Photo: Dominik Gryzbon, Pexels
The Massachusetts learner’s permit exam has 25 multiple-choice questions, and you need 18 correct to pass within 25 minutes. This practice test uses the same format, so set a 25-minute timer. The 25 questions are original and unofficial, written from the RMV Class D Driver’s Manual, and are not the RMV’s questions.
Massachusetts permit exam: key facts
- 25 multiple-choice questions in 25 minutes.
- Pass mark: 18 correct, so you can miss 7.
- Topics the RMV lists: rules of the road and signs, alcohol and drugs, license suspensions, the Junior Operator Law, and sharing the road with people who are visually impaired, bicyclists and pedestrians.
- You can take it at an RMV Service Center or online at home within 60 days of your Service Center visit.
Booking, the online exam rules and the fee: the Massachusetts RMV learner’s permit test guide. The full process: learning to drive in Massachusetts.
Signs and signals (questions 1 to 4)
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 fluorescent yellow-green sign showing a person walking means:
- A. Watch for pedestrians crossing
- B. Pedestrians are banned from the road
- C. A park entrance is ahead
- D. Hiking trails are nearby
Answer: A. Fluorescent yellow-green is used for pedestrian, bicycle and school warnings so they stand out. Driver’s Manual topic: signs.
3. A steady yellow traffic light means:
- A. Speed up to beat the red light
- B. The light is about to turn red, so stop if you can do so safely
- C. Stop even if you are already in the intersection
- D. Pedestrians have the right of way
Answer: B. Steady yellow warns that red is next. If you are too close to stop safely, go through with care. Driver’s Manual topic: signals.
4. The center line has a broken yellow line on your side and a solid yellow line on the other side. This means:
- A. Neither direction may pass
- B. Only the other direction may pass
- C. You must stay 10 mph below the limit
- D. You may pass when it is safe, but traffic on the other side may not
Answer: D. You may pass when the broken line is on your side and the road ahead is clear. Driver’s Manual topic: pavement markings.
Right of way and rotaries (questions 5 to 9)
5. 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. The car on your right
- C. Whoever is driving the larger vehicle
- D. Whoever signals first
Answer: B. When drivers arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Driver’s Manual topic: right of way.
6. You come to a Massachusetts rotary. Who has the right of way?
- A. Vehicles entering the rotary
- B. The larger vehicle
- C. Vehicles already in the rotary, and pedestrians
- D. Whoever sounds the horn first
Answer: C. Yield to traffic in the rotary unless signs or police tell you otherwise. See how to drive through a Massachusetts rotary. Driver’s Manual topic: rotaries.
7. Traffic in a Massachusetts rotary travels:
- A. Counterclockwise
- B. Clockwise
- C. In either direction
- D. Clockwise at night
Answer: A. Use your right turn signal when you are ready to exit. Driver’s Manual topic: rotaries.
8. When following a fire truck or ambulance responding to an alarm, you must stay at least how far behind it?
- A. 50 feet
- B. 100 feet
- C. 200 feet
- D. 300 feet
Answer: D. It is illegal to follow closer than 300 feet behind an emergency vehicle responding to an alarm. Driver’s Manual topic: emergency vehicles.
9. On a highway with at least two lanes in your direction, you approach a police car stopped on the shoulder with lights flashing. The move-over law says to:
- A. Keep your speed and lane
- B. Move to a lane not next to it if safe, or slow to a safe speed if you cannot
- C. Stop beside it
- D. Pass it on the shoulder
Answer: B. Leave an open lane between you and the stopped vehicle. The law also covers highway maintenance and recovery vehicles with flashing lights. Driver’s Manual topic: stationary emergency vehicles.
Sharing the road (questions 10 to 14)
10. A pedestrian with a white cane or a guide dog is waiting at the curb. You should:
- A. Sound your horn so they know you are there
- B. Go first, then let them cross
- C. Yield only at a marked crosswalk
- D. Stop and let the person cross
Answer: D. A white cane or guide dog shows the person is blind or visually impaired. Always yield. Driver’s Manual topic: pedestrians.
11. Bicycle riders on the road:
- A. Have the same rights and duties as drivers of other vehicles
- B. Must always ride on the sidewalk
- C. Must yield to every car
- D. May ride against traffic
Answer: A. Treat a bicycle as a vehicle and give it room when you pass. Driver’s Manual topic: sharing the road.
12. A school bus on the other side of an undivided road stops with red lights flashing and its stop sign out. You must:
- A. Keep going, because the bus is on the other side
- B. Slow to 10 mph and pass
- C. Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing or the stop sign folds back
- D. Stop only if children are crossing
Answer: C. It does not matter which side of the road you are on. The only exception is a divided highway with a barrier between directions. Driver’s Manual topic: school buses.
13. A first violation of the Massachusetts school bus law can cause:
- A. A warning letter only
- B. A $25 fine
- C. A license suspension and a $250 fine
- D. One insurance point and nothing else
Answer: C. Even after the lights stop, go slowly and watch for children. Driver’s Manual topic: school buses.
