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DMV permit test · Massachusetts

Massachusetts DMV permit practice test

As of October 25, 2026, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles gives Class D learner's permit applicants 25 minutes to answer 25 questions, and 18 correct answers pass.

Massachusetts applicants must be at least 16 for a learner's permit, and those under 18 need written consent from a parent, legal guardian, the Department of Children and Families or a boarding school headmaster.

The Massachusetts RMV charges a $30 application fee for a Class D learner's permit (per mass.gov, checked on Oct 25, 2026).

Updated Oct 25, 2026Rules checked against mass.govHow we check
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Massachusetts permit test at a glance

Questions on the test
25source, Oct 25, 2026
Correct answers to pass
18source, Oct 25, 2026
Minimum permit age
16source, Oct 25, 2026
Permit or application fee
$30source, Oct 25, 2026
Permit held before the road test
6 monthssource, Oct 25, 2026
Supervised practice
40 hourssource, Oct 25, 2026

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Free Massachusetts practice test: 10 questions

OneTryPass wrote these questions from the Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026). Pick an answer to see if you got it; each explanation names the part of the handbook it comes from.

  1. Getting your permit

    Question 1. You are 17 with a Massachusetts learner’s permit. At 12:30 a.m., who may ride beside you so you can legally drive?

    Show answer

    Answer: B. A parent or legal guardian who is licensed and has at least one year of driving experience

    Any licensed driver 21 or older with a year of experience can supervise you during the day. From midnight to 5 a.m., a permit holder under 18 may drive only with a licensed parent or legal guardian who has at least one year of driving experience.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 1: Obtaining Your License › Driving With Your Permit (p. 18)

  2. Speed and following distance

    Question 2. No speed limit sign is posted in a thickly settled or business district, and the town has not posted a 25 mph limit. What is the most you should drive?

    Show answer

    Answer: D. 30 mph

    Massachusetts treats more than 30 mph in an unposted thickly settled or business district as unreasonable. Some towns adopt 25 mph and post signs at every entrance; school zones are 20 mph.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 4: Rules of the Road › Speed Limits (p. 79–80)

  3. Sharing the road

    Question 3. You are passing a person on a skateboard at the edge of your lane. What is the smallest gap Massachusetts law allows?

    Show answer

    Answer: C. 4 feet

    Under the Vulnerable Road Users Law, you leave at least four feet when passing pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders, roadside workers and other vulnerable road users. When it is safe, you may use part of the next lane or cross the center line to give that room.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 2: Safety First › Vulnerable Road Users Law (p. 49)

  4. Speed and following distance

    Question 4. In good weather and moderate traffic, what minimum following time does the Massachusetts Driver’s Manual teach behind a car?

    Show answer

    Answer: A. 3 seconds

    Pick a fixed object and count “one one-thousand” to three after the car ahead passes it; reaching it sooner means you are too close. The manual asks for at least four seconds behind a motorcycle and ten behind heavy equipment.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 2: Safety First › Safe Distances Around Your Car (p. 43)

  5. Night driving

    Question 5. It is noon and a light drizzle makes you switch on your windshield wipers. What does Massachusetts law require?

    Show answer

    Answer: C. Your headlights and taillights must be on

    Massachusetts drivers must turn on headlights and taillights whenever the wipers are in use, and daytime running lights do not count. Lights are also required from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 2: Safety First › Using Your Horn, Headlights, and Emergency Signals (p. 45)

  6. Parking

    Question 6. What is the closest you may park to a fire hydrant in Massachusetts?

    Show answer

    Answer: D. 10 feet

    The Massachusetts Driver’s Manual bars parking within ten feet of a fire hydrant or fire lane. Within 20 feet of an intersection is also off limits.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 4: Rules of the Road › Parking Regulations (p. 110–111)

  7. Right of way

    Question 7. You reach a rotary with a yield sign at the entrance and no police officer directing traffic. Who goes first?

    Show answer

    Answer: A. Vehicles already circulating in the rotary

    Rotary traffic moves counterclockwise, and entering drivers yield to vehicles already inside and to pedestrians. Signal right when you are ready to leave, and never stop inside the rotary.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 4: Rules of the Road › Right-of-Way Rules › Rotaries (p. 101)

  8. Alcohol and drugs

    Question 8. Under the Massachusetts zero-tolerance law, a driver under 21 loses their license with a blood alcohol content as low as:

    Show answer

    Answer: B. 0.02

    A driver under 21 caught driving with a BAC of 0.02 or more loses their license. The 0.08 legal limit applies to every driver, but younger drivers face penalties far below it.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 3: Keeping Your License › Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving (p. 73)

  9. Railroad crossings

    Question 9. The red lights at a railroad crossing start flashing, but no train is in sight. What must you do?

