People do not only look 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.
Every answer comes from the official Vermont Driver’s Manual, Vermont statutes or the DMV. Where something is not published officially, we say so rather than repeating a figure from another study site.
The test itself
How many questions are on the Vermont permit test?
20 questions. That is shorter than most states, which sounds easier and is not. Fewer questions means less margin.
What score do you need to pass the Vermont permit test?
16 correct out of 20, which is 80 percent. You can miss four and no more. A single careless answer costs a quarter of your allowance, which is why people who would comfortably pass a 40-question test fail this one.
What happens if you fail the Vermont permit test?
You can retake it the next business day. There is no cap on attempts, but a fee applies to each retest, so repeated casual attempts add up.
How old do you have to be to get a permit in Vermont?
15. If you are under 18 you also need a parent or guardian signature, unless you are an emancipated minor.
How much does a Vermont learner permit cost?
$40. That covers the vision screening and the knowledge test at the DMV.
How long do you have to hold a Vermont learner permit?
12 months for teens, before the road test. You also complete driver education and log supervised driving during that year.
Who can supervise a Vermont permit holder?
A licensed parent or guardian, a licensed driver education instructor, or any licensed driver at least 25 years old. An older sibling who is 20 does not qualify, and neither does a 24-year-old friend. This is a favorite exam question.
When can you get a full license in Vermont?
A junior driver license at 16 or 17, with its own restrictions, and a full Class D license at 18.
Speed and alcohol
What is the speed limit in Vermont if there is no sign?
50 mph. This is the single most commonly missed Vermont fact, including by people who have driven here for years. Most US states use a 55 mph statutory default; Vermont uses 50, and that includes gravel town highways.
What is the highest speed limit in Vermont?
65 mph, on rural sections of I-89 and I-91. No road in Vermont is posted above that. There are no 70 mph zones anywhere in the state. Interstate near Burlington and some interchanges drops to 55.
What is the penalty for speeding in a Vermont school zone?
Double the normal civil penalty, by statute, in a signed school zone. Village limits also step down quickly, often 50 to 40 to 30 to 25 within half a mile of a town green, and those transition zones are classic ticket spots.
What is the blood alcohol limit in Vermont?
| Driver | Illegal at |
|---|---|
| Age 21 and over | 0.08% BAC |
| Under 21 | 0.02% BAC |
| Commercial license holders | 0.04% BAC |
The 0.02 zero-tolerance figure is the one that catches test takers, and a single drink can produce it. Refusing a chemical test after a lawful arrest triggers an automatic suspension under implied consent, separate from any conviction.
Right of way and parking
Who goes first at an unmarked intersection in Vermont?
You yield to the vehicle on your right. Vermont has hundreds of back-road intersections where nothing tells you who goes first, which is why this comes up so often on the exam. The same rule settles a four-way stop when two drivers arrive together.
What is the following distance rule in Vermont?
Three seconds in good conditions, and four or more in rain, snow, ice or fog, or when following a large vehicle that blocks your view.
How far from a fire hydrant can you park in Vermont?
No closer than 15 feet. Never park on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in an intersection, or anywhere you block another driver’s view.
Which way do you turn your wheels when parking on a hill?
Uphill with a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb. Downhill, turn them toward the curb. The idea is that if the car rolls, the curb stops it rather than the road below.
What do you do when an emergency vehicle is stopped on the shoulder?
Move over a lane if it is safe, otherwise slow right down. For an emergency vehicle approaching with lights and siren, pull to the right and stop, but never stop inside an intersection.
Signals and markings
What does a flashing yellow arrow mean in Vermont?
You may turn, but you must yield to oncoming traffic. A green arrow is a protected turn with conflicting traffic stopped. A red arrow means no turn at all.
What does a flashing red light mean?
Treat it exactly as a stop sign. Stop completely, then proceed when it is safe. A flashing yellow means proceed with caution.
What is the difference between yellow and white lines?
Yellow separates traffic moving in opposite directions; white separates lanes moving the same way. Broken means the movement is allowed, solid means it is not. A lane bordered by solid and broken yellow on both sides is a two-way left turn lane.
Vermont driving conditions
What should you do if a moose steps into the road?
Brake hard and stay in your lane. Do not swerve. A moose is tall and dark, so headlights often fail to pick it up until you are close, and in a collision the body comes through the windshield rather than over the hood. Scan the verges at dawn and dusk.
What are frost heaves and how do you handle them?
Buckles in the road surface caused by spring freeze and thaw. Slow down before them, and do not brake on them. Hitting one at speed can throw a car off line.
How should you drive near a snowplow in Vermont?
Stay well back and do not crowd it. The road ahead of a plow is worse than the road behind it, and the spray it throws will blind you.
Where does black ice form first?
On bridges, overpasses and shaded curves, because they lose heat from underneath as well as above.
Do Vermont covered bridges have real limits?
Yes, and they are enforced. Posted height and weight limits on covered bridges are not decorative.
Where to go next
If you came for one answer, you have it. If you are studying properly, work through the full Vermont practice test until you are consistently above 90 percent, since 80 is the pass mark and 20 questions leave no room. Check the numbers on the Vermont cheat sheet, bank the easy marks with the signs and markings test, and see the whole process on the Vermont permit guide.
Disclaimer: Pass The Permit is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles 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 town ordinances vary. Always confirm current figures against the official Vermont Driver’s Manual and Vermont statutes.