PermitoMaryland permit test
The Maryland knowledge test has 25 questions and you need 22 correct to pass (88%). Source: mva.maryland.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
Test facts
| What | Number | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions on the test | 25 | mva.maryland.gov | |
| Pass mark | 88% (22 of 25 correct) | mva.maryland.gov |
Maryland laws and handbook points
Points from Maryland law and the Maryland driver handbook, each taken from one of our Maryland practice questions with its source. Practice material, not the state test.
Permits and graduated licensing
You drive on a learner's permit with your supervising driver beside you. Can a friend ride in the front too?
Answer: No, only the supervisor sits in front. While a permit holder drives, the supervising driver is the only other person allowed in the front seat. Friends must ride in the back.
Other choices: Yes, if the friend is also licensed. A license does not give the friend a seat up front. Yes, if the supervisor allows it for a while. The supervisor cannot waive a rule set by law.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 16-105.
Alcohol and drugs
What is the suspension for a repeat offense with a test result of .15 or more?
Answer: 270 days off the road. A result of .15 or higher brings a 180 day suspension on a first offense and 270 days on a repeat offense.
Other choices: 2 years, the refusal term. Two years is the suspension for a repeat offense of refusing, not for this first-offense case. 90 days off the road. Ninety days is shorter than the law's penalty.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 16-205.1.
Insurance
What proof of insurance must a driver carry?
Answer: A valid insurance card, paper or electronic. Carry a valid insurance card. It can be on paper or on your phone. Show it to any officer who asks.
Other choices: A letter from the insurance agent. A letter is not the required identification card. A copy of the policy bill only. The card is the required proof.
Sources: Driver handbook, Section 10: Other Important Information.
Speed and following distance
You count two seconds between the car ahead and a sign it just passed. Is that a safe gap by MVA advice?
Answer: No, the MVA suggests at least 3 to 4 seconds. The MVA suggests a gap of 3 to 4 seconds in ideal conditions. A count of two seconds means you are following too closely.
Other choices: Yes, two seconds is enough. The suggested gap is longer than two seconds. No, you need 10 seconds on any road. Ten seconds is far longer than the suggested gap.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 21-310; Driver handbook, Section 3: Basic Driving.
Parking
How close to a fire hydrant may a Maryland driver stand or park?
Answer: Not within 15 feet. A driver may not stand or park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Fire crews need clear access to the hydrant.
Other choices: Not within 10 feet. Ten feet is still inside the banned zone. Not within 20 feet of it. Twenty feet is the distance for a crosswalk or fire station.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 21-1003.
Right of way
Two cars reach an intersection with no signs at the same time. Yours is on the left. Who yields?
Answer: You do, to the car on your right. At an intersection without signs, a driver yields the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the right. Speed and size do not matter.
Other choices: The faster car goes first. Speed does not decide who goes first. The larger car goes first. Size does not decide who goes first.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 21-401; Driver handbook, Section 3: Basic Driving.
Sharing the road
How far from a stopped school bus with flashing red lights must a driver stop?
Answer: At least 20 feet away, front or back. Stop 20 feet or more from the front or rear of a school bus that has red lights flashing. Stay stopped until the bus moves or the lights go off.
Other choices: At least 50 feet away. Fifty feet is farther than the law requires. At least 5 feet away. Five feet would put you almost against the stopped bus, far inside the safe stopping gap.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 21-706; Driver handbook, Section 7: Sharing the Road.
Emergencies
What must a driver do first after a crash that hurts someone?
Answer: Stop and stay at the scene. After a crash with injury, stop and stay. Call 911, help the hurt, and share your name, address and registration number.
Other choices: Drive home and call the police. The driver must stay at the scene. Move the cars to the side. Cars should stay where they are when someone is hurt.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 20-102; Md. Code, Transp. 20-104; Driver handbook, Section 8: Crashes and Traffic Stops.
Turns and lanes
You stop at a red light to turn right and a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk. What must you do?
Answer: Yield to the pedestrian before turning. Before you turn on red, give way to walkers and to all other traffic. Wait until the way is clear.
Other choices: Turn, since the light is red for walkers. The pedestrian is lawfully crossing, so you must give way. Honk so the pedestrian moves ahead. A horn does not give you the right to go.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 21-202; Driver handbook, Section 4: Signs, Signals and Pavement Markings.
Safe driving
You drive a car with two passengers aged 10 and 14. One is unbuckled. Who is responsible?
Answer: You, as the driver. A driver may not operate a vehicle unless the driver and each occupant under 16 are in a seat belt or child safety seat.
Other choices: The passenger alone. Occupants under 16 are the driver's responsibility. Nobody, since the trip is short. Trip length gives no exception, and the driver must see that young riders are belted.
Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 22-412.3; Driver handbook, Section 10: Other Important Information.
- Questions in this list were last updated .
What the Maryland question bank covers
Questions in Permito’s Maryland bank, by topic. The counts describe the bank, not the state test.
| Topic | Questions in the bank |
|---|---|
| Road signs | 359 |
| Safe driving | 61 |
| Alcohol and drugs | 52 |
| Permits and graduated licensing | 52 |
| Sharing the road | 50 |
| Right of way | 48 |
| Speed and following distance | 45 |
| Pavement markings | 32 |
| Emergencies | 30 |
| Turns and lanes | 29 |
| Traffic signals | 26 |
| Parking | 16 |
| Insurance | 13 |
Where these numbers come from
Each number was read on the agency page linked beside it. The count of correct answers is the agency’s percentage, rounded up.
Practice
- Try the Maryland practice questions. Questions with the answer, the explanation and the source.
- Compare all states
Road signs
Sign questions are part of the Maryland bank too. The road sign reference shows every sign Permito teaches, with its name and what it means. See all road signs.
Common questions
How many questions are on the Maryland permit test?
The test has 25 questions. Source: mva.maryland.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
What score do I need to pass the Maryland permit test?
You need 22 correct answers out of 25, which is 88%. Source: mva.maryland.gov, checked October 17, 2026.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the agency page at mva.maryland.gov, which we checked on October 17, 2026. Permito is not part of any government agency.
Are the practice questions on Permito from the Maryland test?
No. They are our own practice questions, written from the Maryland driver handbook and vehicle code. Permito is not affiliated with any DMV or government agency.
How many questions are on the Maryland knowledge test for a car license?
25 questions. The Maryland knowledge test has 25 questions and a time limit of 20 minutes. It covers traffic laws, signs and safe driving. Sources: Driver handbook, Section 1: Driving Tests Requirements.
Which place is outside the passenger area for open container purposes?
The trunk of the car. The passenger area is where people sit and any spot they can easily reach. A trunk and a locked glove box are not part of it. Sources: Md. Code, Crim. Law 10-125; Md. Code, Transp. 21-903; Driver handbook, Section 6: Dangerous Driving Behaviors.
An officer asks for your insurance card and it is on your phone. Is that accepted?
Yes, an electronic card is allowed. A driver must carry a valid insurance card, and it may be electronic. Refusing to show it can bring a fine. Sources: Driver handbook, Section 10: Other Important Information.
How much following distance does the MVA advise behind a vehicle that stops often, such as a bus?
Four or five seconds, or more. Behind vehicles that stop often, such as buses and delivery vans, the MVA advises a gap of four or five seconds, or more if needed. Sources: Driver handbook, Section 3: Basic Driving.
What is the no-parking distance from a crosswalk at an intersection in most of Maryland?
20 feet from the crosswalk. A driver may not stand or park within 20 feet of an intersection crosswalk. The rule does not apply in Baltimore City. Sources: Md. Code, Transp. 21-1003.
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