Class D Learner's Permit Exam
Massachusetts Permit Practice Test
136 free questions from the official handbook, each with an explanation and the page it comes from.
About the real test
The Massachusetts learner's permit exam has 25 questions and a 25-minute time limit, and you need 18 right (72%) to pass. You can take it at an RMV Service Center or online with a webcam, and it's offered in 37 languages, including American Sign Language at Service Centers.
Every question here is written from the official Massachusetts Driver's Manual and links to the page it comes from. The full practice exam uses the official count and timer, with an extra-time option while you practice.
- Questions
- 25
- To pass
- 18 of 25 correct (72%)
- Time limit
- 25 minutes (source)
- Languages
- 37 incl. English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese (2), Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, ASL (ASL only at Service Center) (source)
- Minimum permit age
- 16 (source)
Checked against official sources on November 2, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) before your test.
Practice by topic
Start with a topic you're unsure of. Mixed sets work better once you've seen each topic.
- Learner's permit, junior operator rules and suspensionsPermit and junior operator restrictions, violations, surchargeable events and license suspensions.14 questions
- Alcohol, drugs and OUIHow alcohol and drugs affect driving, blood alcohol limits, chemical tests, open containers and OUI penalties.12 questions
- Safe driver habitsSeat belts, child seats, air bags, distractions, mobile devices, defensive driving and drowsiness.12 questions
- Vehicle equipment and conditionRequired equipment, checking brakes, tires, steering and lights, plates, and using the horn and headlights.6 questions
- Pavement markingsWhat white and yellow lines, bike and bus lanes, stop lines, crosswalks and islands mean.7 questions
- Road signsSign shapes and colors, regulatory, warning and guide signs, railroad crossings and work zones.13 questions
- Traffic signalsSteady and flashing lights, arrows, beacons, bicycle and pedestrian signals, and signals that are not working.10 questions
- Speed, following and stopping distanceSpeed limits and the basic speed law, school zones, safe distances, reaction time and braking.10 questions
- Right-of-way, intersections and turnsSignaling, intersections, turns, U-turns, backing up, who goes first, rotaries and roundabouts.12 questions
- Highways, lanes and passingLane use, entering and leaving highways, passing, being passed and the move-over law.9 questions
- ParkingParallel parking, parking on hills and where parking is not allowed.7 questions
- Conditions, emergencies and crashesNight, rain, fog and winter driving, police stops, skids, vehicle failures, breakdowns and what to do after a crash.11 questions
- Sharing the roadPedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, scooters, school buses, trucks, emergency vehicles and other road users.13 questions
learned (right 3 times on different days) seen
Full practice exam
25 questions in the real format, scored with the real pass rule. Answers are shown at the end, and every retake draws different questions, with the official 25-minute timer (or extra time while you practice).
Take a practice examA few questions to try
Tap a question to see the answer and why.
1. You are following a motorcycle on a dry road. Compared with following a car, how much space should you leave?
- A. Less space, because motorcycles are smaller
- B. Less space, because motorcycles stop more slowly
- C. The same space you would leave behind a car
- D. More space than you would leave behind a car
Show the answer
D. More space than you would leave behind a car
Keep more following distance behind a motorcycle than you would behind another vehicle. Motorcycles can stop quickly and are easy to hit if you are too close.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), page 51
2. You are driving on an undivided two-lane road. A school bus coming toward you stops with red lights flashing and its stop sign out. What must you do?
- A. Keep going, since only traffic behind the bus must stop
- B. Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing or the sign folds back
- C. Slow down and pass with care, since it is on the other side
- D. Stop, then go once no children are in sight
Show the answer
B. Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing or the sign folds back
When a school bus has its red lights flashing and its stop sign out, you must stop no matter which side of the road you are on. Stay stopped until the lights stop or the sign folds back.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), page 113
3. You are on an expressway that has three or more lanes going your way. Which lane is meant for slower driving?
- A. The breakdown lane
- B. The far right lane
- C. The middle lane
- D. The far left lane
Show the answer
B. The far right lane
When an expressway has three or more lanes going your way, slower traffic keeps to the far right lane. The middle lane is for faster driving and the far left lane is for passing.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), page 103
4. You slide a penny head-first into a tread groove of your tire and can see the top of Lincoln's head. What does this tell you?
- A. The tire needs more air pressure
- B. The tire only needs to be rotated
- C. The tire has plenty of tread left
- D. The tire is worn out and should be replaced
Show the answer
D. The tire is worn out and should be replaced
Tires must have at least 2/32 inch of tread depth. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head in the penny test, the tread is below that and the tire is worn out.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), page 50
5. What type of highway does this route marker identify?
- A. A Massachusetts state highway
- B. A scenic or recreational route
- C. An Interstate highway
- D. A bicycle route
Show the answer
C. An Interstate highway
Interstate highway signs are blue, red, and white shields. Massachusetts state routes use white rectangular signs with black letters and borders.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), page 94
6. Your car begins to skid, and the rear tires are sliding to the left. Which way should you turn the steering wheel?
- A. Hold it perfectly straight
- B. Turn it hard right, then brake
- C. To the right
- D. To the left
Show the answer
D. To the left
In a skid, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid. If the rear tires slide left, steer left; do not hit the brakes.
Source: Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), page 131
The official handbook
Massachusetts Driver's Manual (Revised April 2026), published by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (MassDOT). The real test is based on it, and so is every question here.
How these questions are made
- Written from the official handbook, with the page number on every answer.
- Checked by code (quote on the cited page, numbers match, nothing copied) and by an independent reviewer who answers without the key.
- Last updated November 2, 2026. Spot a mistake? Every question has a report link, and fixes go in our corrections log.
Questions people ask
- How many questions are on the Massachusetts permit test?
- 25 questions.
- What score do I need to pass?
- 18 of 25 correct (72%).
- Is there a time limit?
- 25 minutes. (Source: official Massachusetts page, checked November 2, 2026.)
- What languages is the test offered in?
- 37 incl. English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese (2), Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, ASL (ASL only at Service Center). (Source: official Massachusetts page, checked November 2, 2026.)
- How old do I have to be to get a permit?
- 16. (Source: official Massachusetts page, checked November 2, 2026.)
- Are these the real test questions?
- No. Nobody can legally offer the real questions. We write our own questions from the official Massachusetts Driver's Manual, and each one shows the handbook page it's based on, so you learn the rules the real test is built from.