Missouri Permit Test: 25 Questions, How Many You Can Miss
How many questions are on the Missouri written test, and how many can I miss?
The Missouri Class F written test has 25 multiple-choice questions. You need 20 correct answers to pass, which is 80%, so you can miss up to five. There is no time limit, and the test is closed book. Every question comes from the Missouri Driver Guide. The Missouri State Highway Patrol gives the test at its driver examination stations at no cost.
Where these Missouri test rules come from
The question count and pass mark come from the Missouri Driver Guide (Department of Revenue, revised August 2026). The test formats, daily limit, ID rules and cost come from the Missouri State Highway Patrol driver examination FAQ and the Highway Patrol Driver Examination page. The permit grade and permit steps also appear in the Department of Revenue driver license FAQ. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Missouri Department of Revenue (dor.mo.gov) before you drive.
What the Class F written test covers
The Class F (operator license) written test asks about the laws and methods of driving in the Missouri Driver Guide. Every question comes straight from the Guide, and there are no "trick" questions. The test is closed book, so you cannot check the Guide during it. Chapter 15, on commercial vehicles, is not on the Class F test. A study plan that fits: read the Guide, skip the commercial chapter, and try the practice question on what the Class F written test covers.
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Missouri written test at a glance
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Questions | 25 multiple-choice questions |
| Pass mark | 20 correct (80%); you can miss up to five |
| Time limit | None, in any format |
| Formats | Touch screen PC or tablet (with or without headphones), printed paper test, or read aloud by an examiner |
| Tries per day | Up to two written tests a day, statewide, during normal business hours |
| Appointment | Not needed for a written test |
| Cost | No cost for the written test |
| Where | A Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) driver examination station |
Formats, time and tries
You choose the format. If you ask an examiner to read the test to you, you may have to wait in line with driving test applicants, because an examiner has to sit with you. Getting to the station before closing time is no promise of a test: tests depend on staff and on how many applicants are waiting, so arrive early. The guide to Missouri test costs and retake limits covers all the tests, not only the written one.
The four parts of the Missouri driver exam
| Part | What it checks |
|---|---|
| Written test | Laws and methods of driving in the Driver Guide |
| Vision test | Acuity and peripheral (side) vision |
| Road sign recognition test | That you recognize and understand traffic signs |
| Driving test | Your driving skills, after you pass the first three |
The vision and road sign tests
For an instruction permit, you take the vision and road sign tests at the MSHP station with the written test. The standard minimum acuity is 20/40 with either or both eyes, and the minimum peripheral reading is 55 degrees in each eye or 85 degrees in one eye. If you cannot meet the vision standards, you may be denied a license, or your license may carry restrictions.
After you pass the written, vision and road sign tests, you may take the driving test. It needs a score of 70%; the guide to what the examiner checks has the details.
What to bring on test day
- Proof of your legal name and age. You must show it each time you take the written or driving test.
- For a teen: a certified birth certificate, an unexpired passport, or a Missouri ID card not expired more than six months. MSHP does not take school ID cards, social security cards, or birth certificates that are laminated or altered.
- Glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them. You may need them for the vision test.
- No proof of residency or social security card for the tests. You need those only when you buy the permit or license at the license office.
What happens after the test
Phones and cheating at the written test
Keep your phone put away during the test. Cheating can count as fraud, and so can using, or trying to use, any device that records, takes photos or allows two-way communication during testing. Fraud is a Class A misdemeanor and can cost you your driving privilege for up to one year.
Practice questions before test day
Our free Missouri Class F practice test is in English only. Its questions are practice questions, not real test questions, so use them to find the topics you need to read again in the Driver Guide. For example, the practice question on the official written test format checks that you know the question count and the pass mark.
Key takeaways
- The Missouri Class F written test has 25 multiple-choice questions. You need 20 correct (80%), so you can miss five.
- Every question comes from the Missouri Driver Guide. The test is closed book and has no time limit.
- You can take it on a touch screen, on paper or read aloud, up to two times a day statewide, with no appointment and no fee.
- For a permit, you also take the vision and road sign recognition tests at the MSHP station. Bring glasses or contact lenses if you wear them.
- Your testing receipt is not a permit. Buy the permit or license at a license office.
- Next step: take the free Missouri Class F practice test to find the topics you need to study.
Missouri written test: common questions
Is the Missouri permit test hard?
The Missouri Driver Guide says almost 50 percent of all test-takers fail the first time. The questions are not tricky, though: all 25 come from the Guide, and 20 correct answers pass. Read the whole Guide except Chapter 15 on commercial vehicles, then use practice questions to find your weak spots before test day.
Is the Missouri permit test open book?
No. You cannot use the Driver Guide or notes during the test, so study before you go. The questions cover the laws and methods of driving in the Guide. The test has no time limit, so you can read each question carefully.
How many times can I take the Missouri written test in one day?
Two. You can take a written test up to two times a day during normal business hours, and the limit is statewide, so a second station does not give you a third try that day. You can keep trying on those terms until you pass. No appointment is needed, and the test is free.
Can I take the Missouri written test on a computer or have it read to me?
Yes. Every applicant can pick a touch screen PC or tablet, with or without headphones, a paper test, or an examiner who reads the questions aloud. The read-aloud option may mean a longer wait, because you wait in the same line as driving test applicants. No format has a time limit.
Can anyone take my teen to the Missouri written test?
Yes. Anyone may go with a teen to the written test, as long as the teen has accepted ID, such as a certified birth certificate or an unexpired passport. A parent or legal guardian is needed after the teen passes: one of them must go with the teen to the license office to buy the permit.
Does passing the written test give me a permit?
Not by itself. Passing gets you a testing receipt, called the Driver Examination Record, and you cannot drive on it. Take it to any Missouri license office to apply and pay for the permit. A teen who applies for an instruction permit must bring a parent or legal guardian.
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