Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
On the Texas driving test, a DPS examiner (or an authorized driving school examiner) grades your control of the car through set maneuvers. These include backing in a straight line, parallel parking, approaching intersections, turning and stopping in traffic. This guide covers what is graded, what ends a test early, what your vehicle needs and how retests work. It is for Texas teens heading for a provisional license and for adult first-time applicants.
Before you book: what you need
- Your driver education certificate, if you are under 25.
- A printed Impact Texas Drivers certificate, dated within 90 days of the test. The electronic copy is not accepted. See ITTD or ITAD.
- Under 18: at least six months on your learner license and your completed 30-hour practice log.
- A road test appointment at a DPS driver license office, or a test at an authorized third-party driving school.
What maneuvers are on the Texas driving test?
DPS’s drive test preparation sheet (DL-60) lists these among the graded skills:
| Maneuver | What to show |
|---|---|
| Backing in a straight line | Look over your shoulder, keep it slow and straight |
| Parallel parking | Signal, control speed, finish close to the curb without hitting anything. See how to pass Texas parallel parking |
| Approaching intersections | Slow down, scan left, right and left again, yield where required |
| Turning | Signal early, get into the correct lane, turn into the correct lane |
| Stopping in traffic | Smooth stops, behind the line, with a safe gap to the car ahead |
DL-60 also lists general habits graded throughout the drive: checking mirrors and blind spots before moving over, smooth steering and braking, and keeping both hands on the wheel except when backing. Download the current DL-60 from Texas DPS for the full checklist, and practice every item on it before you book.
The DL-7 handbook (January 2026) grades every driver on four basics: control, observation, positioning and signaling. It adds these skills you may be graded on: a quick stop from about 20 mph without skidding, backing about 60 feet slowly and straight, stop signs, signals, right-of-way, following and passing, clutch use on a manual, and posture, with hands on the wheel and no elbow on the window. The examiner will not ask you to do anything illegal, and you should not chat during the drive. Afterward the examiner explains your errors.
What makes you fail the Texas road test straight away?
The DL-7 says your application will not be approved if you violate the law, refuse to follow instructions, drive dangerously or have a crash, or have more than 30 points deducted. In practice, think of anything that would break a traffic law or force another road user to react:
- running a stop sign or red light
- failing to yield to a pedestrian or vehicle with right-of-way
- speeding, or driving dangerously slowly
- hitting a curb, object or vehicle
- an unsafe lane change without checking
For habits that cost points on road tests across the US, see common reasons people fail the driving test.
Vehicle requirements for the Texas driving test
You bring the car. Based on DPS’s drive test guidance:
- Valid registration and insurance. You do not have to be named on the policy, but you cannot be listed as an excluded driver.
- Unexpired registration. Since January 1, 2025, most non-commercial cars no longer need a yearly safety inspection; emissions testing still applies in some counties.
- Two license plates (single out-of-state or temporary plates are accepted).
- Working turn signals, horn and seat belts.
- A newly bought car can be used with buyer plates, not dealer plates.
- Rental cars: you must be listed on the rental agreement as an authorized driver, and the rental company must allow driving tests.
The examiner checks the vehicle before you drive. A failed check means no test that day, so test the lights and horn the night before.
Retest rules: how many tries do you get?
The Texas Transportation Code gives you three attempts at each part of the exam, including the driving test, for one application and fee. After a third fail, you submit a new application and pay again. The DL-7 also says an application is held for 90 days after a failed first attempt, and that a new application and fee are needed after 90 days or three fails. Watch your Impact Texas Drivers certificate as well. If 90 days pass from its date before you pass the driving test, you must redo the program.
Under 18s cannot have the driving test waived. Every applicant under 18 takes it, even with a license from another state.
Common questions
How long is the Texas driving test?
Ask DPS how long to expect. Allow time for document checks and the vehicle inspection as well as the drive.
Can I take the Texas road test at a driving school?
Yes. DPS can authorize driver education providers to give the driving test under its Third Party Skills Testing program. See testing at a driving school.
Can a parent ride along during the test?
Plan on the examiner being your only passenger. If you are not yet eligible to drive in Texas, a licensed driver must bring the car to the test area and drive you away if you are not issued a license. Check with the office or school if you need an interpreter or other help.
Is parallel parking on every Texas road test?
DL-60 and the DL-7 both list it as a graded skill, so prepare for it on every test. A back-up camera is allowed, but an automated parking function is not.
What happens after I pass?
You receive a temporary license, good for 45 days or until the card arrives. TDLR says the card usually arrives by mail in about 2 to 3 weeks. Under 18s get a provisional license with GDL restrictions.
Related guides
Sources
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Texas Driver Handbook” (DL-7, revised January 2026), chapter 1, Examinations and Description of the Driving Exam (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “How to Prepare for a Drive Test: Safety Tips (DL-60)” (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Section 2: Scheduling a Road Test” (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Legislature, “Transportation Code Chapter 521, Driver’s Licenses and Certificates”, sections 521.161 and 521.165 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Getting a Provisional Driver’s License” (tdlr.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Impact Texas Teen Drivers: FAQs” (impacttexasdrivers.dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Do I Need to Take Driver Education in Texas?” (tdlr.texas.gov)