Driving Tests

Maryland Permit Test (MVA Knowledge Test): 25 Questions, 85% to Pass

informational·how to guide·Published July 8, 2026

How many questions are on the Maryland MVA knowledge test, and what score do you need?

The Maryland MVA knowledge test has 25 questions, and you get 20 minutes. The passing score is 85 percent, which Maryland regulation sets. The test covers motor vehicle laws, safe driving practices and traffic signs. You take it in person at a full-service MVA office, by appointment, together with a vision screening.

Where the Maryland knowledge test facts come from

The question count, time limit and topics come from the Maryland Driver's Manual (DL-002). The 85 percent pass mark comes from COMAR 11.17.14.11; COMAR 11.17.14.04 and 11.17.14.10 list who does not take the test. The booking and study steps come from the MVA learner's permit page and the MVA Online Driver Test Tutorial page. Other facts come from Maryland law (Transportation Article § 16-110) and the MVA pages on new residents, vision, test scheduling and test languages. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Maryland MVA (mva.maryland.gov) before you drive.

Maryland knowledge test at a glance

Maryland knowledge test at a glance
Item	What to know
Questions	25
Time	20 minutes
Passing score	85 percent (COMAR 11.17.14.11)
Topics	Motor vehicle laws, safe driving practices and traffic signs
Where	In person, at a full-service MVA office
Booking	Appointment, which you can schedule online with myMVA
Same visit	Vision screening

How hard is the Maryland knowledge test?

The pass mark is high: 85 percent. The MVA says about half of first-time test takers fail, so study before you test. Time is short too. With 25 questions in 20 minutes, you have about 48 seconds for each question (20 × 60 ÷ 25 = 48).
Try our free question on how many questions the Maryland test has, and then the one on the time limit. Our questions are for practice only. They are not questions from the MVA test.

What is on the Maryland knowledge test?

Motor vehicle laws, including the traffic laws of Maryland.
Safe driving practices.
Traffic signs. Maryland law (Transportation Article § 16-110) requires a test of your ability to read and understand highway signs that regulate, warn and direct traffic.
The Maryland Driver's Manual includes all the information that you are tested on.

How to take the Maryland knowledge test

1
Check your age
You must be at least 15 years and 9 months old to apply for a Maryland learner's permit. If you are under 16, also bring school form DL-300 or DL-300A. Our guide to Maryland learner's permit rules covers the other permit rules.
2
Book your appointment
Make an appointment at any full-service MVA office. You can complete the pre-application and schedule the appointment online through your myMVA account.
3
Take the vision screening and the knowledge test
At the appointment, you complete a vision screening and the knowledge test.
4
Wait for your permit
After your appointment, the MVA mails your permit to you.

Who has to take the Maryland knowledge test?

You never had a driver's license, at any age

You take it. Maryland's Rookie Driver program applies to all new applicants, whatever their age. You get a Type 1 learner's instructional permit, and you must pass a vision screening and the knowledge test.

You transfer a valid license from another state

You do not take it. Maryland regulations exempt a holder of a valid out-of-state license of equal or higher class who transfers it to a Maryland license.

Your Maryland license expired not more than 1 year ago

You do not take it. Maryland regulations exempt this case too.

Your out-of-state license expired more than 12 months ago

You take it. You must pass the knowledge test, the skills test and the vision test.

You only have an out-of-state learner's permit

You take it. The MVA cannot exchange the permit, so you apply for a Maryland learner's permit.

How to study for the Maryland knowledge test

Study the Maryland Driver's Manual.
Use the free MVA Online Driver Test Tutorial. Each practice test has 25 questions, the same number as the real knowledge test, and it links to the manual for each topic. The tutorial is in English and Spanish.
Take the timed version of the tutorial to practice finishing within 20 minutes.
Take the untimed version as many times as you need.
For more practice, use our free Maryland Class C practice questions. They are in English only.

What if you fail the Maryland knowledge test?

Study the manual again, and then schedule a retake with the MVA. The MVA scheduling page has a separate option for a retake of the learner's permit law test, which is the knowledge test. Before you go back, take the timed tutorial until you can finish within 20 minutes. For questions about your appointment, call the MVA Customer Service Center at 410-768-7000.

Accommodations and test languages for the Maryland knowledge test

The MVA gives accommodations to customers with disabilities who take the knowledge test, based on each person's needs. They include additional time for test taking, oral testing, screen readers, headphones, visual aids and American Sign Language support. To ask about them, contact MVA customer service at feedback.mva.maryland.gov.
The MVA lists the Class C test in 17 languages, including Spanish. Our guide to Maryland knowledge test languages has the full list and the interpreter rules.

Key takeaways

The Maryland knowledge test has 25 questions and a 20-minute limit, and the passing score is 85 percent (COMAR 11.17.14.11).
The test covers motor vehicle laws, safe driving practices and traffic signs, all in the Maryland Driver's Manual.
Book at a full-service MVA office through myMVA. You also take a vision screening at the appointment.
If you fail, schedule a retake of the learner's permit law test with the MVA.
Next step: practice on the free Maryland Class C practice test.

Maryland knowledge test: common questions

How many questions can I miss on the Maryland permit test?

Maryland sets the pass mark as a percentage: you need a score of at least 85 percent on the 25-question test. Plan to know almost all of the material. Before your appointment, take the timed MVA tutorial until you score 85 percent or higher within 20 minutes, and study the manual topics of the questions that you get wrong.

Can I take the Maryland knowledge test online?

No. Maryland law says that you must appear in person for the exam, at a place that the MVA designates. You can complete the pre-application and schedule your appointment online through your myMVA account. The free MVA Online Driver Test Tutorial is online, but it is for practice only.

What vision do I need to pass the MVA vision screening?

For an unrestricted license without corrective lenses, you need vision in both eyes, 20/40 or better in each eye and a continuous field of vision of at least 140 degrees. If you need standard glasses or contact lenses to meet the MVA rules, you may get a restricted license, and you must always wear them when you drive.

Is there an MVA practice test app for the Maryland permit test?

Yes. The MVA offers a smartphone app to help you prepare for the knowledge test. The free MVA Online Driver Test Tutorial is also on the MVA website, with timed and untimed practice tests in English and Spanish. Our own Maryland practice tests are free too, and they are in English only.