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The Pennsylvania permit test (PennDOT’s Knowledge Test) has 18 multiple-choice questions and you need 15 correct, so you can miss only 3. This page gives you two practice sets of exactly that length, 36 original questions in all, built from the Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual (PUB 95). They are unofficial practice, not PennDOT’s question bank.
Pennsylvania knowledge test: the numbers
- 18 questions, 15 correct to pass (about 83%).
- Three areas: signs, Pennsylvania driving laws and safe driving practices.
- One attempt per day. After a fail, retest the next business day or later.
- Taken at a PennDOT Driver License Center with your DL-180 and, under 18, your DL-180TD.
Documents, languages and fees: see the Pennsylvania permit test guide.
Why short tests are unforgiving
With 18 questions, every miss costs about 5.6%. Four wrong answers is a fail. Treat a practice score of 15 or 16 as borderline and keep going until you reliably hit 17 or 18.
Practice set 1 (questions 1 to 18)
1. The traffic signal at an intersection is not working at all. You should treat the intersection as:
- A. An open intersection where the main road has priority
- B. A yield intersection for side streets only
- C. A four-way stop
- D. Closed until police arrive
Answer: C. PUB 95 says a non-functioning signal is treated as though it were a four-way STOP. Manual: Chapter 2, signals.
2. At a four-way stop, two vehicles arrive at the same time, side by side at right angles. Who goes first?
- A. The larger vehicle
- B. The vehicle on the right
- C. The vehicle on the left
- D. The vehicle that signals first
Answer: B. The first vehicle to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Manual: Chapter 2, signs.
3. In Pennsylvania you may turn left on a red light, after stopping and yielding, only when:
- A. You are turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street
- B. A police officer is present
- C. No oncoming traffic is visible
- D. You are turning onto a highway ramp
Answer: A. Left on red is allowed from the left lane of a one-way street onto another one-way street, unless a sign forbids it. Right on red is allowed after a stop unless a sign says no. Manual: Chapter 2, signals.
4. A flashing yellow arrow means:
- A. The turn lane is closed
- B. Stop and wait for a green arrow
- C. Your turn is protected; oncoming traffic is stopped
- D. You may turn with caution, but must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
Answer: D. The turn during a flashing yellow arrow is not protected. Oncoming traffic has a green light. Manual: Chapter 2, signals.
5. When the yellow lights on a school zone speed sign are flashing, the speed limit is:
- A. 10 mph
- B. 15 mph
- C. 20 mph
- D. 25 mph
Answer: B. Drive no faster than 15 mph when the signals flash or during the times shown. Speeding in a school zone adds 3 points and a fine. Manual: Chapter 2, school zone signals.
6. A single broken yellow center line on a two-lane road means:
- A. The road is one way
- B. Passing is allowed on either side when it is safe
- C. Only trucks may pass
- D. No passing in either direction
Answer: B. A broken yellow center line lets traffic in either direction pass when conditions are safe. A double solid yellow line means no passing for either direction. Manual: Chapter 2, pavement markings.
7. The center line has a solid yellow line on your side and a broken yellow line on the other side. You:
- A. May pass only at night
- B. May pass only motorcycles
- C. May not pass
- D. May pass when it is safe
Answer: C. You may pass only when the broken line is on your side. A solid line on your side means no passing. Manual: Chapter 2, pavement markings.
8. Yield signs in Pennsylvania are:
- A. Triangular
- B. Diamond-shaped
- C. Eight-sided
- D. Round
Answer: A. YIELD signs are three-sided triangles; STOP is the only eight-sided sign. Manual: Chapter 2, signs.
9. On dry pavement, what following distance does PUB 95 recommend behind the vehicle ahead?
- A. 1 second
- B. 2 seconds
- C. 4 seconds
- D. 8 seconds
Answer: C. The 4-second rule gives you time to steer or brake around a hazard on dry pavement. Leave more in bad weather, behind trucks and buses, and when driving downhill. Manual: Chapter 3, space management.
