Driving Tests

NJ Permit Test: Questions, Passing Score, Languages and Retakes

informational·how to guide·Published June 26, 2026

How many questions are on the NJ permit test and what score passes?

The New Jersey MVC knowledge test, often called the permit test, has 50 questions plus one survey question about organ donation. To pass, you need 80 percent, which is 40 of the 50 questions. You also take a vision test and need 20/50 vision, with or without glasses. If you fail the knowledge test, you can retest in 7 days.

Where these rules come from

The question count and the pass mark come from the New Jersey Driver Manual (2026). The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) explains where to take the test and the test languages on its knowledge test page, and the eyesight rule on its vision test page. Other details come from the MVC first driver license pages (age 16, and age 17 and older), the MVC sample knowledge test, the MVC FAQ for first-time drivers and MVC news releases of 2022, 2025 and 2026. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (nj.gov/mvc) before you drive.

What score do you need to pass the New Jersey knowledge test?

You need 40 correct answers out of 50, which is 80 percent. So you can miss 10 questions and still pass. The organ donation survey question is extra and is not one of the 50. The practice question about the least number of correct answers you need uses the same numbers.
Study the New Jersey Driver Manual: it is the study source for the test. In 2022 the MVC said failure rates were upwards of 50 percent.

Where you take the NJ permit test at 16 or at 17 and older

You are 17 or older

You take the test at an MVC Licensing Center that offers driver testing. First you buy an examination permit there. You do not have to be a student, and you do not need an instructor.

You are 16 and enrolled in a behind-the-wheel course

You take the test at your high school or licensed driving school. The course includes 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual-controlled car with a licensed instructor. The instructor buys your special learner permit. You also take a vision test.

How to book the NJ permit test at 17 or older

1
Collect your documents
Bring paper or hard copy documents that add up to 6 Points of ID, and a completed form BA-208. The guide to what counts as 6 Points of ID lists the documents.
2
Find a Licensing Center with driver testing
Most agencies give the knowledge test and the vision test, but not all. Check online at njmvc.gov or call (609) 292-6500.
3
Make an appointment online
Make an appointment for your permit. You can get an MVC appointment only online at NJMVC.gov.
4
Buy the examination permit
Bring your 6 Points of ID to the driver testing center and buy the permit. You must be a New Jersey resident, 17 or older, and not in suspension status.
5
Book and take the knowledge test
Make an appointment for your knowledge test after you buy the permit. Bring your documents. You take a vision test too.

What is the vision test for the NJ permit?

Every first-time permit applicant has an eye check. You pass with 20/50 visual acuity, with or without corrective lenses. The practice question about reading the 20/50 line with glasses shows how the rule works. If you pass with lenses, your license gets a restriction: you must wear them while you drive.
If you fail the vision test, you visit your doctor and complete Form ST-14. Agencies with testing facilities have the form.

Which languages can you take the NJ permit test in?

The MVC offers written tests in English and 12 other languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Albanian and Turkish. Oral tests are offered in English and Spanish. The Driver Manual also lists American Sign Language (ASL). If you cannot read in any language, the MVC supplies headphones for an oral test.
Our free practice pages are in English only.

Interpreters for the NJ permit test

Your language is not on the list: MVC knowledge test page

Ask for an interpreter when you make your permit appointment. The MVC arranges an interpreter in your native language and pays the fees. Interpreter appointments are typically scheduled within four to six weeks.

Your language is not on the list: Driver Manual

You must first try the test in an offered language. If you fail and need an interpreter, tell the MVC staff at the testing location. Tell the MVC at least two weeks before the date you plan to take the test. Ask the MVC which process applies when you book.

You are deaf or hard of hearing

You can take the knowledge test with an MVC-approved interpreter. The MVC pays the interpreter's fees for the test after you send a completed payment voucher form.

What happens after you fail or pass the NJ permit test?

If you fail, you can retest in 7 days.
If you pass at 17 or older, the MVC validates your examination permit for practice driving. At 16, the MVC validates a special learner permit only after you finish the behind-the-wheel course. Under 21, you need at least six months of supervised practice before a road test appointment, with at least 50 hours (10 in darkness) for a permit issued on or after February 1, 2025. At 21 or older, you need three months. If you do not finish the steps within 2 years, you must get a new permit. Parents can read how the special learner permit works.

Key Takeaways

The NJ knowledge test has 50 questions, plus one organ donation survey question.
You need 40 of 50 correct (80 percent) to pass.
At 17 or older, buy an examination permit and book the test online at NJMVC.gov. At 16, you take the test at your high school or driving school.
The vision test needs 20/50, with or without glasses.
Written tests come in English and 12 other languages. Oral tests are in English and Spanish.
If you fail, you can retest in 7 days.
Next step: practice on the free New Jersey basic auto learner permit practice test.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old do I have to be to take the NJ permit test?

You can take it at 16 if you are enrolled in a behind-the-wheel driver training course at a high school or a licensed driving school. You then take the test at the school. At 17 or older, you do not need a course: you buy an examination permit at an MVC Licensing Center and take the test there.

Can I take the NJ permit test in Spanish?

Yes. Spanish is one of the written test languages, and oral tests are offered in English and Spanish. The MVC also publishes the New Jersey Driver Manual in Spanish on its first driver license page, so you can study in the same language that you test in.

Do I need an appointment for the NJ permit test?

Yes, at 17 or older. You book the knowledge test after you buy your examination permit, and the MVC takes appointments only online at NJMVC.gov. Do not pay anyone who offers to get you an appointment: only the MVC schedules them. At 16, your high school or driving school gives the test.

Is the MVC sample test the real test?

No. The MVC sample knowledge test shows the style of the questions: 19 questions, each with four answer choices from a to d. The real test at an MVC testing center has 50 questions, and you need 40 correct. Use the sample and the Driver Manual to check what you know before test day.

Can I get help in my language at the MVC office?

Yes. All NJMVC agencies have handheld Pocketalk translation devices for two-way conversations in over 80 languages. The MVC also uses Language Link, a phone interpreting service; ask for it when you arrive. These help you at the counter. For the test itself, use a test language or ask for a test interpreter.