Driving Tests

Pennsylvania Road Test: What to Bring, Parallel Parking and Retakes

informational·how to guide·Published July 26, 2026

What do I bring to the Pennsylvania road test?

Bring your valid learner's permit, the original registration card and proof of insurance for the car you will drive, and the license of the adult who comes with you. Under 18, also bring the signed form DL-180C for 65 hours of practice. Copies are not accepted, and without the originals PennDOT does not give the test. Book an appointment first: same-day road tests are not possible.

Where the Pennsylvania road test rules come from

The rules come from the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual testing page, the PennDOT driver's test FAQs and Title 75, section 1505 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Other details come from the PennDOT "Get a Driver's License" and third-party tester pages, form DL-180C, the Parent's Supervised Driving Program (PUB 385A) and section 1508 of Title 75. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services (pa.gov/dmv) before you drive.

What to bring to the Pennsylvania road test

Your valid learner's permit.
The original, valid registration card for the car you will drive.
Proof that the car is insured now.
The valid driver's license of the adult who comes with you: a licensed driver who is 21 or older, or a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older.
Under 18: form DL-180C, signed by a parent or guardian, for 65 hours of practice. Bring form DL-180TD too (see the next section).
Originals only. Each paper must be valid and must be for the car that you use on the test.

Forms DL-180C and DL-180TD if you are under 18

The manual lists form DL-180C for the road test, and the test FAQ lists both DL-180C and DL-180TD (the parent or guardian consent form) for drivers under 18. Bring both. On DL-180C, a parent or guardian certifies your 65 hours of practice and that you printed or viewed PennDOT's material on distracted driving. The form says the hours came from a licensed driver 21 or older, so ask PennDOT if a parent under 21 gave some of yours. Check who may supervise a permit driver, and use the 65-hour driving log guide to track the hours.

When can a teen take the Pennsylvania road test?

If you are under 18, Pennsylvania law says you must hold your learner's permit for six months before you take the exam for a junior license. A parent or guardian must also certify 65 hours of practice, with at least 10 hours at night and 5 hours in bad weather. Book as soon as you can: drivers under 18 can book the road test up to six months ahead. The test date itself must be at least six months after your permit was issued. Try the question on the earliest road test date to check the rule. After you pass, the junior license rules apply.

Steps to book and take the Pennsylvania road test

1
Book online
Book the road test online for a date when you meet the rules above.
2
Get DL-180C signed (under 18)
A parent or guardian signs form DL-180C in front of a notary or in front of the examiner at the test.
3
Prepare the car
Check the car against the examiner's list in the next section before test day.
4
Arrive with your adult and your papers
Bring the adult whose license you show, the original papers and the car that you will drive.
5
Drive the test
Follow the examiner's directions. If you pass at a Driver License Center, PennDOT takes your photo and you get your license at that time.

What the examiner checks on your car

Before the test, the examiner checks that the car has a valid registration card, current insurance, a valid state inspection sticker and, if required, a valid emissions sticker. The lights, horn, brakes, windshield wipers, turn signals, mirrors, doors, seats and tires must work and meet safety standards. If any part is unsafe or does not meet state inspection rules, you cannot take the road test. Clean the seat belts and make sure they work: you and the examiner must wear them during the test.

What happens on the Pennsylvania road test

The test is given on the road, and the examiner is your only passenger. Before you drive, the examiner may ask you to work controls such as the horn, lights, wipers, parking brake, hazard lights and defroster. If you cannot work one, you fail. The examiner may also ask you to parallel park. Then you are told where to drive and which maneuvers to make. The examiner watches how you approach and obey warning signs, stop signs and traffic lights, and how you use your turn signals. You fail if you drive dangerously, break a traffic law, cause a crash, ignore the examiner's instructions or make too many driving errors.

Parallel parking on the Pennsylvania road test

Parallel parking on the Pennsylvania road test
Rule	What the test requires
Space	24 feet long and 8 feet wide, with your car midway between two uprights
Position	The whole car must end up completely inside the space
Contact	No contact with the uprights in front or behind, no crossing the painted line, no going up onto or over the curb
Tries	One attempt, with no more than three adjustments
Self-parking feature	A car with this feature is allowed, but the feature must stay off for the whole test

Where can I take the Pennsylvania road test?

You want to test at a PennDOT Driver License Center

Book online and pick any center that offers the road test.

You want to test at a third-party site

PennDOT-certified examiners at third-party businesses give the same skills test as a Driver License Center. Contact the site to book. Each site sets its own fee.

Your high school is in the End-of-Course Skills Program

You may take the test at your school. First finish the classroom and skills parts of the certified driver's education course and 65 hours of supervised driving.

What if I fail the Pennsylvania road test?

You are under 18 and you fail

Pennsylvania law requires you to wait seven days before you retake the road test.

You are 18 or older and you fail

Wait at least one day. You can retake the test as early as the next day.

You fail three times, or your permit expires

You get three tries on each learner's permit, and a permit is valid for one year. To keep going, extend the permit with form DL-31 (Application to Add/Extend/Replace/Change/Correct Non-Commercial Learner's Permit).

Three years pass after your physical exam and you have not passed

Start over with a new Non-Commercial Learner's Permit Application (DL-180) and retake the knowledge test.

Key takeaways

Bring originals: your permit, the car's registration card, proof of insurance and the license of the adult with you. Without them, there is no test.
Under 18: hold your permit six months, finish 65 hours, and bring DL-180C and DL-180TD.
Parallel parking: a 24 by 8 foot space, one attempt, no more than three adjustments, and no contact with the uprights, line or curb.
After a fail, wait seven days if you are under 18, or at least one day if you are 18 or older. You get three tries on each permit.
Next step: practice the rules and signs on the free Pennsylvania Class C permit practice test.

Pennsylvania road test: common questions

Can I use a bill of sale or a temporary registration for the road test?

A bill of sale is not accepted. Bring the original, valid registration card for the car. If the car has only a temporary registration (a pink slip), a valid pink slip is accepted. Photocopies are not accepted for any of your papers.

Can I take the road test in a rental car?

Maybe. Read the rental agreement first. Many rental agreements do not allow the car to be used for a driver skills test or to be driven by a learner's permit holder. If your agreement has a rule like that, you cannot use the car for the test. You still need the car's registration card and proof of insurance.

Does my parent have to come to the road test?

No. The adult with you can be any licensed driver who is 21 or older, or a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older. If you are under 18 and your parent or guardian will not be at the test, have their signature on form DL-180C notarized before test day.

I am 18 or older. Do I need 65 hours and a six-month wait before the road test?

No. The 65 hours of practice and the six-month waiting period apply only to drivers under 18. You still need a valid learner's permit, a booked test and an adult with a valid license who comes with you. If you fail, you can retake the test after at least one day.

Can I practice on the official road test course?

No. Out of respect for the neighbors, PennDOT asks families not to practice on official state road test courses. For early practice, start in a large, level and mostly empty area. Move to a quiet neighborhood street when you are ready.