The Ohio road test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can book the test and bring the right documents.
• You can prepare a vehicle that will pass the pre-test inspection.
• You can drive forward and in reverse through the 9-foot by 20-foot maneuverability course.
• You can list the skills checked on the on-road drive.
• You can explain the retest rules for drivers under 21 and for adults 21 and over.

What you need to know and understand

• Schedule the test through BMV Online Services; tests are not booked by email.
• Bring your TIPIC, a vehicle in good condition and, if you are under 21, the completed BMV 5791 Fifty-Hour Affidavit and your driver education certificate.
• The vehicle check covers turn signals, brake lights, horn, wipers and headlights; front doors must open from inside and out, registration must be current, and automated parking aids must be turned off.
• The maneuverability course is a 9-foot by 20-foot box marked by cones; you drive forward through it and then reverse back through it.
• Points are deducted for stopping, bumping markers, misjudging stopping distance or not being parallel; knocking down or running over a marker is an immediate fail.
• Applicants under 21 who fail must wait two days before retesting.
• Applicants 21 or older who fail the first attempt must complete an abbreviated adult driver training course before trying again, unless they took approved driver training in the past 12 months.

Part one: the maneuverability course

1. Drive forward into the box, steering to the right or left of the center marker as the examiner directs.
2. Steer straight and stop when your rear bumper is level with the center marker, with the car roughly parallel to the course.
3. Reverse past the center marker, straighten up and continue backing through the box.
4. Stop with your bumper level with the two rear markers and the car parallel, then drive out of the area without touching any markers.

Part two: the on-road drive

The examiner rides in the front passenger seat and gives directions. You will be assessed on stopping and starting, turning around and backing up, making turns, using your signals, staying in the correct lane and keeping a safe following distance. Drive as you have practiced: smooth, legal and with clear observation.

Our separate guides on the Ohio driving test and the maneuverability cone course include practice drills and a checklist of vehicle items.

After the test

Pass both parts and you have 60 days to buy your license at a deputy registrar, where you hand in your TIPIC. Under 18, a parent or guardian must again come with you to co-sign. If an adult fails, the abbreviated course can be a 4-hour class plus 4 hours with an instructor, or a 4-hour class plus 24 hours of practice with a licensed driver aged 21 or older, logged on the BMV 5789 affidavit.

Common mistakes

• Arriving in a car with a broken brake light or expired registration, which can stop the test before it starts.
• Leaving self-parking or other automated assistance features switched on.
• Clipping or knocking over a cone in the maneuverability course, which is an automatic fail.
• Forgetting the 50-hour affidavit or driver education certificate if you are under 21.

Test yourself: The Ohio road test

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Ohio Driving Test
• Ohio Driver’s License Cost and How to Book BMV Tests
• Ohio Permit Documents Checklist