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The Maryland MVA knowledge test has 25 questions, a 20-minute limit and an 88% pass mark, which means 22 correct. This practice test has 25 questions too, so set a 20-minute timer. The questions are original and unofficial. Maryland-specific answers are based on the Maryland Transportation Article; they are not the MVA’s questions.
Maryland knowledge test: key facts
- 25 questions in 20 minutes, taken at an MVA office after a vision screening.
- Pass mark 88%: 22 correct. You can miss only 3.
- Questions cover traffic signs, Maryland traffic law and safe driving.
- Minimum age for a learner’s permit: 15 years 9 months.
Documents, fees and retakes: the Maryland MVA knowledge test guide. The full process: learning to drive in Maryland.
Signs, signals and markings (questions 1 to 6)
1. You can recognize a STOP sign from behind, or when it is covered in snow, because it is the only sign that is:
- A. Triangular
- B. Round
- C. Eight-sided (an octagon)
- D. Shaped like a pennant
Answer: C. Only STOP signs use the octagon shape. Driver’s Manual topic: signs.
2. A yellow diamond-shaped sign usually warns you about:
- A. A law you must obey
- B. A hazard or change in the road ahead, such as a curve
- C. Gas, food and lodging
- D. A route number
Answer: B. Yellow diamonds are warning signs. Driver’s Manual topic: signs.
3. A five-sided sign shaped like a house warns you that:
- A. A hospital is ahead
- B. A railroad crossing is ahead
- C. A divided highway begins
- D. You are near a school zone or school crossing
Answer: D. The pentagon shape is used for school zone and school crossing signs. Driver’s Manual topic: signs.
4. A flashing red traffic light means:
- A. Come to a complete stop, then go when it is safe, as at a STOP sign
- B. Slow down and go ahead with caution
- C. The signal is broken, so you may ignore it
- D. Stop only if other cars are there
Answer: A. Treat a flashing red light exactly like a STOP sign. Driver’s Manual topic: signals.
5. A flashing yellow left-turn arrow means you may turn left:
- A. Without stopping, because oncoming traffic must stop
- B. Only after waiting three seconds
- C. After yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
- D. Only if a police officer waves you on
Answer: C. This is a permissive turn. Oncoming traffic may have a green light, so wait for a safe gap. Driver’s Manual topic: signals.
6. Two solid yellow lines down the center of a two-lane road mean:
- A. Passing is allowed in both directions
- B. No passing in either direction
- C. Passing is allowed only in daylight
- D. The road is one-way
Answer: B. Double solid yellow lines mark a no-passing area for traffic both ways. Driver’s Manual topic: pavement markings.
Right of way and emergency vehicles (questions 7 to 10)
7. You and another car reach a four-way stop at the same time. The other car is on your right. Who goes first?
- A. You do, because you are on the left
- B. Whoever is driving the larger vehicle
- C. Whoever signals first
- D. The car on your right
Answer: D. When drivers arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Driver’s Manual topic: right of way.
8. You are turning left on a solid green light with no arrow. You must:
- A. Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before you turn
- B. Go first, because you have a green light
- C. Turn quickly before oncoming cars reach you
- D. Wait for the light to turn yellow
Answer: A. A plain green light lets you turn left only when there is a safe gap. Driver’s Manual topic: right of way.
9. A fire truck using its siren and lights approaches. Under Maryland law you must:
- A. Pull over as close as possible to the edge of the road, clear of any intersection, and stop until it passes
- B. Keep moving at the same speed
- C. Stop in your lane, even in an intersection
- D. Speed up and turn off the road
Answer: A. Transportation Article §21-405 requires you to yield, pull to the edge and stay stopped until the vehicle has passed. Law and Driver’s Manual topic: emergency vehicles.
10. You approach a tow truck stopped on the shoulder with its lights flashing. Maryland’s move over law says you should:
- A. Keep your speed and lane
- B. Stop in your lane until it leaves
- C. Change to a lane not next to it if you safely can, or slow to a safe speed if you cannot
- D. Sound your horn as you pass
Answer: C. The rule covers emergency, tow, service and waste collection vehicles, and any vehicle showing hazard lights, flares or cones. Law and Driver’s Manual topic: move over law.
Speed, parking and school buses (questions 11 to 16)
11. Unless signs show otherwise, the Maryland speed limit on all highways in a business district is:
- A. 25 mph
- B. 30 mph
- C. 35 mph
- D. 40 mph
Answer: B. Undivided highways in residential districts are also 30 mph; divided highways there are 35 mph. Law (§21-801.1) and Driver’s Manual topic: speed limits.
12. Unless posted otherwise, the limit on a divided highway outside business and residential districts is:
- A. 45 mph
- B. 50 mph
- C. 55 mph
- D. 65 mph
Answer: C. Undivided highways in those locations default to 50 mph. Interstates and expressways can be posted higher. Law (§21-801.1) and Driver’s Manual topic: speed limits.
13. A school vehicle is stopped with alternating red lights flashing on an undivided road. You must stop at least how far from it?
- A. 10 feet
- B. 20 feet
- C. 30 feet
- D. 50 feet
Answer: B. Stop 20 feet from the front or rear and stay stopped until it moves or the lights go off. The fine can be up to $1,000. Law (§21-706) and Driver’s Manual topic: school buses.
