Delaware DMV Permit Practice Test

The Delaware DMV knowledge test is the first checkpoint between you and a learner's permit. Study from the Delaware Driver Manual. The DMV's Class D knowledge test has 32 questions, and you need 26 correct to pass. Applicants under 18 pass their written test through driver education or the DMV.

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  Under-18 examYou must pass a written test and a road skills test, given by the DMV or by your driver education teacher.
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  Adult first-timer exam32 questions. Pass with 26 correct. Required for any adult getting their first Delaware Class D license.
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  Application fee$50 for the Class D license (new, permit and renewal). All new licenses are valid for 8 years.
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  What to bringProof of identity, Social Security number, and Delaware residency. Check dmv.de.gov for the exact document checklist before your appointment.
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  Driver education (under 18)Mandatory. You must complete a Delaware-approved driver education course (30 hours classroom + 7 hours in-car) and present the Delaware Driver Education Certificate (Blue/White Certificate) at the DMV.
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  Question formatRead every option — a more specific answer can be better than the most intuitive one.
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  Easy-to-mix-up topicsThe handbook covers traffic laws in detail. Right-of-way logic, school bus rules, and sign meanings are easy to mix up when the wording changes slightly. Read each question carefully instead of relying on memory of a practice question.

Traffic laws, safety situations, and road signs make up a large part of the Delaware handbook. Master them first and the remaining parking, vehicle rules, and drugs/alcohol topics are manageable in a single study pass.

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  Road signsLearn the shape, color, and meaning of each sign. Pentagon = school zone. Round = railroad crossing. Orange background = work zone. Practice recognizing the sign image, not just the name.
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  Signal distance — 300 feetDelaware requires you to signal continuously for at least 300 feet before turning, and to signal before changing lanes too.
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  Following distance — 3 to 4 secondsUse a 3- to 4-second gap when following any vehicle, especially motorcycles. On slippery roads or at night, increase that gap further.
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  Right-of-way at all-way stopsVehicles proceed in the order they arrive. Simultaneous arrivals: yield to the vehicle on your right. Delaware law specifies who must yield — it does not assign who 'has' the right-of-way.
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  School bus rulesWait where you are until the red lights quit flashing and the stop arm is pulled back in. The exception is a bus on the opposite side of a road with four or more lanes, where you do not have to stop (proceed slowly).
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  Speed limits — posted and defaultResidential areas: 25 mph unless posted otherwise. School zones: 20 mph. The maximum posted speed applies only under ideal conditions — not a floor to drive at in all weather.
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  BAC limit — 0.08% (age 21+)Illegal to drive at 0.08% BAC or higher for drivers 21 and older.
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  Under-21 BAC limit — 0.02%Under 21, it is illegal in Delaware to drive with a BAC of 0.02% or higher, far below the 0.08% adult limit.
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  Alcohol effectsAlcohol is a depressant. Judgment is the first thing affected. Coffee, food, and exercise do not lower BAC — only time does.
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  Railroad crossingsNever drive around lowered gates. Stop when directed by flaggers, stop signs, or warning signals. At double-track crossings, wait until the track is fully clear — a second train may follow.

These topics are easy to mix up. The trap is usually not missing the rule but picking the almost-right answer on a scenario with a specific legal nuance.

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  Four-way stop timing trapsSimultaneous arrivals are easy to get wrong. The rule: yield to the driver on your right. If you arrived first, you go first — regardless of which direction you're turning. Don't second-guess this with 'common courtesy' logic.
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  School bus — four-lane exceptionOn roads with fewer than four lanes, you stop in both directions. On a road with four or more lanes, traffic coming the other way does not have to stop for the bus, but should go slowly. Know this exception.
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  Hill parking — four distinct casesDownhill (curb or no curb): wheels toward the curb/right edge. Uphill with curb: wheels away from curb. Uphill without curb: wheels toward the right edge. Learn each case separately.
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  Impairment versus the legal limitImpairment begins before you hit the legal limit. Any amount of alcohol may affect judgment and coordination, and the 0.08% per se limit is a separate fact. Know both.
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  Always yield to pedestriansDelaware law requires yielding to pedestrians at crosswalks at all times, including on a green light. If a pedestrian is in the intersection when you have a green arrow, you still must yield.
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  Bicycle hand signalsCyclists use hand and arm signals — left arm extended straight = left turn. Be ready to read a bicyclist's arm position and know which maneuver they're signaling. Don't confuse the old right-turn arm signal with a left turn.
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  'Always' and 'never' trapsAnswers with absolute wording, such as 'all of the above' or 'under no circumstances', can be correct, so don't dismiss them automatically. Example: driving under the influence of any medication that impairs driving is not permitted under any circumstances.

Reading the handbook once may not be enough. Use three loops — not harder studying, just more targeted repetition.

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  Loop 1 — read the handbookDownload the Delaware Driver Manual from dmv.de.gov and read it cover to cover. Pay special attention to the GDL section, speed limits by zone, and right-of-way rules.
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  Loop 2 — drill practice examsWork through every practice exam on this site, not just the first one. Review each question you miss, then retake until the answers stick. Spend extra time on any topic where you keep missing questions.
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  Loop 3 — watch and listen on YouTubeRun the Delaware practice videos as audio while commuting or doing chores. Passive repetition of the question-and-answer format helps the rules stick.
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  Study signs visually, not just by nameOn the road you see signs as images, not text descriptions. Drill by shape and color first: pentagon = school, round = railroad, orange = work zone. If you only know the name, you may hesitate when you see the sign.
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  Read every option before answeringWatch for the almost-correct partial rule — 'slow to 25 mph' instead of 'stop until lights stop flashing.' Always read every option before selecting.
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  Sleep beats crammingA full night's sleep before your test outperforms a last-minute study session. Memory consolidation happens during sleep — your brain replays and reinforces what you studied the day before.

Delaware's GDL program includes a 12-month minimum permit hold, and the supervisor must be age 25+ with 5+ years of driving experience. Plan your practice driving schedule accordingly.

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  Supervisor requirementYour supervising driver must be at least 25 years old, hold a valid license for 5 or more years, and sit in the front passenger seat. Plan ahead to line up a qualifying supervisor.
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  Permit hold — 12 months (Level 1)Delaware requires you to hold your Level 1 Learner's Permit for a full 12 months before upgrading to a Class D license.
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  Supervised hours — 50 total, 10 at nightYou must log 50 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 hours after dark. Keep a driving log — your sponsor must certify the hours after the first 6 months.
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  Night curfew (after first 6 months)Between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., you must have an adult supervisor with you. Exceptions apply only for direct travel to and from work, school, or church activities — not general evening plans.
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  Passenger restriction — two phasesFor the first 12 months: no passengers other than your adult supervisor and one other passenger (immediate family members are exempt while the supervisor is in the car). In the second 6 months, when driving without a supervisor, only one passenger besides you. This phases in gradually — not a single unlock.
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  When restrictions liftAfter 12 months of valid driving authority, your Level 1 permit automatically converts to a Class D driver's license. Permit holders age 18 or older may instead take the DMV eye, written and road skills exams.
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  Driver education certificateBefore any of this applies, you must complete the approved driver education course (30 hours classroom + 7 hours in-car). The Blue/White Certificate from that course is required at the DMV when you apply for your permit.