Driving Tests

Connecticut Driving Test: What to Bring, Car Rules and What Is Checked

informational·how to guide·Published May 13, 2026

What happens on the Connecticut driving test, and what do I bring?

On the Connecticut road test, a DMV agent checks your car, how you prepare to drive, and your driving on the road. You bring your own safe, registered, insured car, your learner's permit and Form R-229. At 16 or 17 you hold the permit at least 120 days (180 with home training); at 18 or older, at least 90 days. A failed test costs $40 (U.S. dollars) to retake.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the Connecticut DMV road test page, the DMV teen driver's license page and the DMV list of common road test commands. It also uses the DMV page on upgrading a learner's permit, the DMV guide "Guide to Passing Your Driving Test", the Connecticut Driver's Manual and Sec. 14-36 of the Connecticut General Statutes. The rules are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.

When can you take the Connecticut road test?

When can you take the Connecticut road test?
Your situation	Wait before the road test	Also needed
Age 16 or 17, driving school or high school training	Hold the permit at least 120 days	40 hours of practice driving
Age 16 or 17, home training with a Qualified Trainer	Hold the permit at least 180 days	40 hours of practice driving
Age 18 or older	Hold the adult permit at least 90 days, unless you qualify for an exemption	The 8-hour Safe Driving Practices course

What must you finish before you book?

You must pass the permit knowledge test before you can schedule the road test. The first step before the permit is the Connecticut Work Zone Safety Course, which the law has required for each license or permit applicant since January 1, 2026. At the DMV, road testing is offered only at hub offices. If your driving school offers the road test at its own site, the school tells you when you are eligible. If you are an adult, the 8-hour course and what it covers comes before the test.

What to bring to the Connecticut road test

Your learner's permit. If you do not show it, you are not tested. If you lost it, ask for a duplicate. With no permit and no duplicate, you lose the appointment and pay another exam fee.
The Road Test Appointment Confirmation Page, which the DMV emails after you book.
Form R-229, the application for a non-commercial driver's license, with every part filled in.
The valid registration certificate of the car you bring.
A Connecticut insurance card in the same name as the registration. For a leased car, the lessee may be named.
Your driver education certificate (Form EDEC): your Connecticut licensed driving school sends it to the DMV electronically after you finish the course.
Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time. If something on this list is missing, you must reschedule.

Under 18: your Qualified Trainer must come

If you are under 18, your Qualified Trainer must be at the DMV office and sign a form (Form R-229) to confirm that you finished all driver education and practice driving. A Qualified Trainer is 20 or older and has held a driver's license for at least four years with no suspension in those four years. The 40 hours of practice driving can come from any mix of commercial, secondary or parent instruction.

What car can you use for the road test?

You are tested in the car that you provide, so learn its controls first. It may have no defective or missing equipment.
The car must be safe to drive. If the DMV finds it in an unsafe operating condition, the road test is not done and you must reschedule.
Common reasons the DMV cannot use a car: a cracked or damaged window or windshield, a defective brake or signal light (the third brake light too), a lit safety warning light on the dashboard such as SRS or ABS, worn or damaged tires, missing lug nuts, defective seatbelts, and a defective speedometer or braking system. The practice question on a clear windshield and working wipers covers a related rule.
A car with after-market window tint needs a CT DMV tint compliance sticker on the car and on the inspection report.
The car must not have an ignition interlock device, unless you must use one by law.
A car registered in another state needs the declaration page of an insurance policy that meets Connecticut minimums.

Rental or leased car, and how you get to the test

The car is a rental and you do not hold a valid driver's license

You cannot use it for your road test.

The car is a long-term lease

You may use it if it has proof of insurance that names the car and the lease company (the registrant).

You do not have a driver's license yet

You cannot drive to the test location unless a licensed driver rides with you.

What does the DMV agent check?

Under Sec. 14-36, if you never held a Connecticut license, or yours expired more than two years ago, you must show a DMV agent that you are a proper person to drive. Before you drive, the agent checks your knowledge of common driving phrases and commands, the condition of the car, and how you adjust the seat, mirror and seatbelt. On the road, the agent checks how you respond to traffic signs, signals, road markings and other drivers, your turns, backing up and parking, and other maneuvers on request. Practice the safe backing check before test day.

Routes, parking, car controls and commands

The DMV does not follow specific routes and does not exclude any road, including limited access highways. Be ready to drive or back into a perpendicular parking space from the left or right. Know how to use the wipers and washers, heater and defroster, parking brake, headlights, high beams and horn, and recognize the warning lights on the instrument panel: the Driver's Manual lists these in the road test. The DMV also publishes a list of common road test commands (linked above), for example "Sound your Horn".

After the test: fail or pass

You fail

Go online to reschedule within 72 hours after the test. The new test must be at least 2 weeks after the first one, and you pay another $40 testing fee.

You pass

Wait 48 hours, then go to a DMV office with your passed Road Test Evaluation Report, or upgrade your permit online. The license fee is $84. It is separate from the testing fee, so follow the instructions of your DMV appointment. The license comes by mail within 30 days: keep your permit until it arrives. At 16 or 17, learn the rules for new teen drivers before you drive alone.

You must move your appointment

Reschedule at least three days before the appointment to avoid losing your prepaid test fee.

Key takeaways

Hold the permit 120 days (driving school), 180 days (home training) at 16 or 17, or 90 days at 18 or older, unless you have an exemption.
Bring your permit, the confirmation page, Form R-229, registration and an insurance card in the same name as the registration.
Your own car must be safe, with no defective or missing equipment. A rental car does not work if you hold no valid license.
Under 18, your Qualified Trainer must be at the DMV office and sign.
A failed test means rescheduling online within 72 hours, at least 2 weeks later, for $40.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Connecticut Class D practice test.

Connecticut road test: common questions

Can I use a rental car for my Connecticut road test?

Not if you have no valid driver's license: a rental car that you supply cannot be used in that case. A long-term leased car can work when its proof of insurance names the car and the lease company. Check the insurance card before test day.

Can my parent drive me to the road test?

Yes. A person without a license cannot drive to the test location unless a licensed driver goes along. Under 18, your Qualified Trainer also has to be at the DMV office to sign a form.

What happens if I forget my permit?

You are not tested without it. You can ask for a duplicate: bring one form of acceptable identification and the duplicate fee. If you cannot get a duplicate, you lose the appointment, reschedule and pay another license exam fee.

Does the Connecticut road test include the highway?

It can. The agent uses no fixed route and may choose any road, a limited access highway too. Practice on local roads and on the highway with your trainer before test day, so that merges and lane changes feel normal.

Can I take the road test with tinted windows?

Yes, with the right sticker. A car with after-market tint needs a CT DMV tint compliance sticker on the car and on its inspection report. Without it, the car does not meet the DMV vehicle rules, and you must reschedule the test.

How soon can I retake the Connecticut road test after a fail?

Go online within 72 hours after the failed test to reschedule. The new date must be at least 2 weeks (14 days) after the first test, and the retake costs another $40 testing fee. To find your PIN for the scheduling website, use your confirmation emails or the "Retrieve PIN" option.