The Alabama knowledge (permit) test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the three main subject areas the test covers.
• You can plan your study around the chapters of the Alabama Driver Manual.
• You can explain the test fee and what happens if you need to retake it.
• You can find out whether you can take the test in another language or orally.
• You can answer typical sign, signal and right-of-way questions with confidence.

What you need to know and understand

• The test covers Alabama traffic laws, road signs and rules of safe driving.
• All questions are based on material in the Alabama Driver Manual.
• Each attempt costs $5 and checks are not accepted.
• The test is given on automated testing equipment at ALEA driver license examining offices.
• Written tests are offered in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.
• Oral exams are available for applicants who cannot read and understand the written test.

What the questions cover

The manual has nine chapters plus a GDL summary. Questions can come from any of them, but the chapters on signs, signals and markings and on traffic laws carry the most testable facts. ALEA's manual does not publish the exact number of questions or the pass mark, so confirm these with the examiner on the day rather than relying on unofficial websites.

• Signs by shape and color, pavement markings and traffic signals.
• Speed limits, stopping rules, school buses, right of way and passing.
• Alcohol, drugs, implied consent and the point system.
• Safe following distance, stopping distance and driving in bad weather.
• Seat belt and child restraint laws, railroad crossings and what to do after a crash.

A four-week study plan

1. Week 1: read Chapters 1 to 3 (licensing, losing your license, the driving task).
2. Week 2: read Chapters 4 and 5 (the driver, signs, signals and markings). Make flash cards of sign shapes and colors.
3. Week 3: read Chapters 6 to 9 (traffic laws, conditions, freeways, your vehicle). Note every number: feet, mph and points.
4. Week 4: take timed practice tests, then reread the sections behind any question you missed.

On test day and if you do not pass

Bring your documents, the $5 fee and the license fee in cash or a money order, because checks are not accepted. Wear your glasses if you need them, because the vision screening happens at the same visit.

If you fail, you pay $5 for each new attempt. Ask the examiner when you may retest, because waiting rules can vary by office. Use the result to target the topics you found hard. Our free 30-question Alabama practice test is a good warm-up, but always study the official manual too.

Common mistakes

• Studying only practice apps. The real test is drawn from the official manual, so read it cover to cover.
• Ignoring numbers. Learn distances such as 100 feet for signaling a turn and 20 feet from a stopped school bus.
• Mixing up sign colors. Yellow is general warning, orange is construction areas and fluorescent yellow marks school zones and pedestrian crossings.
• Rushing. Read every option before choosing, because two answers can look similar.

Test yourself: The Alabama knowledge (permit) test

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Alabama Permit Practice Test
• Alabama Permit Test
• Alabama 50 Hours Driving