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The Rhode Island DMV computerized knowledge exam has 40 multiple-choice questions on motor vehicle laws and the rules of the road, with a 90-minute maximum. For most teens it is the final exam of the 33-hour driver education course, where CCRI says you need 70%. This page gives you 30 original practice questions: first the Rhode Island licensing rules, then the road rules every state tests. They are unofficial practice, not DMV questions.
Rhode Island knowledge exam: key facts
| Item | Detail (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Questions | 40 multiple choice (RI DMV) |
| Time | 90 minutes maximum |
| Pass mark | 70% on the driver education course exam (CCRI). Confirm the figure for a DMV retest with the DMV. |
| Languages | English, Spanish and Portuguese |
| Fail | Wait at least 8 days before retaking |
| Where | Teens: the CCRI course final. Retests and adults: Cranston DMV, by reservation |
How the exam fits into the course: the Rhode Island DMV permit test guide.
Rhode Island licensing rules (questions 1 to 8)
1. How does a Rhode Island teen normally take the DMV knowledge test?
- A. Online at home
- B. At any police station
- C. As the final exam of the 33-hour driver education course
- D. During the road test
Answer: C. Pass it and you can apply for a Limited Instruction Permit at 16. See the 33 hour driver education course. Topic: licensing.
2. You pass the driver education course but fail the knowledge test. What do you do?
- A. Retake the whole course
- B. Book a retest at the Cranston DMV
- C. Wait until you are 18
- D. Take the road test instead
Answer: B. If you fail the course itself, you retake the course. Topic: licensing.
3. How much supervised driving must a Rhode Island permit holder log before the road test?
- A. 20 hours
- B. 40 hours, 5 at night
- C. 100 hours
- D. 50 hours, including 10 at night
Answer: D. Night means sunset to sunrise. See the 50 hour affidavit. Topic: permit.
4. Who may supervise a Rhode Island permit holder’s practice?
- A. A parent or guardian, a licensed driver 21 or older licensed at least 5 years, or a licensed driving school
- B. Any licensed 18-year-old
- C. Any adult passenger
- D. A friend who has a provisional license
Answer: A. Topic: permit.
5. How long must you hold your permit before the Rhode Island road test?
- A. 30 days
- B. 6 months
- C. 12 months
- D. No minimum
Answer: B. The road test is at the Cranston DMV. Topic: permit.
6. On a limited provisional license, how many passengers under 21 who are not members of your household may you carry?
- A. None
- B. Three
- C. One
- D. Any number in daylight
Answer: C. Household members such as siblings do not count. See Rhode Island provisional license rules. Topic: provisional license.
7. A Rhode Island provisional license holder may not drive by themselves between:
- A. 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
- B. Midnight and 6 a.m.
- C. 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- D. 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
Answer: A. The exceptions are driving to or from work, a volunteer fire, rescue or EMS activity you belong to, and 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. trips to school athletics with no school transport. Topic: provisional license.
8. Which is also a condition of the limited provisional license?
- A. Driving only on local roads
- B. Displaying a decal
- C. No highway driving
- D. Being properly belted, carrying your license and holding at least liability insurance
Answer: D. Topic: provisional license.
Signs, signals and markings (questions 9 to 16)
9. A sign shaped like an upside-down triangle means:
- A. Stop in every case
- B. Yield: slow down and stop if needed to let others go first
- C. Merge without looking
- D. Railroad ahead
Answer: B. Topic: signs.
10. The X-shaped white sign at a railroad crossing is called a:
- A. Pennant
- B. Shield
- C. Crossbuck
- D. Pentagon
Answer: C. Treat it like a yield sign for trains. Topic: signs, railroad crossings.
11. A five-sided sign warns of:
- A. A school zone or crossing
- B. A hospital
- C. A narrow bridge
- D. A no-passing zone
Answer: A. Topic: signs.
12. A steady red light means:
- A. Slow down
- B. Go if the road is clear
- C. Yield
- D. Stop behind the line or crosswalk and stay stopped until it is green, or until a permitted turn on red is safe
Answer: D. Rhode Island allows right on red after a full stop unless a sign forbids it, once you have yielded to traffic and pedestrians. Topic: signals.
13. A flashing yellow light means:
- A. Stop
- B. Slow down and proceed with caution
- C. The signal is about to turn green
- D. Only buses may go
Answer: B. Topic: signals.
14. A double solid yellow center line means:
- A. You may pass if clear
- B. A one-way street
- C. A bike lane
- D. No passing in either direction
Answer: D. Topic: pavement markings.
15. White lane lines separate:
- A. Traffic moving in the same direction
- B. Traffic moving in opposite directions
- C. Parking from sidewalks
- D. Toll booths
Answer: A. Yellow lines separate opposite directions. Topic: pavement markings.
16. Orange signs and cones mean:
- A. A detour to a park
- B. Services ahead
- C. A work zone: slow down and watch for workers
- D. A school crossing
Answer: C. Topic: signs, work zones.
Right of way and rules of the road (questions 17 to 23)
17. Two cars reach a four-way stop at the same time. Who goes first?
- A. The car on the right
- B. The car on the left
- C. The faster car
- D. The car turning left
Answer: A. The driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Topic: right of way.
