Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Every new driver in Colorado, at any age, must pass the written test (the DMV calls it the Driving Knowledge Test) before getting an instruction permit. You can take it online at home, in a driver license office or at an approved driving school. This guide covers where to take it, what it costs, what is on it, and what happens after you pass.
Key facts (Colorado DMV, checked November 2026)
- Three ways to test: @Home online, in office, or at a third-party provider.
- Online test: 60 minutes, $6.50 per attempt, webcam required.
- Maximum two attempts per day, as many days as you need.
- State retest fee: $11.50 for each retest.
- Languages: English and Spanish.
What is on the Colorado permit test?
According to the Colorado Driver Handbook, the questions cover the contents of the handbook, including:
- road signs
- driving under the influence
- driving rules
- safety rules
- legal items
Check with the Colorado DMV for the number of questions and the pass mark, and do not trust unofficial numbers.
Topics worth extra study
- Default speed limits: 25 mph business districts, 30 mph residence districts, 20 mph narrow winding mountain highways, 40 mph open mountain highways.
- Signal distances: 100 feet in urban areas, 200 feet on four-lane highways over 40 mph.
- BAC limits: 0.08% (DUI per se), 0.05% (first DWAI in the penalty table), over 0.02% for drivers under 21.
- School bus: stop at least 20 feet away when the red lights flash.
- Parking: 15 feet from a fire hydrant, 30 feet from a signal, stop sign or railroad crossing.
- Following distance: the three-second rule. Check your mirror every 5 to 8 seconds.
- Headlights: on from sunset to sunrise or when visibility is under 1,000 feet. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle.
- Teen license rules: passenger limits and the midnight to 5 a.m. curfew.
The DMV’s Driver Education page has the handbook, an audiobook version and the official Driver Handbook Practice Quiz. Overview of the handbook: learning to drive in Colorado.
Where can you take the Colorado written test?
| Option | How it works | Cost (November 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| @Home online | Pre-register on myDMV, then test on a desktop or laptop with a webcam. You have 60 minutes. Bring your Certificate of Completion to your permit appointment. | $6.50 per attempt ($5 testing fee plus $1.50 card fee). The first attempt has no state test charge. |
| In office | Book a written test appointment. If you pass and bring your documents, the permit can be issued at the same visit. | Permit fee; $11.50 state fee for each retest |
| Third-party provider | Approved driving schools can give the test. | The business may charge its own fees |
Written tests are not given within 30 minutes of an office’s scheduled closing time.
Rules for the @Home online test
- Open to any Colorado resident old enough to test for a permit.
- Works on desktop and laptop computers with a webcam, in any major browser.
- Photos are taken at the start and at random during the test. Staff compare them with you at your appointment.
- Test takers younger than 19 need an adult older than 19 to act as proxy. The results are emailed to the proxy too.
- Questions can be read aloud in English or Spanish if your computer has speakers.
If you fail the Colorado permit test
- You can retake it as many times as needed, but only twice in one day.
- Each retest carries a state DMV fee of $11.50 on top of any testing fee. The under-21 permit page says you can pay it online or at your appointment.
Accommodations
- Have the test read to you at the testing station (bring plug-in headphones).
- Have it verbally translated into another spoken language (you provide the translator).
- Have it translated into sign language (the DMV provides this).
- Request other ADA accommodations through the DMV.
What to bring to your permit appointment after passing
- Proof of identity, such as a passport or birth certificate. A school ID alone is not enough.
- Your online or third-party test pass confirmation.
- Your driver education or awareness course completion confirmation, if your age requires one.
- Under 21 with no government ID: a parent or legal guardian, their ID and certified proof of guardianship for the Affidavit of Identity.
- Under 18: an adult 21 or older with a valid Colorado license to sign the Affidavit of Liability (DR 2460). If they cannot come, bring a notarized copy.
- Glasses or contacts for the vision test.
At the appointment you take a vision test, give fingerprints, have a photo taken and pay the fee ($20.00 for a REAL ID-compliant permit, as of November 2026). You leave with a temporary paper permit, and the card arrives by mail within 30 days.
Common questions
Can I take my Colorado permit test online?
Yes. The @Home Driving Knowledge Test is taken on a computer with a webcam after you pre-register on myDMV. You still need an office appointment to get the permit.
How long is the Colorado online permit test?
You have 60 minutes to complete it.
How many times can I take the Colorado written test in a day?
Twice. There is no limit on the total number of attempts.
Is the Colorado permit test in Spanish?
Yes, in office and online. No other languages are offered at this time.
I have a permit from another state. Do I retake the written test?
No. With a valid out-of-state permit, you do not need to take the written test again. You still need a Colorado appointment.
Do adults need to take the written test?
Yes. The written test is required at all ages if you have never been licensed, or if your license has been expired or canceled for more than 12 months.
Next: which Colorado course you need before the permit and the 50-hour log and Affidavit of Liability. Other states: US permit test by state.
Sources
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Get Your Colorado Permit and Driver License (Under 21)” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “@Home Driving Knowledge Tests” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Education” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “State DMV Fees” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Colorado Driver Handbook” DR 2337 (12/05/24) (dmv.colorado.gov)