    Show answer

    Answer: D. Stop at least 15 feet before the light post or gate and wait until the lights stop

    Stop at least 15 feet before the light post or gate and stay there until the gate rises and the lights go dark. Driving around a lowered gate carries a heavy fine, even when no train is visible.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 4: Rules of the Road › Traffic Signs › Railroad Crossings (p. 86–87)

  10. Right of way

    Question 10. A school bus on the far side of a divided highway, beyond a center barrier, has its red lights flashing and stop arm out. What must you do?

    Show answer

    Answer: B. Continue with care; you do not have to stop

    On an ordinary road you stop for a school bus with flashing lights and an extended stop sign no matter which side you are on. The one exception is a bus across a divided highway with a barrier between the directions. A first violation can bring a $250 fine and a license suspension.

    From Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) · Chapter 4: Rules of the Road › Road Respect/Sharing the Road › School Buses (p. 105)

Massachusetts permit test questions people ask

How many questions are on the Massachusetts permit test, and what score passes?

The Class D learner’s permit exam has 25 questions, and you pass with 18 correct answers inside a 25-minute limit. At the RMV kiosks that works out to about a minute per question.

Expect more than road signs: the RMV lists alcohol misuse, license suspensions and Junior Operator License violations among the topics, next to sharing the road with bicyclists, pedestrians and people who are blind.

Sources: Apply for a passenger (Class D) learner's permit · Chapter 1: Obtaining Your License

How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Massachusetts?

You can apply at 16. Under 18, a parent, legal guardian, the Department of Children and Families or a boarding school headmaster signs the application as written consent.

The permit alone does not lead straight to a license: nobody gets a Class D license in Massachusetts before 16½, and teens first need six straight months with the permit plus driver education.

Sources: Apply for a passenger (Class D) learner's permit · Chapter 1: Obtaining Your License

What happens if you fail the Massachusetts learner's permit exam?

Each new attempt costs the $30 exam fee again; online, you pay it through your myRMV profile before retaking. Online, two idle minutes, running past 25 minutes or leaving the browser window all count as a fail.

Cheating is far more costly than failing: the RMV bars anyone caught from holding any license or permit for 60 days. Later, at the road test stage, a failed test means a 14-day wait, with a cap of six attempts in 12 months.

Sources: License/ID Fees · Learner’s Permit Exam Overview (Massachusetts RMV, PDF) · Chapter 1: Obtaining Your License

What are the rules for a Massachusetts learner’s permit and Junior Operator License?

Permit drivers need a licensed supervisor who is 21 or older, has a year of experience and sits beside them. Under 18, the hours from midnight to 5 a.m. are off limits unless a licensed parent or guardian rides along.

Before the road test, teens log at least 40 supervised hours (30 after a driver skills program) on top of 30 classroom hours, 12 behind the wheel and 6 observing. The Junior Operator License that follows bans non-family passengers under 18 for six months and driving from 12:30 to 5 a.m. without a parent.

No phone use of any kind is allowed for drivers under 18, even hands-free, except to report an emergency.

Sources: Junior Operator License (JOL) requirements · The Junior Operator License Law

Every Massachusetts rule we checked

Each line is one rule from an official Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles page, with the date we read it.

