Prepare for the
State Knowledge Test
You must read the Driver Guide!
All of the test questions on the knowledge test come from this booklet. You can request this at a DOL license office (free) or download a digital PDF copy below (also free).
This is the only way to study for the test! Too many test takers are looking for shortcuts to avoid having to read this booklet. Our instructors have seen all of the actual test questions and taken all of the "online practice tests", and none of them have questions from the actual test.
Download the free booklet here:
English
What is covered on the test?
There are 40 multiple choice questions, and you have to answer 32 of them correctly to pass. The questions vary, from "What does this sign mean?" to story problems like this:
5. James is driving and stopped at a red light when his phone alerts him with a text message. He is pretty sure it is for a radio contest he has been participating in, and he has 98 seconds to call the station. James should:
(A) Call the radio station now
(B) Wait until the light turns green, then call
(C) Pull over in a parking lot, then call
(D) Do nothing, radio contests are scams
What parts of the book should I study?
Test questions will span the entire book, from cover to cover. The covers contain road signs, and you'll want to have those memorized anyway. Most of the questions that test takers get wrong are in chapters 3, 4, and 5.
A lot of us miss the alcohol and marijuana questions and say at the end of the test, "But I don't smoke or drink!". That's OK, most people who smoke and drink don't know those answers either. They aren't printed on the labels ;)
We are working on a video series to help you learn the Driver Guide! It's completely free, and more links will be added as the videos are completed:
Will I pass on the first try?
A little less than half of all test takers pass on their first try. While we don't keep official statistics on why this happens, most folks say that they took a bunch of online practice tests but didn't read the book.
Who creates the tests and writes the questions?
We don't! The Department of Licensing outsources this work, and hires a "psychometrician", who is responsible for the validity, reliability, and fairness of an exam. The psychometrician has created about 170 questions, and the test you'll see has a sampling of 40 questions from that question bank.
Each driving school is given three versions of the test (in 7 different languages). There are also 12 different groups for each language, which means there are currently 36 versions of the test in English, for example. That means that Test A at one driving school is likely to be different from a Test A at a different school.
What happens if I don't pass?
No big deal! You can take a knowledge test again at any time, and anywhere with no restrictions. Driving schools are permitted to make their own rules regarding how often you can test with them, but we don't have restrictions.
Can I see my test after it is graded?
Unfortunately, no, the DOL does not allow schools to show you the test after you take it. The most we are allowed to do is give you the booklet page numbers related to the questions you answered incorrectly.
For example, if you missed a question on distracted driving, we'll write down page 4-4 on a paper for you, along with the other page numbers that you missed questions from. The paper will have some tips and a link to the Driver Guide. This is the most information we are permitted to give you, and we offer these page numbers for all 7 language test versions.
How should I study for this test?
Learning HOW to study for a written test is an important skill. The Driver Guide is about 140 pages long with a lot of information that requires conceptual thinking. It's much easier to learn how to drive by doing it rather than reading about it!
Click on the image to the right for our "Learning How to Pass the State Knowledge Test PDF", which offers our best tips for learning how to memorize important parts of the Driver Guide. As always, if you have questions about the material, ask one of our instructors!
Make your test appointment today!
Driver License Testing Center
at I-5 Driving School