People do not only search for practice tests. They type the actual question into Google, word for word, the way it appeared in a study guide or on a screen. This page answers those questions directly, with the source for each figure.
Every answer below comes from the Utah Driver Handbook, the Utah Administrative Code or the Driver License Division. Where a number is not published anywhere official, we say so rather than repeating a figure from another study site.
The test itself
How many questions are on the Utah permit test?
50 questions. The Driver License Division publishes the count, which not every state does. First-time applicants take the closed-book version.
What score do you need to pass the Utah permit test?
80 percent, which is 40 correct out of 50. You can miss ten. The requirement comes from Utah Administrative Code R708-39-4 and the driver handbook rather than from the Division’s test page, which is why it is harder to find than the question count.
How long do Utah written test scores remain valid?
18 months on an entry-level learner permit, and 12 months on a six-month renewal permit. The entry-level permit itself is also valid for 18 months, so the two run together. If you pass the knowledge test and then let things drift, the score can expire before you finish.
Is there a second exam in Utah?
Yes, and you must get every question right. The Traffic Safety and Trends Exam is required of every first-time Class D applicant, is offered only on the Driver License Division website, and allows unlimited retakes because nothing less than a perfect score passes. Roughly half of it covers the leading causes of traffic deaths in Utah. Most study sites do not mention it at all, and not knowing about it wastes a trip.
What is the difference between the 50-question and 25-question Utah test?
The 25-question version is open book, for applicants who have been licensed before. First-time applicants sit the 50-question closed-book exam. Both require 80 percent.
How many attempts does the Utah permit fee cover?
Three attempts within 12 months, for the $19 learner permit fee. After that a second fee is due. You may also take two tests in one day. If testing is left unfinished six months after you paid, you start over.
Getting the permit
How old do you have to be to get a learner permit in Utah?
15. What changes with age is how long you then hold it before licensing.
How long do you have to hold a Utah learner permit?
It depends on your age, which is where most copied study pages go wrong by printing six months for everyone.
| Age | Holding period |
|---|---|
| 15 | Six months, and until you turn 16 |
| 16 to 17 | Six months |
| 18 | None, though driver education is still required |
| 19 and over | 90 days, waived with approved driver education |
How many hours of driving practice does Utah require?
40 hours, including 10 after sunset. Applicants 19 or over who have completed driver education are exempt.
Do you need a driving test for a Utah learner permit?
No. The learner permit needs the vision screening and the knowledge test. The driving test comes later.
Driving on a Utah license
What is the blood alcohol limit in Utah?
0.05 percent for drivers 21 and over. Utah moved to 0.05 in December 2018 and remains below the 0.08 used across the rest of the country. Drivers under 21 face zero tolerance. If you studied from a national guide, this is the single number most likely to be wrong in your head.
What time can a 16-year-old drive in Utah?
Not between midnight and 5 a.m. unless a licensed driver 21 or older is with you, or you are driving to or from work, an agricultural operation, a school-sponsored activity, or an emergency.
Can a newly licensed Utah driver carry passengers?
Not outside your immediate family for the first six months, or until you turn 18. The exception is when a licensed adult 21 or over is in the passenger seat.
How many points suspend a license in Utah?
70 points in three years if you are 20 or under, and 200 points if you are an adult. Utah assigns much larger values per offense than most states, so do not compare these thresholds against another state’s scale.
| Offense | Points |
|---|---|
| Reckless driving | 80 |
| Speeding 21 mph or more over | 75 |
| Texting while driving | 50 |
| Running a red light or stop sign | 50 |
How do you get points removed in Utah?
One clean year removes half, two clean years removes all of them. Any individual conviction also drops off after three years regardless. An approved defensive driving course removes up to 50 points, once every three years.
What is the speed limit in Utah?
Up to 80 mph on rural interstates, with 65, 70, 75 or 80 posted on interstates generally. Unposted business or residential areas are 25 mph, and passing a school during recess or opening and closing hours is 20 mph. Above every posted number sits the basic speed law: never faster than is reasonably safe for the conditions.
What vision do you need for a Utah driver license?
20/40 or better for an unrestricted license. Between 20/40 and 20/70 you are restricted from driving when headlights are required. Worse than 20/70 means no license, subject to a discretionary review. On field of vision, 140 degrees is unrestricted; between 140 and 110 degrees you are restricted to a vehicle with both outside mirrors.
Rules people look up mid-study
How far from a fire hydrant can you park in Utah?
No closer than 15 feet. Utah also bans parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk or a fire station driveway, 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign or traffic signal, and 50 feet of the nearest rail. When parked, stay within 12 inches of the curb.
How far from railroad tracks must you stop in Utah?
More than 15 feet but not more than 50 feet from the nearest rail, where signals or gates require a stop. Wait for the gate to rise fully before proceeding.
Do you have to stop for a school bus on a divided highway in Utah?
Not if you are separated from it by a median on a road of four or more lanes. Only the lanes behind the bus must stop. On a two-lane road, traffic in both directions stops. Stopping anyway is still the safer habit, and the fine for illegally passing a stopped bus reaches $3,000.
How far can you travel in a center left turn lane in Utah?
Enter it no more than 500 feet before your turn. It is not a travel lane and you may never use it to pass.
When can you cross the line into a Utah express lane?
Only at marked access points. Express lanes are separated by a double white line and crossing it elsewhere is illegal. The clean fuel C decal is a one-time $10 fee that grants access.
How long do you have to report an address change in Utah?
10 days. Driver License Division mail is not forwarded, so a missed notice is your problem rather than the post office’s.
Is it illegal to disable an airbag in Utah?
Yes, it is a Class B misdemeanor to deliberately disable an air bag system or fail to repair one. Air bags deploy at around 200 mph, which is why children belong in the back seat.
Can you smoke in a car with a child in Utah?
No. It is an infraction to smoke in a vehicle carrying a child aged 15 or younger.
Where to go next
If you were looking up a single question, you have it. If you are studying properly, work through the full Utah practice test until you are consistently above 45 out of 50, check the numbers on the Utah cheat sheet, and bank the easy marks with the Utah road signs test. The whole licensing process is on the Utah permit guide.
Disclaimer: Pass The Permit is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Utah Driver License Division, the Utah Department of Public Safety, or any government agency. These are questions people commonly search for, answered from official sources; they are not reproductions of real exam questions. Laws change and local ordinances vary. Always confirm current figures against the official Utah Driver Handbook and dld.utah.gov.