14. A school bus with flashing red lights is stopped on the other roadway of a divided highway. You:
- A. Must stop 20 feet away
- B. Must stop only if children are visible
- C. Must stop for 10 seconds
- D. Do not have to stop
Answer: D. The stopping rule does not apply when the bus is on a different roadway of a divided highway. Watch for children anyway. Law (§21-706) and Driver’s Manual topic: school buses.
15. In Maryland you may not park within how many feet of a fire hydrant?
- A. 5 feet
- B. 10 feet
- C. 15 feet
- D. 20 feet
Answer: C. You also may not park within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection (outside Baltimore City). Law (§21-1003) and Driver’s Manual topic: parking.
16. How close to a STOP sign at the side of the road may you park on the approach?
- A. No closer than 5 feet
- B. No closer than 10 feet
- C. No closer than 15 feet
- D. No closer than 30 feet
Answer: D. The same 30-foot rule applies to flashing signals, YIELD signs and traffic signals. Law (§21-1003) and Driver’s Manual topic: parking.
Alcohol and Maryland permit and provisional rules (questions 17 to 25)
17. What is the only thing that lowers your blood alcohol level?
- A. Time
- B. Black coffee
- C. A cold shower
- D. Eating a large meal
Answer: A. Your body removes alcohol at a steady rate, and nothing speeds it up. Driver’s Manual topic: alcohol.
18. You are beside a large truck and cannot see the driver in the truck’s side mirror. This means:
- A. You are at a safe distance
- B. The truck driver probably cannot see you either
- C. The truck is about to stop
- D. The driver has seen you and will wait
Answer: B. Trucks have large blind spots. Pass steadily or drop back until you can see the driver’s mirror. Driver’s Manual topic: sharing the road.
19. A Maryland driver under 21 may drive with how much alcohol in their blood?
- A. None at all
- B. Up to 0.02
- C. Up to 0.05
- D. Up to 0.08
Answer: A. Licenses for drivers under 21 carry a restriction banning any alcohol in the blood. See zero tolerance laws. Law (§16-113) and Driver’s Manual topic: alcohol and drugs.
20. Your Maryland permit supervisor must be at least 21 and must have held a license for at least:
- A. 6 months
- B. 1 year
- C. 3 years
- D. 5 years
Answer: C. The supervisor sits beside you. Nobody else may ride in the front seat. Law (§16-105) and Driver’s Manual topic: learner’s permit.
21. A driver under 18 in Maryland may use a phone while driving:
- A. Hands-free at any time
- B. At red lights
- C. For GPS while moving
- D. Only to call 911
Answer: D. Under-18 drivers may not use a handheld or hands-free device. Texting is banned for every driver. Law (§21-1124) and Driver’s Manual topic: distracted driving.
22. A provisional driver under 18 may drive unsupervised between midnight and 5 a.m. only:
- A. On weekends
- B. With a licensed driver 21 or older, or for work, school, volunteer or sports trips
- C. If they have held the license for 30 days
- D. Never, for any reason
Answer: B. Outside the listed exceptions, unsupervised driving is limited to 5 a.m. to midnight. See Maryland provisional license rules. Law (§16-113) and Driver’s Manual topic: provisional license.
23. For how long after a provisional license is first issued may a driver under 18 not carry passengers under 18 (other than family) without a qualified supervisor?
- A. 30 days
- B. 90 days
- C. 151 days
- D. 1 year
Answer: C. Family members such as siblings, and relatives living at your address, are exempt. Law (§21-1123) and Driver’s Manual topic: provisional license.
24. Before the skills test, a Maryland learner under 25 must log at least:
- A. 14 hours, including 3 at night
- B. 40 hours, including 5 at night
- C. 50 hours, including 10 at night
- D. 60 hours, including 10 at night
Answer: D. Drivers 25 and older need 14 hours, 3 at night. Law (§16-105) and Driver’s Manual topic: learner’s permit.
25. A driver under 18 collects 5 points in 12 months. What must the MVA do?
- A. Suspend the license
- B. Send a warning letter only
- C. Nothing until 12 points
- D. Add a year to the permit
Answer: A. The first suspension lasts 6 months. See the Maryland MVA points system. Law (§16-212) and Driver’s Manual topic: points.
How to score yourself against the Maryland standard
| Correct out of 25 | What it means |
|---|---|
| 24 to 25 | Ready for the MVA test. |
| 22 to 23 | Just at the 88% pass mark. That leaves no room for nerves, so keep practicing. |
| Under 22 | A fail on the real test. Review the Driver’s Manual before booking. |
Maryland’s 88% pass mark is one of the highest in the country, and the MVA’s own Online Driver Test Tutorial has a timed version. Practice until you pass with room to spare.
Common questions
Are these the real Maryland MVA questions?
No. They are original, unofficial practice questions. The real test draws on the Maryland Driver’s Manual.
How many questions can I miss on the Maryland permit test?
Three. You need 22 of 25 (88%).
How long do I have for the Maryland test?
20 minutes for 25 questions.
What if I fail?
The MVA allows a retest the next business day after a first fail, if an appointment is open, and makes you wait longer after several fails. Check the current rule when you book. See the knowledge test guide.
When can I get a provisional license?
At 16 years 6 months at the earliest, after 9 months on the permit, driver education and 60 logged hours. See learning to drive in Maryland.
Are there practice tests for other states?
Yes. See US permit practice tests by state.
Sources
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-103, §16-105, §16-110, §16-113 and §16-212” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §21-405, §21-706, §21-801.1 and §21-1003” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §21-1123 and §21-1124” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, “Knowledge Tests” (mva.maryland.gov)