10. Pennsylvania law requires low beams when you are within how many feet of an oncoming vehicle?
- A. 200 feet
- B. 300 feet
- C. 500 feet
- D. 1,000 feet
Answer: C. Use low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and when following within 300 feet. Manual: Chapter 3, driving at night.
11. When must your headlights be on in a posted Pennsylvania work zone?
- A. Only at night
- B. Only when workers are present
- C. Never; parking lights are enough
- D. At all times while you travel through it, day or night
Answer: D. Headlights are required through every posted work zone, whatever the time of day. Daytime running lights alone are not enough. Manual: Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, work zones.
12. You are passing a bicycle. How much space must you leave?
- A. At least 3 feet
- B. At least 2 feet
- C. At least 6 feet
- D. At least 4 feet
Answer: D. Leave at least 4 feet. You may cross a double yellow line to do it when it is safe. Manual: Chapter 3, sharing the road.
13. A school bus is stopped with red lights flashing and stop arm extended. You are coming toward it on the same undivided road. You must:
- A. Stop only if you are behind the bus
- B. Stop at least 10 feet from the bus and stay stopped until the lights stop, the arm is withdrawn and children are safe
- C. Stop at least 50 feet away, then pass
- D. Slow down and pass carefully
Answer: B. Traffic behind and coming toward the bus stops at least 10 feet away. Not stopping brings 5 points and a 60-day suspension. See Pennsylvania’s stop, slow and move over rules. Manual: Chapter 3, school buses.
14. The only time you do not have to stop for a school bus with red lights flashing in Pennsylvania is when:
- A. You are late for school
- B. No children are visible
- C. You are on the opposite side of a divided highway, with a barrier or median between you
- D. The bus is on a one-way street
Answer: C. On the opposite side of a divided highway (barrier, guide rail or a median of grass, trees or rocks), slow down and continue with caution. Manual: Chapter 3, school buses.
15. Pennsylvania’s Move Over law requires you to:
- A. Move into a lane not next to an emergency response area or marked disabled vehicle, or slow down if you cannot
- B. Speed up to clear the area quickly
- C. Stop behind any vehicle with flashing lights
- D. Honk to warn responders
Answer: A. If you cannot move over safely, reduce speed. Breaking the law brings 2 points and a fine starting at $500. Manual: Chapter 3, Move Over law.
16. A driver under 21 in Pennsylvania is considered to be driving under the influence at a BAC of:
- A. .02 percent or more
- B. .05 percent or more
- C. .08 percent or more
- D. .10 percent or more
Answer: A. Pennsylvania’s zero tolerance rule treats .02 as DUI for drivers under 21. The adult limit is .08. See the Pennsylvania point system, DUI and underage drinking rules. Manual: Chapter 4.
17. You are arrested for DUI and refuse a breath or blood test for the first time. Your license is:
- A. Suspended for 6 months, only if you are over 21
- B. Automatically suspended for 1 year
- C. Suspended for 30 days
- D. Not affected unless you are convicted
Answer: B. A first refusal brings an automatic 1-year suspension, even if you are later found not guilty of DUI. Manual: Chapter 4, chemical testing.
18. Your accelerator pedal sticks and the car keeps speeding up. You should:
- A. Pump the gas pedal hard
- B. Turn the ignition to LOCK
- C. Shift to neutral and brake
- D. Reach down and pull the pedal up with your hand
Answer: C. Keep your eyes on the road, try tapping the pedal, then shift to neutral and brake if it stays stuck. Do not turn the key to LOCK, as you lose steering. Manual: Chapter 3, driving emergencies.
Practice set 2 (questions 19 to 36)
19. A flashing red traffic light means:
- A. The signal is being repaired; ignore it
- B. The same as a STOP sign
- C. Yield only to pedestrians
- D. Slow down and continue
Answer: B. Stop completely, look both ways, and go only when the intersection is clear. Manual: Chapter 2, signals.