18. You are entering a roundabout. You must:
- A. Stop in the circle
- B. Yield to traffic already circulating and travel counterclockwise
- C. Enter to the left
- D. Honk before entering
Answer: B. Topic: roundabouts.
19. You hear a siren and see an ambulance behind you. You should:
- A. Speed up
- B. Stop in the middle of the intersection
- C. Move left
- D. Pull to the right edge and stop until it passes, keeping clear of intersections
Answer: D. Topic: emergency vehicles.
20. A school bus stops ahead of you with red lights flashing. Traffic behind it must:
- A. Pass slowly on the left
- B. Stop and wait until the lights stop flashing and the bus moves
- C. Stop only if children are visible
- D. Flash headlights
Answer: B. In Rhode Island traffic from both directions stops, unless a barrier divides the highway and the bus is on the other side. Topic: school buses.
21. You see a stopped police car or tow truck with flashing lights on the shoulder of a highway. Generally you should:
- A. Keep your speed
- B. Stop behind it
- C. Move over a lane if you safely can, or slow down
- D. Use the shoulder
Answer: C. See move over laws for how the rule works. Topic: sharing the road.
22. When you are turning left at a green light with no arrow, you must:
- A. Go first
- B. Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
- C. Wait for the light to turn red
- D. Honk
Answer: B. Topic: right of way, turns.
23. The posted limit is 50 mph, but heavy rain makes it hard to see. You should drive:
- A. At 50 mph
- B. A little over 50 mph to keep up
- C. At a speed that is safe for the conditions, which can be well below 50 mph
- D. With hazard lights flashing at full speed
Answer: C. Topic: speed.
Alcohol, distraction and emergencies (questions 24 to 30)
24. Which statement is true for drivers under 21?
- A. A much lower alcohol limit applies than the 0.08 adult limit
- B. The adult limit applies
- C. Wine does not count
- D. Penalties apply only after a crash
Answer: A. In Rhode Island, 0.02 to 0.08 under 21 is Driving While Impaired. Topic: alcohol.
25. Your friend has been drinking and wants to drive home. The safest choice is:
- A. Let them drive slowly
- B. Give them coffee first
- C. Drive with the windows down
- D. Find a sober driver or another way home
Answer: D. Only time removes alcohol from the body. Topic: alcohol.
26. The best way to handle your phone while driving is to:
- A. Hold it low, out of sight
- B. Put it away and set navigation before you start
- C. Text only at red lights
- D. Use it on straight roads
Answer: B. In Rhode Island drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone at all, even hands-free, except in an emergency. Topic: distracted driving.
27. Your car begins to skid on a slippery road. You should:
- A. Ease off the gas and steer gently in the direction you want to go
- B. Brake hard
- C. Turn the wheel sharply
- D. Accelerate
Answer: A. Topic: emergencies.
28. A tire blows out at speed. What should you do?
- A. Brake hard immediately
- B. Turn sharply onto the shoulder
- C. Grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas and slow down gradually
- D. Shift into park
Answer: C. Topic: emergencies.
29. When should you dim your high beams at night?
- A. When oncoming vehicles approach or you are following another vehicle
- B. Only in towns
- C. Never on highways
- D. Only in fog
Answer: A. Topic: night driving.
30. What is a simple way to keep a safe following distance?
- A. Stay one car length back at all speeds
- B. Count seconds from when the car ahead passes a fixed point until you reach it, and add time in bad conditions
- C. Follow close enough to see the other driver’s eyes
- D. Match the car ahead exactly
Answer: B. Topic: space management.
Score your practice
| Correct out of 30 | What it means |
|---|---|
| 27 to 30 | Strong. Keep doing your course homework. |
| 21 to 26 | At or above 70%. Reread the manual sections you missed. |
| Under 21 | Below 70%. Go back to the Driver’s Manual and your course textbook. |
The real exam has 40 questions. The CCRI course uses AAA How to Drive as its textbook; read the current Rhode Island Driver’s Manual alongside it for state rules.
Common questions
Are these the real Rhode Island DMV questions?
No. They are original, unofficial practice questions.
How many questions are on the Rhode Island permit test?
40 multiple-choice questions, with a 90-minute maximum, according to the RI DMV.
What score do I need to pass?
CCRI says 70% on the course final, which serves as the DMV knowledge test. Confirm the pass mark for a retest at the DMV.
How long do I wait after failing?
At least 8 days before you can retake the exam.
Can I take the Rhode Island test online?
No. Teens take it in class at the end of the course, and online driver education is not accepted in Rhode Island. Retests are at the Cranston DMV.
Where are practice tests for other states?
See US permit practice tests. The full Rhode Island route is in learning to drive in Rhode Island.
Sources
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, “Knowledge Exams” (dmv.ri.gov)
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, “Rhode Island Driver’s Manual” (April 2024) (dmv.ri.gov)
- Community College of Rhode Island, “Rhode Island Driver Education & Traffic Safety” (ccri.edu)
- Community College of Rhode Island, “Graduated Driver License: Road Map To Get Your License” (ccri.edu)