Missouri DMV Permit Practice Test

The Missouri knowledge test, given at a Highway Patrol exam station, is what stands between you and an instruction permit. Start with the Missouri Driver Guide, the DOR's own study material. The good news: the permit fee is $10 and the written test itself is free.

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  Under-18 exam25 questions. Pass at 20 correct (80%). Same threshold applies at all ages — Missouri uses one passing standard.
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  Adult first-time exam25 questions. Pass at 20 correct (80%). There is no fee to take or retake the written test at a Highway Patrol exam station.
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  Application fee$10 permit fee. After you pass the tests at a Highway Patrol exam station, take your Driver Examination Record to a Missouri license office to apply for the permit.
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  Bring with youProof of identity (birth certificate, passport), Missouri residency (utility bill, bank statement), and your Social Security number. Check dor.mo.gov for the full acceptable-documents list.
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  Driver education is optionalMissouri does NOT require driver education at any age. Time you spend driving in an approved driver-training program can count toward the 40 required practice hours, but the course itself is optional.
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  Study the whole guideThe Missouri Driver Guide covers 16 chapters, so study all of it rather than a few topics. Road signs, right-of-way sequences, DWI penalties, and GDL rules are all worth knowing.

Traffic laws make up a large part of the Missouri Driver Guide, along with safety, road signs, and drugs and alcohol. Rules, right-of-way, and DWI consequences deserve plenty of your study time.

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  Road signsShapes, colors, regulatory signs, warning signs, and guidance signs. Learn both what signs mean AND what action they require.
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  Right-of-way at uncontrolled intersectionsWhen two vehicles arrive simultaneously, yield to the vehicle on your right. This applies at both four-way stops and unmarked intersections.
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  Signal distanceThe driver guide advises signaling at least 100 feet before any turn or lane change.
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  Railroad crossing stop distanceWhen signals or a flagger call for a stop, halt at least 15 feet but no more than 50 feet from the closest rail. Under no circumstances should you drive around lowered gates.
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  Following distanceMaintain a safe space cushion on all sides of your vehicle, and increase your distance in rain, snow, ice, or low visibility.
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  BAC limit (21+)0.08% — illegal to operate any motor vehicle at or above this level.
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  Under-21 BAC rule0.02% — far stricter than the adult limit. Any measurable drinking almost certainly puts an under-21 driver over the line.
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  DWI first-offense consequencesAdministrative action: a 30-day suspension followed by a 60-day restricted driving privilege (90 days total). Court conviction can add up to 6 months jail and a $500 fine. A second offense within 5 years brings a 1-year license revocation, and an Ignition Interlock Device is required for reinstatement.
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  Chemical test refusalMissouri is an implied-consent state. Refusing a chemical test means your license is revoked for 1 year. Operating a vehicle on Missouri roads means you've already consented.
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  Interstate speed limitsMinimum 40 mph on Missouri interstates under normal conditions. The maximum is whatever is posted: state law now allows up to 75 mph on rural interstates, but MoDOT must post the higher limit first. Advisory speed signs (yellow) suggest safe speeds, for example on exit ramps.

These are rules that are easy to mix up. A few hours drilling these specifically is time well spent.

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  Three-car right-of-way at four-way stops'Yield to the right' sounds simple until three cars arrive at once. At a four-way stop, proceed in arrival order. If two arrive simultaneously, the one on the LEFT yields to the one on the RIGHT.
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  School bus rulesStop in BOTH directions when the bus red lights flash on a two-lane road. If the road is divided into separate roadways by a median, or has 4 or more lanes, only traffic traveling the same direction as the bus must stop. After stopping, watch for children along the roadside before proceeding.
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  Hill parking — downhill with a curbTurn wheels TOWARD the curb (right). If the brake fails, the car rolls into the curb instead of traffic.
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  Hill parking — uphill with a curbTurn wheels AWAY from the curb (left). The curb catches the tire if the car rolls backward. Always set the parking brake too.
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  Impairment vs. legal BAC limit0.08% is the legal threshold, not a safety floor. Impairment can begin well below it — know the difference.
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  Bicycle passingSlow down and give a bicyclist as much space as possible. On a two-lane road without bike lanes, wait until oncoming traffic clears before passing — same as passing any other vehicle.

Reading the handbook once may not be enough to pass. A simple plan is three loops: read once, drill once, listen once.

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  Loop 1 — read the handbookDownload the Missouri Driver Guide free from dor.mo.gov (also available in audio on the DOR YouTube channel). Read it once — don't try to memorize. This guide compresses the key content into bullets.
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  Loop 2 — drill the practice examsTake the free 40-Q exam below cold. Anything under 32/40 → identify the categories you missed and focus there, then retake it to check your progress.
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  Loop 3 — listen along on YouTubePlay the Missouri Cheat Sheet video the day or two before your test. Hearing the key points out loud is a good way to reinforce them.
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  Sleep beats crammingMemory consolidates overnight. A full sleep the night before is worth more than two extra hours of late-night reading.
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  Study signs visually, not by descriptionNever read sign descriptions in text only. Look at the actual shape and color — on the road you recognize signs by sight, not by a written description.
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  Read every option before pickingRead every option before choosing an answer. Wrong answers can sound plausible, so don't stop at the first one that sounds right.

Missouri's curfew is 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., and the intermediate license restrictions last until you move up to a full license at 18. The 182-day permit hold is non-negotiable.

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  Permit supervision — under 16Must be accompanied by a qualified person, grandparent, approved instructor, or a licensed driver who is 25+ with at least 3 years of licensure AND written parental permission.
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  Permit supervision — 16 and olderAny licensed driver 21 or older may supervise. They must sit in the front seat beside you.
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  Minimum permit hold182 days (starting the day after the permit is issued). There are no shortcuts — the clock doesn't start until day two.
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  Supervised practice hours40 total hours required, including a minimum of 10 hours between sunset and sunrise. Time in an approved driver-training program can count toward the 40.
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  Night curfew on intermediate licenseNo solo driving from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. unless a licensed driver 21 or older is with you. You may drive alone only when traveling to or from a school activity or your job, or in an emergency.
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  Passenger restrictionFirst 6 months: maximum 1 passenger under 19 who is not immediate family. After the first 6 months: maximum 3 passengers under 19 who are not immediate family, until you move up to a full license.
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  When restrictions liftAt age 18, when you move up to a full license. You can apply up to 30 days before your 18th birthday if you have had no alcohol-related enforcement contacts and no point-assessed traffic convictions in the previous 12 months.