20. A steady yellow light appears as you approach an intersection. You are not close enough to be inside it. You should:
- A. Turn right without signaling
- B. Stop suddenly no matter what
- C. Speed up to beat the red
- D. Slow down and prepare to stop
Answer: D. Steady yellow warns that red is about to appear. If you are already in the intersection or cannot stop safely, continue through carefully. Manual: Chapter 2, signals.
21. An orange sign with black lettering usually identifies:
- A. A scenic route
- B. A school zone
- C. A hospital route
- D. A maintenance, construction or utility work area
Answer: D. Orange signs mark work areas where workers or equipment may be on or near the road. Manual: Chapter 2, work zone signs.
22. At some highway on-ramps a signal alternates between green and red during rush hour. This is a ramp meter. You should:
- A. Use the shoulder to bypass it
- B. Ignore it if traffic looks light
- C. Enter on red if no one is behind you
- D. Wait for green before entering the highway
Answer: D. Ramp meters control the flow onto busy highways. On a single-lane ramp, one car enters on each green. Manual: Chapter 2, ramp-metering signals.
23. Who may supervise a Pennsylvania junior learner’s permit holder?
- A. Any licensed driver aged 18 or older
- B. Any passenger aged 16 or older
- C. A licensed driver at least 21, or a licensed parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older
- D. A driving instructor only
Answer: C. The supervisor must be one of those people and must sit in the front seat. Manual: Chapter 1, junior learner’s permit.
24. On a junior learner’s permit, how many passengers may ride in the car?
- A. No more than the number of seat belts
- B. Two
- C. Any number
- D. One
Answer: A. Drivers under 18 may not carry more passengers than there are seat belts. Manual: Chapter 1, junior learner’s permit.
25. Before a Pennsylvania driver under 18 can take the road test, how much supervised skill-building must be certified?
- A. 30 hours, including 5 at night
- B. 50 hours, including 10 at night
- C. 65 hours, including 10 at night and 5 in bad weather
- D. 100 hours, including 20 at night
Answer: C. Under 18s need 65 hours (10 at night and 5 in bad weather) and must wait six months from the permit issue date. Manual: Chapter 1.
26. A Pennsylvania junior license holder may not drive, unless an exception applies, between:
- A. 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- B. 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- C. Midnight and 6 a.m.
- D. 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Answer: B. The curfew is 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse 18 or older is with you, or you carry a notarized affidavit for work, public or charitable service or volunteer fire company duty. See Pennsylvania junior license rules. Manual: Chapter 1.
27. For the first six months on a junior license, how many passengers under 18 who are not immediate family may ride with you (without a parent or guardian in the car)?
- A. One
- B. Three
- C. None
- D. Two
Answer: A. One for the first six months, then up to three. The higher limit does not apply if you have had an at-fault crash or any driving conviction. Manual: Chapter 1, junior driver’s license.
28. A junior driver faces a mandatory 90-day suspension for:
- A. One seat belt warning
- B. 6 or more points, or driving 26 mph or more over the limit
- C. Failing to renew a registration
- D. Any parking ticket
Answer: B. Six points, or a conviction for 26 mph or more over the posted limit, means a 90-day suspension for a junior driver. Manual: Chapter 1, junior driver’s license.
29. How close to the curb must you park in Pennsylvania?
- A. No more than 24 inches
- B. No more than 12 inches
- C. No more than 18 inches
- D. No more than 6 inches
Answer: B. Park no more than 12 inches from the curb. Manual: Chapter 3, parking.
30. You may not park within how many feet of a fire hydrant?
- A. 10 feet
- B. 15 feet
- C. 20 feet
- D. 30 feet
Answer: B. Within 15 feet of a hydrant is no parking. It is 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection and 30 feet from a stop sign, yield sign or flashing signal at the roadside. Manual: Chapter 3, parking.
