Massachusetts gives you 25 questions, 18 to pass and 25 minutes. At 72% the bar is one of the gentlest in the country — but the online exam fails you automatically for three things that have nothing to do with your answers. This page collects every figure worth knowing.
The exam, and the three automatic failures
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 25 |
| To pass | 18 correct, which is 72% |
| Time limit | 25 minutes |
| Languages | 35 |
| Online window | Within 60 days of your Service Center visit |
| Retake fee | $30 through myRMV |
| Automatic failure | Trigger |
|---|---|
| Inactivity | No button clicked on a question for more than 2 minutes |
| Time Out | Longer than 25 minutes to finish |
| Lost Focus | Leaving the browser during the exam |
Online exam requirements
- A computer with a working camera, enabled throughout — no smartphone or tablet
- Chrome 97, Edge 94 or Internet Explorer 11 minimum
- Consent to your photo being taken before, during and at the end
- Only Class D and Class M exams can be taken online
Speed limits apply even where nothing is posted
These are the statutory limits under MGL c.90 §17. Massachusetts does not need a sign for them to be enforceable.
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| Divided highway outside a thickly settled or business district | 50 mph |
| Any other way outside a thickly settled or business district | 40 mph |
| Inside a thickly settled or business district | 30 mph |
| Same, where the municipality has opted into §17C | 25 mph |
| School zone | 20 mph |
| School bus carrying children, except on a limited access highway | 40 mph |
What “thickly settled” actually means
It is a legal term, not a description. Under MGL c.90 §17C it is territory contiguous to a way that is built up with structures devoted to business, or where dwelling houses average less than 200 feet apart for a quarter of a mile or more.
Municipalities may opt in to reduce that 30 mph default to 25 mph, and may establish regulatory 20 mph safety zones under §18B. Which applies depends on the town you are driving through.
Above all of it sits the reasonableness rule: never faster than is reasonable and proper having regard to traffic, the use of the way and public safety. And being under a posted limit does not relieve you of the duty to slow down when a special hazard exists.
Midnight, not 12:30
Two different rules for two different stages, and plenty of guides run them together.
The permit
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 16, with a parent or guardian signature under 18 |
| Validity | 2 years, or the length of your legal stay in the US |
| Supervising driver | Licensed, at least 21, with at least one year of driving experience, seated beside you |
| Before applying | Start online and book at a Service Center, or an AAA location if you are a member |
| Junior Operator | Anyone aged 16½ to 18 |
Carry the permit while driving. Do not operate in another state if doing so would break that state’s law. A Class M permit holder may carry no passengers and may not ride after sunset or before sunrise.
From permit to license
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hold the permit | 6 consecutive months before the road test |
| Clean record | 6 consecutive months |
| Classroom instruction | 30 hours |
| On-road instruction | 18 hours: minimum 12 behind the wheel plus 6 observing |
| Supervised driving | At least 40 additional hours, certified by a parent or guardian |
| With a skills development program | 30 hours accepted instead |
| Parent or guardian | 2 hours of instruction, unless completed within the past 5 years |
One number we have not printed
The RMV lists alcohol misuse as an exam topic, and you should expect questions on it. We have not put a blood alcohol figure on this page because we have not yet verified one against an official Massachusetts source, and we would rather leave a gap than repeat a number from another study site.
Everything else here is drawn from mass.gov, the RMV’s own exam documentation, and the Massachusetts General Laws.
Use this properly
Seven wrong answers out of twenty-five is generous. The clock and the automatic failures are what make this harder than 72% sounds, and Lost Focus catches more people than any question does. A cheat sheet is the last read-through rather than the study plan.
Read the Class D Driver’s Manual, use this page to check the numbers stuck, then take the full practice test until you are consistently above 22 out of 25. Bank the easy marks with the signs and markings test, and see the whole process on the Massachusetts permit guide.
Disclaimer: Pass The Permit is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles or any government agency. Laws change and municipal speed regulations vary. Always confirm current figures against the official Class D Driver’s Manual, mass.gov/rmv and the Massachusetts General Laws.