The Utah knowledge (permit) test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the pass mark and time rules for the written knowledge test.
• You can explain how retakes and the test fee work.
• You can describe how the Traffic Safety and Trends Exam differs from the knowledge test.
• You can plan a study routine based on the handbook.

What you need to know and understand

• The written knowledge test needs a score of 80 percent or better.
• It is not timed, but most people take 30 to 45 minutes.
• You may take up to two knowledge tests in one day if the office can fit you in.
• One fee covers up to three attempts within 12 months; after three fails you pay again.
• An entry-level permit test score is valid for 18 months.
• The Traffic Safety and Trends Exam is online only, needs 100 percent and can be retaken as often as needed.
• Half of the Trends Exam questions relate to the leading causes of traffic deaths in Utah.

How the written knowledge test works

You take the test at a DLD office during your learner permit appointment, so arrive on time. The questions come from the handbook and cover Utah laws and safe driving practices. The DLD website lists the current number of questions and has a free practice test.

If you fail, you can try again the same day if the office has room. Otherwise, book a written retest appointment. Once you have used three attempts within 12 months, a new fee buys three more.

What to study

• Sign shapes and colors, traffic signals and pavement markings, including flex lanes and express lanes.
• Right of way, turns, roundabouts and the default speed limits.
• Utah's 0.05 BAC limit and the Not-a-Drop rule for drivers under 21.
• Phone laws, especially the stricter rule for drivers under 18.
• Permit supervision rules and the teen night and passenger limits.
• Sharing the road with cyclists, trucks, trains and TRAX light rail.

The Traffic Safety and Trends Exam

Every first-time Class D applicant must also pass this exam before being licensed. It is only offered on the DLD website, you need every answer right, and you can retake it as many times as you need. Half of its questions are drawn from Utah Highway Safety Office data on what kills people on Utah roads. The handbook lists the top causes of all crashes as following too closely, failing to yield, failing to keep in the proper lane, unsafe lane changes and speeding for conditions. A deeper guide to the Trends Exam and a practice test are available on this site.

Common mistakes

• Using a copycat website for the handbook. The DLD warns about imitator sites that do not end in .gov.
• Skipping the alcohol and teen-rules sections. They are Utah-specific and easy to get wrong.
• Rushing because you think the test is timed. It is not, so read every option.
• Forgetting the Trends Exam until the week of the road test. It needs 100 percent, so start early.

Test yourself: The Utah knowledge (permit) test

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

Go deeper

• Utah Permit Practice Test
• Utah Permit Test
• How to Get a Driver License in Utah