, and some county-operated offices also offer the test, so check your county website. Book your appointment directly with a school or testing location that the DMV approved. The DMV driver education page has a list and a map of driving schools.
Ask the school about its testing fees when you book.

Who can take the test and when

You are 16 or 17 with a Colorado permit

You must hold your permit for at least 12 full months from the date it was issued before you take the drive test. The instruction permit guide explains how to get the permit.

You are under 16 years and 6 months old

You must also complete 6 hours of in-the-car driving with an approved 3rd party driving school. If you live more than 30 miles from an approved full-time driving school, you can log 12 more hours of supervised driving instead.

You are 18 or older

There is no permit holding period. You can take the drive test at any time after you get your permit.

You are 16 or 17 with a valid out-of-state permit

You may take the Colorado drive test one time without a Colorado permit if you meet all the requirements, such as 12 months of permit time. If you pass, make an appointment to get your license. If you fail, you must get a Colorado permit before you can test again.

You are 18 or older with an out-of-state permit

A driving school tester cannot give you the drive test.

What to bring on test day

A valid permit or license. Before the test, the tester must make sure that you have it with you. A school cannot test you before you meet the legal requirements for a license.
A car, if your school asks for one. The school may provide a car, or it may require you to bring one with current insurance and registration. Ask when you book.
The registration card and the insurance card in the car. Both must match the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the car. Digital proof of insurance is allowed.
A car with front and rear license plates on the outside, or temporary tags that show from the back.

The vehicle safety check

The tester inspects the car for safety before every drive test, no matter who owns it. The examiner checks the brake lights, turn signals, seat belts, windshield and tires, and makes sure that the doors and windows open from inside the car. The car must pass this inspection before it can be used for the test, so check each of these items the day before your appointment.

Rules inside the car

Only you and the examiner may be in the car. Interpreters, translators, family, friends and pets are not allowed. Service dogs are the exception.
Take any weapons out of the car.
Turn off the radio, your cell phone and other electronic devices.
Remove objects from the dashboard and the rearview mirror.
Do not smoke, vape, drink or eat during the test.
The test takes place only in daylight hours: from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

How the drive test is scored

The test follows guidelines from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). It checks three types of skill: perceptual, motor and attentional. Your score depends on six groups of maneuvers: left and right turns, stops at intersections, driving through intersections, lane changes in traffic, merging into and leaving traffic, and general driving behavior.
Ask the examiner your questions before the test begins. You are scored for the whole test, and extra talk only gets in the way. Testers must use routes that the DMV approved, and they may not use those routes for practice drives.

What the examiner looks for

What the examiner looks for
Skill	What the handbook describes
Turn signals	Signal on continuously 100 feet before a turn or lane change in urban areas and 200 feet on 4-lane highways. Cancel it within 3 seconds of the turn or lane change.
Stopping	A complete stop with no forward motion. Do not go over the stop line or the crosswalk, and keep the wheels pointed straight ahead while stopped.
Searching	Use your mirrors, look over your shoulder before a lane change, look left, right, left before you enter an intersection and look behind after each turn.
Lane management	Keep both hands on the wheel and use an approved steering method: hand-over-hand or push-pull-slide.

Back-up cameras and warning systems

You may use safety-critical technology such as a back-up camera and blind spot and lane departure warnings. These do not take the place of physical searching, so still turn your head and check your mirrors. To practice before your test, try the free questions on how far before a turn to signal and on using a back-up camera during the drive test.

What happens after the test

1
The critique
Right after the test, the tester must go over your performance with you, outside the car. If you are a minor and your parent or guardian is there, the critique takes place with them present.
2
If you pass
The school enters your result into the DMV system (DRIVES) and gives you a Third Party Exam Completion Statement (TPE) as your receipt. The TPE is valid for 180 days from the date of issue.
3
If you fail
You can retake the drive test once per day, starting the day after you fail. A tester cannot give you more than one complete drive test per day.
4
Retest fee
The state fee is $15.40 each time you retake the drive test, in addition to the regular testing fees. The retest cost guide lists the other fees.

Key takeaways

State driver license offices do not give the drive test. Book with an approved driving school or a county office that offers it.
You must be at least 16. Under 18, you must hold your permit for 12 full months first.
Bring a valid permit or license. If the school asks for your car, it needs matching registration and insurance cards and front and rear plates.
After a fail, you can retake the test once per day from the next day. The state fee is $15.40 per retake.
Next step: practice on the free Colorado Class R practice test.

Colorado drive test: common questions

Can my parent ride in the car during my driving test?

No. Only you and the examiner may be in the car. Family, friends, interpreters, translators and pets are not allowed, and service dogs are the only animal exception. If you are a minor and your parent or guardian is there, the tester gives the critique after the test with them present.

Do I have to use my own car for the Colorado drive test?

It depends on the school. The school may provide a car, or it may require you to bring one with current insurance and registration. Ask when you book. Whoever owns the car, the tester inspects it for safety before every drive test.

Can I retake the drive test the same day if I fail?

No. You can retake the test once per day, starting the day after you fail, and a tester must not give you more than one complete drive test per day. Each retake has a state fee of $15.40 plus the regular testing fees.

How long is my Colorado drive test result valid?

If you pass, the school gives you a Third Party Exam Completion Statement (TPE) right away. It is your receipt that the school entered your result into the DMV system (DRIVES). The TPE is valid for 180 days from the date of issue.

Can I keep my phone in the car during the drive test?

Turn it off. Turn off the radio, your cell phone and other electronic devices before the test, and all phones must be silenced during the test. Also remove objects from the dashboard and the rearview mirror, and take any weapons out of the car.