Pennsylvania permit test facts
The format of the PennDOT knowledge test and where each fact comes from.
| Fact | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official test | Knowledge test | pa.gov Agency website · Online Driver's Manual, Testing · checked November 1, 2026 |
| Number of questions | 18 questions | Same source as above |
| Passing score | 15 of 18 correct (83.3%) | Same source as above |
| Minimum age for a permit | You can apply for a Pennsylvania learner's permit once you turn 16, and not before your 16th birthday. | pa.gov Agency website · Online Driver's Manual: Chapter 1 - Applying for a Learner's Permit (intro) · checked November 1, 2026 |
| Permit fee | PennDOT charges $45.50 for an initial learner's permit, and that fee also covers the four-year driver's license. Applicants aged 65 and over can choose a two-year license instead, which makes it $33.50. | pa.gov Agency website · Payments and Fees > Driver Licenses > Regular Driver's License Services Fees table · checked November 1, 2026 |
| What to bring | Bring the DL-180 application with the health care provider's exam section completed, original proof of birth date and identity, your signed Social Security card and the fee. Under 18: add the DL-180TD parent consent form. Over 18: add two proofs of residency. | pa.gov Agency website · Online Driver's Manual: Chapter 1 - Applying for a Learner's Permit, Steps #2-#4 · checked November 1, 2026 |
| Test languages | The knowledge test is offered in 30 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese. It comes in written or audio format, on request at any Driver License Center. | pa.gov Agency website · Online Driver's Manual: Chapter 1 - Testing, Knowledge Test · checked November 1, 2026 |
| Taking the test online | PennDOT has you take the knowledge test at a Driver License Center. A two-year pilot lets students at Williamson and Cowanesque Valley high schools in Tioga County take it at school, run by PennDOT-approved teachers. | pa.gov Agency website · Remote Learner's Permit Knowledge Testing Pilot Expands Access to Driver Licensing Services (PennDOT Focus on Innovations 2025); in-person rule from https://www.pa.gov/services/dmv/get-a-learners-permit step 'Go to a driver license center and take the knowledge test' · checked November 1, 2026 |
| If you fail | If you fail the knowledge test, you can retake it the following business day. You can only take the test once a day, at any Driver License Center. | pa.gov Agency website · Online Driver's Manual: Chapter 1 - Testing, Knowledge Test (once-per-day rule: Chapter 1 - Applying for a Learner's Permit page) · checked November 1, 2026 |
| Handbook to study | Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (Pub 95), downloaded November 1, 2026 | pa.gov Official handbook · checked November 1, 2026 |
Questions people ask
How many questions are on the Pennsylvania permit test?
The Pennsylvania knowledge test has 18 questions. You need 15 of 18 correct (83.3%) to pass.
What score do you need to pass the Pennsylvania permit test?
15 of 18 correct (83.3%).
How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Pennsylvania?
You can apply for a Pennsylvania learner's permit once you turn 16, and not before your 16th birthday.
How much does a Pennsylvania learner's permit cost?
PennDOT charges $45.50 for an initial learner's permit, and that fee also covers the four-year driver's license. Applicants aged 65 and over can choose a two-year license instead, which makes it $33.50.
What do you need to bring for the Pennsylvania permit test?
Bring the DL-180 application with the health care provider's exam section completed, original proof of birth date and identity, your signed Social Security card and the fee. Under 18: add the DL-180TD parent consent form. Over 18: add two proofs of residency.
What languages can you take the Pennsylvania permit test in?
The knowledge test is offered in 30 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese. It comes in written or audio format, on request at any Driver License Center.
Can you take the Pennsylvania permit test online?
PennDOT has you take the knowledge test at a Driver License Center. A two-year pilot lets students at Williamson and Cowanesque Valley high schools in Tioga County take it at school, run by PennDOT-approved teachers.
How soon can you retake the Pennsylvania permit test if you fail?
If you fail the knowledge test, you can retake it the following business day. You can only take the test once a day, at any Driver License Center.
Which handbook should you study for the Pennsylvania permit test?
The Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (Pub 95) (downloaded November 1, 2026), published by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Fees and document rules change more often than the test itself. Check the PennDOT website before you go.
Back to the Pennsylvania practice tests
Facts checked November 1, 2026. See how we check.