14. How much following distance should you leave behind a motorcycle?
- A. At least 4 seconds
- B. 1 second
- C. 2 seconds
- D. 3 seconds
Answer: A. The manual uses a three-second rule for other vehicles and four seconds behind a motorcycle. Driver’s Manual topic: sharing the road.
Speed, space and lights (questions 15 to 18)
15. The manual’s minimum following distance for good road conditions and moderate traffic is:
- A. 1 second
- B. 2 seconds
- C. 3 seconds
- D. 6 seconds
Answer: C. Count more for extra safety and in poor conditions. Driver’s Manual topic: safe distances.
16. The minimum speed on the Massachusetts Turnpike is:
- A. 20 mph
- B. 30 mph
- C. 40 mph
- D. 45 mph
Answer: C. The Boston Harbor tunnels have a 20 mph minimum. Driver’s Manual topic: speed limits.
17. You must switch to low beams when you are within how far of an oncoming vehicle?
- A. 100 feet
- B. 200 feet
- C. 500 feet
- D. 1,000 feet
Answer: C. Use low beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and within 200 feet of a vehicle you are following. Driver’s Manual topic: headlights.
18. In Massachusetts you may not park within how many feet of a fire hydrant or fire lane?
- A. 5 feet
- B. 10 feet
- C. 15 feet
- D. 20 feet
Answer: B. Parking near hydrants blocks fire crews. Driver’s Manual topic: parking.
Alcohol, drugs and suspensions (questions 19 to 21)
19. A Massachusetts driver under 21 can lose their license with a BAC as low as:
- A. 0.02
- B. 0.05
- C. 0.08
- D. 0.10
Answer: A. Drivers 21 and older face the 0.08 standard. Driver’s Manual topic: alcohol and drugs.
20. A driver over 21 with no prior OUI offenses refuses a chemical test. The license suspension is:
- A. 30 days
- B. 90 days
- C. 180 days
- D. 3 years
Answer: C. Refusal suspensions are longer for drivers with prior offenses. Driver’s Manual topic: chemical test refusal.
21. A driver aged 18 to 21 with no prior OUI offenses refuses a chemical test. The suspension is:
- A. 180 days
- B. 1 year
- C. 3 years plus 180 days
- D. 5 years
Answer: C. The extra 180 days for under-21 drivers is meant to get them into alcohol education. Driver’s Manual topic: chemical test refusal.
Junior Operator License (JOL) rules (questions 22 to 25)
22. A junior operator may not drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless:
- A. They are driving to work
- B. Any adult over 21 is in the car
- C. It is a weekend
- D. A parent or legal guardian is in the car
Answer: D. The manual lists no work or school exception. See Massachusetts Junior Operator License rules. Driver’s Manual topic: Junior Operator Law.
23. For the first 6 months of a JOL, you may not carry passengers under 18, other than immediate family, unless:
- A. The passengers are over 16
- B. A licensed driver aged 21 or older with at least 1 year of experience sits beside you
- C. It is daylight
- D. You have finished driver education
Answer: B. The rule ends after 6 months or at 18, whichever comes first. Driver’s Manual topic: Junior Operator Law.
24. A driver under 18 may use a mobile electronic device while driving:
- A. In hands-free mode
- B. At red lights
- C. For navigation while moving
- D. Only to report an emergency
Answer: D. Adults may use hands-free mode, but junior operators may not. Driver’s Manual topic: Junior Operator Law.
25. A first speeding offense on a JOL brings:
- A. A $50 fine only
- B. A 90-day suspension, a new permit exam, a retraining course and a new road test
- C. A 7-day suspension
- D. A warning letter
Answer: B. A second speeding offense brings a one-year suspension. Driver’s Manual topic: Junior Operator Law.
How to score yourself against the Massachusetts standard
| Correct out of 25 | What it means |
|---|---|
| 23 to 25 | Ready to book. |
| 18 to 22 | A pass at the RMV standard. Review the JOL penalties and rotary rules you missed. |
| Under 18 | A fail on the real exam. Go back to the Driver’s Manual before booking. |
The RMV also offers a free practice exam on mass.gov. Use it alongside this one.
Common questions
Are these the real Massachusetts RMV questions?
No. They are original, unofficial practice questions written from the Class D Driver’s Manual.
How many questions can I miss on the Massachusetts permit test?
Seven. You need 18 of 25.
Can I take the Massachusetts permit test online?
Yes, within 60 days of your Service Center visit, with a camera on for the whole exam. Leaving the browser or going over 25 minutes is an automatic fail. See the permit test guide.
How old do I have to be?
16 for a learner’s permit.
Why are there so many questions on suspensions?
The RMV lists license suspensions and the Junior Operator Law as exam topics, so learn the JOL penalty chart in Chapter 3 of the manual.
Are there practice tests for other states?
Yes. See US permit practice tests by state.
Sources
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Class D Driver’s Manual” (revised April 2026) (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Apply for a Class D or M learner’s permit” (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Junior Operator License (JOL) requirements” (mass.gov)