Idaho Driving Test: Scoring and Automatic Fails

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To pass the Idaho Class D skills test you must finish the route with 12 or fewer errors and no critical driving error, which ends the test on the spot. The test is given by a private, third-party Skills Test Examiner, not county staff, and costs $35 in total. This guide is for Idaho teens finishing their Supervised Instruction Permit, permit holders 17 and older, and anyone else ITD requires to take a road test.

Key facts (as of November 2026)

Pass mark: 12 or fewer errors, and no critical driving error (CDE).
Length: about 30 minutes, per ITD’s test guide.
Fee: $35 ($6.50 to the county DMV, up to $28.50 to the examiner).
Failing: wait 3 days, then pay both fees again.
Tests only in daylight and acceptable weather.
Pre-drive vehicle check: miss 3 or fewer items to continue.

Who needs the Idaho skills test?

Anyone never licensed before
Teens under 17 who have completed driver training and the SIP (test eligibility dates are strictly enforced)
Drivers 17 or older on a Class D Instruction Permit
Holders of a foreign license from a country without a reciprocity agreement (see moving to Idaho)
Anyone with an Idaho or out-of-state license expired 25 months or more
Anyone whose vision does not meet the standard, or who has a medical or vision skills test requirement
Anyone a county agent has concerns about, whatever their age or experience

How the $35 fee is split

Paid to	Amount	When
County DMV	$6.50	For SIP holders, already included in the permit fee ($21.50 or $16.50)
Skills Test Examiner	Up to $28.50	Paid to the examiner

A failed test means paying both parts again.

How to book a third-party examiner

Open ITD’s “Taking the Driver’s Test” guide and pick the examiner list for your region: North, North Central, Southwest, South Central, Southeast or East Idaho.
Call an examiner of your choice between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
If no one answers, leave a voicemail with your name and phone number. Examiners will not call back without one.
If you need a restricted skills test (for example, only driving within specific restrictions or to certain places), tell the examiner and discuss it before the test. Otherwise you must complete the full route.

What to bring on test day

Photo ID: a state license, ID card, instruction permit, SIP, passport, school ID or yearbook.
Vehicle permission: if you do not own the car, the owner gives permission in writing or in person. Permission by phone is not accepted.
Proof of insurance: paper or digital, not expired. An SR22 does not count.
Registration: the original (not a photocopy), not expired and signed by the registrant.
Skills test receipt: needed for identity only if you have no state-issued credential. Photo ID is still required.
Skills Test Evaluation Form: only if ITD requires one for a medical review.

Without a valid license you may not drive yourself to the test.

Examiner vehicle inspection

The examiner checks the car against Idaho Code and ITD standards. If it fails, you have to rebook with a safe vehicle.

Passenger door and passenger seat belt work
Rear-view mirror, or both side mirrors
Windshield with no cracks or obstructions
Tires with at least 2/32 inch of tread. No studded tires from May 1 to September 30
No critical warning lights or gauges lit on the dashboard
No dealer plates, unless you are a dealer or full-time salesperson with a state dealer ID
No rental car if you are unlicensed or under 25

Your vehicle knowledge check

You locate or demonstrate these items. Miss 3 or fewer to continue to the drive. ITD’s test guide says the test stops if any item marked * does not meet standards or you cannot show it:

Must work and be shown (*)	Also checked
Driver door, driver seat belt, brake lights, front and rear turn signals, headlights, windshield wipers, hazard lights, driver window, horn	All three arm signals (left, right, slow or stop), defroster or defogger, emergency or parking brake

Arm signals in Idaho: left is arm straight out, right is arm up, slow or stop is arm down.

What the Idaho driving route includes

Commercial and residential driving
A curve
Intersections: controlled, uncontrolled, railroad and roundabout
Interstate (freeway) driving and lane changes
A parking lot
Right turns, left turns and a U-turn
Stall parking and curb parking

What you are scored on

ITD lists these scored skills. Each mistake is an error, and 12 is the most you can have.

Acceleration and deceleration
Attentiveness and traffic checks
Complete stops, and stopping at the gap or stop line
Curb
Lane position
Right-of-way
Signaling (at least 100 feet before a turn in town)
Spacing
Speed and steering control
Unnecessary stops

Critical driving errors: automatic fails

A CDE is anything that could cause an incident, injury or death. One CDE ends the test immediately.

Dangerous action
Disobeying an emergency or safety vehicle
Disobeying police or safety personnel
Disobeying a traffic sign or signal
Driving up onto the curb or sidewalk
Intervention by, or disobeying, the examiner
Habitual violation: 5 or more errors on the same scored skill
Lane violation
Passenger interference
Speeding (ITD’s test guide says more than 10 mph over, or unsafe)
Curb parking more than 18 inches from the curb and impeding traffic
Striking an object

Scenario: the habitual violation trap

You roll through four stop signs without a full stop, and also finish a lane change without checking your blind spot once. That is 5 errors, well under 12. But a fifth rolling stop would be a habitual violation, which fails you even with a low total. Fix repeated habits before test day.

Passengers on the Idaho skills test

Passengers are not allowed, with these exceptions. Each must be 18 or older, carry valid ID and sign the liability waiver:

One parent or legal guardian of an applicant 17 or younger
A translator (does not need certification or a license; you arrange one)
A law enforcement officer accompanying an inmate
A religious missionary companion, on request

A service dog may come along if needed. Phones and other devices must be off.

Results

Pass: the examiner gives you your result in a sealed envelope. Take it unopened to the county DMV and pay the license fee. An opened or tampered envelope means your result is held for ITD review.
Fail: the examiner sends the result to ITD for your driving record. Wait 3 days, then book with the same or a different examiner.
You have no driving privileges from the test itself until a passing result is recorded and a license is issued.

Common questions

How many points can you miss on the Idaho driving test?

You can have up to 12 errors, as long as none is a critical driving error.

What is an automatic fail on the Idaho skills test?

Any critical driving error on the list above, including 5 errors on the same skill.

Who gives the Idaho driving test?

Private Skills Test Examiners approved by ITD. You find them on ITD’s regional lists.

Can my parent ride along?

Yes, one parent or legal guardian can ride with an applicant 17 or younger, after signing the liability waiver.

Can I use a rental car?

Not if you are unlicensed or under 25.

Do I parallel park on the Idaho test?

The route includes curb parking and stall parking. In curb parking you must end up within 18 inches of the curb.

Can I take the skills test at night?

No. Tests are only scheduled in daylight and acceptable weather.

Sources

Idaho Transportation Department, “Idaho Driver’s Handbook” (July 2026) (itd.idaho.gov)
Idaho Transportation Department, “Taking the Driver’s Test” (itd.idaho.gov)
Idaho Transportation Department, “Young Drivers” (itd.idaho.gov)

Idaho Driving Test: Scoring and Critical Driving Errors