The Georgia road test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can book a Georgia road test and gather the right documents.
• You can check that your vehicle meets DDS rules.
• You can perform parallel parking, straight-line backing and a turnabout to the DDS standard.
• You can describe how the test is scored and when you can retake it.

What you need to know and understand

• Road tests are by appointment only through DDS Online Services; walk-ins and same-day appointments are not available.
• You provide a four-wheel vehicle with valid registration, insurance, and a passing DDS safety inspection.
• Only you and a licensed driver aged 21 or older may be in the vehicle; no other children or pets.
• The test may be given in a traditional format or as a Virtual Road Test using a dual-facing camera.
• The parallel parking space is 22 feet long and 10 feet deep, and you must end up no more than 18 inches from the curb.
• You back about 50 feet in a straight line at no more than 10 mph, looking behind you.
• Retakes: the next day after a first failure, 7 days after later failures, and 30 days if you fail because of a crash or traffic violation.

Booking and paperwork

Some DDS-certified driving schools can also give the road test to their own students; our guide to taking the test at a driving school explains how that works. DDS will not test in weather or conditions it judges unsafe, and will reschedule.

1. Submit the online License/ID/Permit Form, then book through DDS Online Services. Keep your appointment number and email to change or cancel.
2. Teens bring everything needed for a Class D: permit held one year and one day, school enrollment proof, ADAP certificate, driver education certificate and the 40-hour affidavit signed by a parent or guardian.
3. Adults 18 and over bring a valid Georgia permit, a passed knowledge exam and a signed 40-hour affidavit.
4. Bring a paper copy of the vehicle registration and a current insurance card. With a temporary dealer tag, bring the bill of sale (within 30 days, or 7 days for a private sale).
5. If you use a rental car, your name must be on the rental agreement, and the contract must allow testing.

What the examiner scores

Driver assistance features such as parking sensors are allowed, but you must show you can drive without them. If your car's turn signals do not work, you must use hand signals. At the end, the examiner will show you your score sheet if you ask.

• Parallel parking: park midway between two standards, within 18 inches of the curb.
• Straight-line backing: about 50 feet, slowly (no more than 10 mph), straight and smooth, head turned to look behind, without touching boundary lines.
• Turnabout: turn the car around in a narrow space. The Drivers Manual describes a three-point turn.
• Stops at signs and signals: signal, use the right lane, stop before the crosswalk and stay stopped until pedestrians on your side have cleared.
• Intersections and turns: correct lane, look both ways, signal well before turning, and yield to anyone already in the intersection.
• Passing and following: check ahead and behind before passing, and keep a safe following distance.
• Posture: both hands on the wheel, no elbow on the window, and no chatting with the examiner.

Common reasons for losing points

• Rolling stops, or stopping past the stop line or in the crosswalk.
• Touching the boundary lines while backing, or using only mirrors instead of turning to look.
• Ending the parallel park too far from the curb.
• Late signals, wide turns and failing to yield to pedestrians.
• Any crash or traffic violation, which also means a 30-day wait before a retest.

Common mistakes

• Arriving without the paper registration or insurance card. The test will not go ahead.
• Bringing a younger sibling along. Only you and the 21-plus licensed adult may be in the car.
• Backing while watching only the camera screen. Turn your head and look behind.
• Rushing the turnabout. Slow, controlled movements with good observation score better.

Test yourself: The Georgia road test

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

Go deeper

• Georgia DDS Fees and How to Book Your Road Test
• Georgia Road Test
• Georgia Learner Permit Documents Checklist