Knowledge test
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles gives Class D learner's permit applicants 25 minutes to answer 25 questions, and 18 correct answers pass. source, Oct 25, 2026
The Massachusetts learner's permit exam covers alcohol misuse, license suspensions and Junior Operator License violations along with rules of the road and road signs, at about one minute per question. source, Oct 25, 2026
Any Massachusetts applicant can choose an audio version of the Class D permit exam without booking ahead or bringing extra paperwork, and the time limit stays at 25 minutes. source, Oct 25, 2026
Minimum age
Massachusetts applicants must be at least 16 for a learner's permit, and those under 18 need written consent from a parent, legal guardian, the Department of Children and Families or a boarding school headmaster. source, Oct 25, 2026
A Massachusetts permit holder cannot get a Class D license before age 16½, after six consecutive months with the permit in good standing and an RMV-approved driver education program. source, Oct 25, 2026
Fees
The Massachusetts RMV charges a $30 application fee for a Class D learner's permit. source, Oct 25, 2026
After the permit, a Massachusetts driver pays a $35 road test fee and a $50 fee to have the Class D license issued. source, Oct 25, 2026
If you fail
The Massachusetts RMV charges the $30 learner's permit exam fee again for each new attempt after a failed exam or an expired permit. source, Oct 25, 2026
On the online Massachusetts permit exam, more than two minutes without a click, going past 25 minutes or leaving the browser counts as an automatic failure, and a retake requires paying another $30 on myRMV. source, Oct 25, 2026
An applicant caught cheating on the Massachusetts permit exam fails and cannot hold any driver’s license or permit for 60 days. source, Oct 25, 2026
For the Class D road test, Massachusetts allows no more than six attempts in a 12-month period, and a failed or missed road test means waiting at least 14 days before the next one. source, Oct 25, 2026
Permit rules
A Massachusetts learner's permit holder drives only with a licensed driver who is at least 21, has at least one year of driving experience and sits in the seat beside them. source, Oct 25, 2026
A Massachusetts permit holder under 18 may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. unless a licensed parent or legal guardian with at least one year of experience is in the car. source, Oct 25, 2026
Massachusetts license applicants between 16½ and 18 need six consecutive months with the permit before the road test, plus at least 40 hours of parent-certified supervised driving, or 30 hours after a driver skills development program. source, Oct 25, 2026
Massachusetts driver education for applicants under 18 includes 30 classroom hours, 12 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours observing another student, and a parent or guardian attends 2 hours of instruction. source, Oct 25, 2026
For the first six months, a Massachusetts Junior Operator License holder may not drive with passengers under 18 other than immediate family unless accompanied by someone 21 or older with at least one year of driving experience. source, Oct 25, 2026
A Massachusetts Junior Operator License holder may not drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. without a parent or legal guardian, and a first violation brings a 60-day suspension. source, Oct 25, 2026
Massachusetts drivers under 18 may not use any mobile electronic device for any reason while driving, except to report an emergency. source, Oct 25, 2026
A Massachusetts learner's permit is valid for two years or the length of the holder's stay in the U.S., and an expired permit means reapplying and retaking the exam. source, Oct 25, 2026
What to bring
For a REAL ID permit or license, Massachusetts asks for one proof of lawful presence, two proofs of Massachusetts residency and one proof of a Social Security number; a Standard card needs one proof of residency. source, Oct 25, 2026
The Massachusetts RMV accepts only original documents for a permit application; photocopies and laminated documents are turned down. source, Oct 25, 2026
Test appointments
Massachusetts learner's permit applicants start the application online and book an appointment at an RMV Service Center, or at a AAA branch for AAA members. source, Oct 25, 2026
The Massachusetts RMV uses the Service Center visit to verify identity, check vision and take the applicant’s photo, even when the exam itself is taken online. source, Oct 25, 2026
After the Service Center visit, a Massachusetts applicant has 60 days to take the permit exam online on a computer with a working camera; smartphones and tablets are not allowed. source, Oct 25, 2026
The Massachusetts Class D permit exam is offered in languages that include Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole and Khmer, and its American Sign Language version is given only at an RMV Service Center. source, Oct 25, 2026
Official handbook
The Massachusetts Driver's Manual for passenger vehicles was revised in April 2026 and is published online in English and 15 other languages. source, Oct 25, 2026
The Massachusetts RMV sells printed driver's manuals for $5 at its Service Centers and lets anyone download them at no charge. source, Oct 25, 2026
Agency
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles warns that look-alike third-party websites may charge extra fees and points drivers to Mass.Gov/RMV for its own services. source, Oct 25, 2026

The full Massachusetts pack

The free questions above are a sample. The pack is the whole question bank, practiced the way the app below shows.

Inside the Massachusetts pack: study sessions that bring missed questions back, timed full practice tests and a readiness score.

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Full Massachusetts practice pack

$14.951 year of access · no subscription

  • Every practice question in the Massachusetts bank, not just these 10
  • Study sessions that bring missed questions back
  • Timed full practice tests with a readiness score
  • Mistake review by topic, on any device, for a year

Refunds: Full refund within 7 days of purchase, no questions asked.

OneTryPass is not affiliated with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The official Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) is free at mass.gov.

Massachusetts permit test FAQ

How much does a learner's permit cost in Massachusetts?

The permit application fee is $30. Getting the license later adds a $35 road test fee and a $50 Class D license fee, and both can be paid online before or after the road test. Source: official pages "Apply for a passenger (Class D) learner's permit", "License/ID Fees" and "Passenger (Class D) road tests", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Can you take the Massachusetts permit test online?

Yes, after an in-person RMV Service Center visit for identity, vision and photo. You then have 60 days to test on a computer with a working camera, and the American Sign Language version is only given at a Service Center. Source: official pages "Learner’s Permit FAQs (Massachusetts RMV, PDF, revised 07/06/2022)", "Learner’s Permit Exam Overview (Massachusetts RMV, PDF)" and "Apply for a passenger (Class D) learner's permit", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Are these the real Massachusetts DMV test questions?

No. OneTryPass writes its own practice questions from the rules in the Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026), and each question names the part of the handbook it comes from so you can check the rule.

Is OneTryPass affiliated with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles?

No. OneTryPass is an independent practice site and is not part of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The Massachusetts Driver's Manual (revised April 2026) is free at mass.gov.

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles' own website or handbook. OneTryPass reads the page, writes the rule in plain English and records the date. A rule that passes its re-check date leaves this page on its own until it is read again.

How often each kind of rule is read again: knowledge test, 120 days; minimum age, 365 days; fees, 90 days; if you fail, 180 days; permit rules, 365 days; what to bring, 180 days; test appointments, 60 days; official handbook, 180 days; agency, 365 days.

Something wrong on this page? Tell us at [email protected] and include the link to the official page that changed.