31. When is a U-turn allowed in Pennsylvania?
- A. Only on curves where traffic is slow
- B. Only at the crest of a hill
- C. Only if it can be made without endangering traffic, with drivers from all directions at least 500 feet away and able to see you
- D. Anywhere, if you signal
Answer: C. U-turns are banned on curves, near the crest of a hill and where a sign forbids them. Manual: Chapter 3, U-turns.
32. Low beam headlights shine about 250 feet ahead. To avoid overdriving your headlights on a dark road, PUB 95 says you should not drive faster than:
- A. 35 mph
- B. 45 mph
- C. 55 mph
- D. 65 mph
Answer: B. At 55 mph it takes more than 250 feet to stop, which is beyond what low beams show you. Manual: Chapter 3, driving at night.
33. A front tire blows out. The car pulls hard to one side. You should:
- A. Hold the wheel tightly, stay off the brake and slowly take your foot off the gas
- B. Brake hard to stop immediately
- C. Let go of the wheel so the car straightens
- D. Accelerate to regain control
Answer: A. PUB 95 warns that braking after a blowout can make you skid and lose control. Steer smoothly to a safe spot; you can ride on the flat tire to get there. Manual: Chapter 3, driving emergencies.
34. Your brake pedal goes down farther than usual and the brake warning light is on. A helpful step is to:
- A. Speed up to reach a garage faster
- B. Pump the gas pedal
- C. Shift to a lower gear to help slow the car
- D. Turn off the engine
Answer: C. Many newer cars have split braking systems, so you may still have braking at two wheels. Push harder on the pedal, shift down, and pull over safely. Manual: Chapter 3, brake failure.
35. A blind pedestrian with a white cane is waiting to cross. You must:
- A. Continue if your light is green
- B. Yield the right of way: slow down and prepare to stop
- C. Honk to let them know you are coming
- D. Yield only in a marked crosswalk
Answer: B. Yield to blind pedestrians, whether they use a white cane, a guide dog or are being led. Manual: Chapter 3, sharing the road with pedestrians.
36. Within how many days must you tell PennDOT about a change of address?
- A. 10 days
- B. 15 days
- C. 30 days
- D. 60 days
Answer: B. Report a name or address change within 15 days. Manual: Chapter 5, laws and related issues.
Score both sets
| Correct out of 18 | Result on the real standard |
|---|---|
| 17 or 18 | Pass with a margin |
| 15 or 16 | Pass, but one bad day away from a fail |
| 14 or fewer | Fail. Reread Chapters 2 to 4 of PUB 95 |
PUB 95 ends Chapters 2, 3 and 4 with review questions and an answer key, and PennDOT has free question sets and a practice app. Use them with these sets. Questions in Pennsylvania often turn on numbers: 15 mph school zones, 4 seconds of following distance, 4 feet past a bicycle, 10 feet from a school bus, 12 inches from the curb and .02 for drivers under 21.
Common questions
Are these PennDOT’s real test questions?
No. They are original, unofficial practice questions written from PUB 95. The real test draws on the same three areas: signs, driving laws and safe driving.
How many can you miss on the PA permit test?
3. You need 15 of 18 correct.
Can I take the test again the same day if I fail?
No. You can retest the next business day or later, at any center. Keep your DL-180 and DL-180TD, as you need them for the retest.
Which PUB 95 chapters should I focus on?
Chapter 2 (signals, signs and markings), Chapter 3 (learning to drive) and Chapter 4 (your driving record). Chapter 1 rules on permits and junior licenses also come up.
What happens after I pass?
You get a learner’s permit valid for one year. See learning to drive in Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania road test guide.
Are there practice tests for other states?
Yes. See US permit practice tests by state.
Sources
- PennDOT, “Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual, PUB 95”, Chapters 1 to 5 (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “Testing”, Online Driver’s Manual (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “Test Your Knowledge” (pa.gov)