The Nevada road test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can confirm you are eligible to take the road test.
• You can gather the right documents and vehicle for test day.
• You can prepare your car for the examiner's safety check.
• You can name the skills the examiner scores.
• You can avoid the errors that cause automatic failure.

What you need to know and understand

• Teens must be at least 16, have held a permit for 6 months and have no at-fault crashes, moving violations or alcohol or drug convictions in the past 6 months.
• Teens must complete at least 50 hours of logged practice before the test.
• You book the test online; whoever books for you needs your permit number or Social Security number.
• Rental vehicles are not allowed.
• No passengers or animals may be in the car apart from the examiner.
• Using a phone during the test means automatic failure, and so does a serious violation such as speeding or failing to yield.
• If you fail, you may have to wait up to 30 days before retesting, and each retest costs $10.

Test-day checklist for teens

Adults 18 and over may take the road test without first holding a permit, once they have passed the knowledge test.

• Your parent or guardian, to sign forms
• Your instruction permit
• Proof of identity and residency
• Your completed log: the RoadReady app or the DLD-130, with extra sheets
• Your driver education certificate, if required
• The Application for Driving Privileges or ID Card (DMV 002)
• A registered, insured vehicle that is not a rental

The vehicle check

Before you drive, the examiner checks the registration and plates, your Evidence of Insurance card, headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, horn, seat belts, tires and windshield wipers. The brakes, speedometer and muffler must also work, and the front passenger seat must be clean and safe for the examiner. A car that fails these checks can end your test before it starts.

Convenience features such as parking assist and cruise control are not allowed during the test, so practice parking and backing using mirrors and head checks.

What the examiner scores

The handbook lists preparing to drive, vehicle control, entering traffic, lane use, speed control, turns, parking, backing up, stopping, passing, and attention to traffic. You may be asked to stop on a hill. You will never be asked to break a traffic law, and you will be marked down if you do.

Interpreters are not allowed on the road test. Listen carefully to each instruction, and ask the examiner to repeat it if you are unsure.

After the result

If you fail, the examiner explains what went wrong. Work on those points, then rebook. If you pass, you go back into the office, pay the $22.50 license fee and get an interim paper license. Your card arrives by mail within about 10 business days. The site also has a teen road test checklist covering automatic fails in more detail.

Common mistakes

• Arriving in a car with a broken brake light or turn signal. Check every light the night before.
• Bringing a rental or a car with expired registration or insurance.
• Rolling through a stop sign or creeping over the limit. Serious violations are automatic fails.
• Relying on a backup camera or parking sensors. Use mirrors and look over your shoulder.

Test yourself: The Nevada road test

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

Go deeper

• Nevada DMV Road Test for Teens
• Learning to Drive in Nevada
• Moving to Nevada