The Nevada knowledge (permit) test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the number of questions and the pass mark.
• You can choose between online and in-person testing and explain the difference.
• You can describe the retake rules and fees.
• You can plan your study around the Nevada Driver's Handbook.

What you need to know and understand

• The test has 25 multiple-choice questions.
• You need 80 percent to pass, which means at least 20 correct answers.
• The questions come from the Nevada Driver's Handbook (DMV 700).
• Online tests have a 60-minute time limit; in-person tests have no time limit.
• There is a $25 testing fee before the test and a $10 fee for each retake.
• A passing result stays valid for one year.
• Interpreters are not allowed to be family members.

Online or at the DMV: which suits you?

Online testing runs through the DMV's remote system, KnowTo Drive Nevada. It is open around the clock, needs no appointment and is offered in English and Spanish. Your result goes to the DMV automatically, but you still visit an office to collect your permit.

In-person testing needs an appointment and is taken on a touch-screen computer in English, Spanish or audio format. If you struggle with reading, you can ask for an oral test. Testing stops 30 to 60 minutes before the office closes, so do not arrive at the last minute.

• Online: a desktop or laptop computer with a front-facing camera is required. Phones, tablets and other touch-screen devices are not supported.
• Online: you have 60 minutes to finish.
• In person: there is no time limit, but there is a closing cut-off.

What the questions cover

Expect questions on sign shapes and colors, traffic signals, pavement markings, right-of-way, speed limits, safe following distances, parking rules, sharing the road, and Nevada's alcohol and drug laws. Nevada-specific details are popular, such as school zone speeds, the curb color code and the teen passenger and curfew rules.

Read the whole handbook rather than skimming. Then use the DMV's own practice quiz and the site's free Nevada permit practice test to find your weak spots.

If you do not pass

Failing is common and fixable. If you fail online, the DMV says you can try again the next day. If you are disqualified from an online test, for example for breaking the remote testing rules, you must wait 24 hours. Every retake costs $10.

Review the topics you got wrong before trying again. Once you pass, the result is valid for one year, so apply for your permit within that time.

Help with language

Applicants with limited English or Spanish may bring an approved interpreter for the non-commercial written test. The interpreter cannot be a family member, the applicant pays their fee, and a letter of approval from a qualifying organization is needed. Interpreters are not allowed on the road test.

Common mistakes

• Trying to take the online test on a phone or tablet. Touch-screen devices are not supported, so use a computer with a camera.
• Relying only on practice quizzes. They help, but the real questions come from the full handbook.
• Guessing Nevada numbers from another state. Learn Nevada's own figures, such as school zone speeds of 15 or 25 mph.
• Arriving just before closing for an in-person test and finding testing has already stopped.

Test yourself: The Nevada knowledge (permit) test

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

Go deeper

• Nevada Permit Practice Test
• Nevada Permit Test
• Learning to Drive in Nevada