Driving Tests

North Dakota Road Test: What to Bring, Vehicle Check and Waivers

informational·how to guide·Published May 28, 2026

What do I need to bring to the North Dakota road test?

Book a road test appointment with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). Bring your valid North Dakota permit. You supply the car, with current registration and proof of insurance, and it must pass an equipment inspection first. No passengers, pets or phones may ride along. The fee is $5. Under 16, also bring a parent or guardian and a driver education Certificate of Training.

Where the North Dakota road test facts come from

The road test items, vehicle inspection list and pass rules come from the North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual (2025-2027, revised 2025). The test sites come from the NDDOT driver license sites page, and the waiver rules come from the NDDOT road test waiver page. Other facts come from the NDDOT learner's permit and Drivers from Other Nations pages, North Dakota Century Code (N.D.C.C.) chapters 39-06 and 39-25 and North Dakota Administrative Code chapter 37-13-05. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (dot.nd.gov) before you drive.

How to book and take the North Dakota road test

1
Book an appointment
Road tests need an appointment at an NDDOT driver license site. Book with the NDDOT online scheduler or call 1-855-633-6835. The road test fee is $5, set by state law.
2
Get your papers and car ready
Pack the papers on the list below. Check the car against the inspection table before test day.
3
Let the examiner inspect the car
The examiner checks the car before the test starts. If the car or anything else makes the test unsafe, the road test is not given.
4
Drive the test with the examiner
No passengers, pets (except service animals) or phones may be in the car. The test is given entirely in English. Follow each instruction from the examiner.
5
Pass, or book a new date
Pass the road test to become fully licensed. At 15, you get a restricted Class D license first. If you fail, you cannot retake the test the same day, so book a new appointment.

What to bring to the North Dakota road test

A valid North Dakota permit.
Current registration for the car you drive in the test.
Current proof of insurance for that car.
Under 16: a driver education Certificate of Training.
Under 16: a parent or legal guardian, who goes with you to the examiner.

North Dakota road test vehicle inspection list

North Dakota road test vehicle inspection list
Item	What the examiner needs to see
Brakes	Working brakes for stopping and parking
Headlights	Working high and low beams
Brake lights, taillights and turn signals	All in working order
Exhaust	Leak-free, with a muffler
Horn and mirrors	A horn clearly audible for 200 feet; mirrors that show the road 200 feet behind you
Seat belts and wipers	Both in working order
Windshield and windows	Intact, with no cracks that could block your view or the examiner's
Doors	Work from inside and outside

Which car can you use for the North Dakota road test?

You bring your own car for the road test. It needs current registration, current proof of insurance and a passed equipment inspection, so fix a cracked windshield or a dead headlight before test day.
Self-parking cars are not allowed. Test in a different car, or turn the self-parking feature off. You must parallel park the car yourself, because parallel parking is on the list of what you must do to pass.

What you must do to pass the North Dakota road test

Follow the examiner's instructions at all times.
Keep in the proper lane. Practice with the free question on a safe lane change.
Give the proper signals.
Parallel park the car. The free question on parallel parking distance from the curb helps you check your skill.
Sit with good driving posture.
Obey all traffic signs and traffic laws.

Can you skip the North Dakota road test with a waiver?

You finished a waiver-approved course at a North Dakota driving school (at least 30 classroom hours and six behind-the-wheel hours) and hold a Certificate of Course Completion

Show the certificate. The Class D road test may be waived.

You finished the same hours in a public school program and hold a Department of Public Instruction Student Completion Certificate

Show that certificate. The Class D road test may also be waived.

Your driving school gave you a Certificate of Training

Plan to take the road test with a North Dakota Driver License Examiner. This certificate is for students who do not complete the 30 classroom hours or whose school does not meet the waiver rules. See the North Dakota driver education rules.

You passed a road test in another state

The road test may be waived under state law. Ask NDDOT at your appointment.

What the North Dakota road test needs by age

You are under 16

Hold your instruction permit at least 12 months (state law). Log at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving in different conditions. On test day, a parent or guardian comes with you and signs that the 50 hours are done. Bring the driver education Certificate of Training.

You are 16 or 17

Hold your instruction permit at least six months before you can get a Class D license (state law). The North Dakota instruction permit rules give the full permit steps.

You are 18 or older

You still take the road test to become fully licensed. Bring your permit and the papers for the car.

Key takeaways

Book the road test by appointment with the NDDOT online scheduler or at 1-855-633-6835. The fee is $5.
Bring your permit and the car's current registration and proof of insurance. Under 16, add a Certificate of Training and a parent or guardian.
The examiner inspects the car first: brakes, lights, turn signals, exhaust, horn, mirrors, seat belts, wipers, glass and doors. No passengers, pets, phones or self-parking cars.
A Certificate of Course Completion from a waiver-approved school or a Department of Public Instruction Student Completion Certificate may waive the road test.
Next step: practice on the free North Dakota Class D practice test.

North Dakota road test: common questions

Can I use a friend's car for the North Dakota road test?

As a minor, yes. State law lets a minor take the road test in a car no matter who owns it, even when the permit limits practice driving to family cars. Any test car needs current registration and current proof of insurance, and it must pass the equipment inspection before the test starts.

Can my parent ride with me during the road test?

No. Passengers are not allowed in the car during the road test, and pets (except service animals) and phones are not allowed either. Under 16, your parent or guardian must come with you to the test site and sign that your 50 practice hours are done, but stays out of the car.

Where can I take the North Dakota road test?

NDDOT gives road tests at eight driver license sites, by appointment only: Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot and Williston. Pick the site closest to you when you book, and arrive early so the examiner can check your papers and car.

I have a waiver certificate. Can NDDOT still give me a road test?

Yes. NDDOT may randomly road test students who finish training at an approved driving school, so a Certificate of Course Completion does not always mean no test. Keep practicing lane position, signals and parallel parking, and keep a car ready that can pass the equipment inspection.