Texas · Department of Public Safety
Texas practice tests
The pass mark is 70%, and that comes straight from the official handbook. The question count does not — DPS never publishes one. Free practice questions written from the Texas Driver Handbook, the DPS driver license pages and the Texas Transportation Code.
Full exam
Texas Practice Test
Scored at the official 70% mark. Right-of-way, signs and markers, speed, alcohol law, the two GDL phases and the numbers the handbook actually spells out.
Take the test
Quick reference
Texas Cheat Sheet
Every number in one place: fees and ages, the prima facie speed limits from Transportation Code 545.352, right of way in the order Texas states it, railroad and school bus rules, and the equipment standards.
See the numbers
Signs and markings
Texas Road Signs Test
25 questions on shapes, colors, signals and pavement markings, described in words rather than pictures, plus the one situation where a left turn on red is legal in Texas.
Take the signs test
Half of what everyone tells you about the Texas test is unsourced
Search for the Texas knowledge exam and every site gives you the same line: 30 questions, 21 correct to pass. We went to the official Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7, revised January 2026) to check it.
The handbook states plainly that you must score 70 percent or better to pass any knowledge exam. That part is official and settled.
The question count is not in the handbook at all. Not in the chapter on obtaining a license, not in the examinations section, nowhere. So “21 correct” is arithmetic performed on a number nobody official has published.
The learner license
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Age | At least 15, no more than 18 |
| Fee | $15 plus a $1 administrative fee, so $16 |
| Expires | On your 18th birthday |
| Required first | Classroom portion of driver education, vision exam, knowledge exam |
| Driving exam | Not required for a learner license |
Applicants 18 and over who want to practice are issued a Class C license carrying the same restrictions, valid eight years, at $32 plus the $1 fee.
Your supervising driver needs a year, not just an age
Texas asks for a licensed driver at least 21 with at least one year of driving experience. Someone who turned 21 last month and got licensed last month does not qualify.
They must occupy the seat beside you, and the handbook is specific that they cannot be intoxicated, asleep, or doing anything that stops them observing and responding to your driving.
Two phases, and a suspension extends the clock
The GDL program applies to everyone under 18 and runs in two phases.
- Phase One. Hold a valid learner, hardship, or combination license for a minimum of six months before a provisional license can be issued
- Phase Two. Restrictions run until your 18th birthday: no more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member, and no driving between midnight and 5 a.m. except for work, a school-related activity, or a medical emergency
A detail most summaries miss: if your license is suspended during Phase One, the six-month period is extended by the number of days of the suspension, because the license was invalid for that time.
Separately, every driver under 18 is barred from using a wireless communication device, including hands-free, except in an emergency. Phase One requirements do not apply to Class M motorcycle licenses.
Driver education runs to 25, not 18
Under the Less Tears More Years Act, anyone younger than 25 must complete an approved driver education course to apply for a license. Complete certain courses and you are not required to sit the Class C knowledge exam at the driver license office at all.
That surprises adults who assume driver education is a teenage formality.
Impact Texas Drivers applies to everyone
Every driver license applicant must complete the Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) course for their age group before taking the driving exam. Not just teens, and not optional.
Failing is expensive in time
- Miss the knowledge or driving exam on the first attempt and your application is held for 90 days
- After 90 days, or after three failed exams, a new application and a new fee are required
- Fees must be paid before any exam is given
- Pass everything and you get a temporary license good for 45 days until the card arrives
On the driving exam, more than 30 points deducted is a fail, and nobody under 18 is exempt from taking it.
Testing in another state?
The variation is wide. Iowa states the passing score on each individual test form, Nevada publishes 25 questions and 20 to pass, and Arkansas publishes no format at all. Compare them on our states page.
Disclaimer: Pass The Permit is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Texas Department of Public Safety or any government agency. Laws change and local ordinances vary. Always confirm current figures against the official Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7) and the Texas Transportation Code before relying on them.