Oregon DMV Permit Practice Test

The Oregon DMV knowledge test is the gateway between you and a learner's permit. Study the Oregon Driver Manual, then use practice questions to find your gaps.

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  Adult test (18+)35 questions, 80% pass rate — you need at least 28 correct. All adults take a single general knowledge test. There is no separate signs section for adults.
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  Under-18 applicants: same testIf you're under 18, you take the same single 35-question knowledge test as adults and need 28 correct. Oregon has no separate 20-question signs-and-safety test.
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  Application feeThe Class C instruction permit fee is $30, paid when you apply. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on the Oregon DMV website.
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  Bring with youProof of identity (birth certificate or passport), Social Security number, and proof of Oregon residency. Identity documents must be original or certified copies — the DMV will not accept photocopies of those.
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  Driver education — optional but worth itOregon does not require driver ed for those under 18, but completing an ODOT-approved traffic safety course cuts your supervised practice hours from 100 down to 50. That's 50 hours you don't have to log.
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  Why careful study mattersThe handbook covers traffic laws in detail. Don't skim the signs section or assume you know the rules — right-of-way and school bus rules are easy to mix up. Know Oregon's DUII consequences specifically, not just general impairment effects.
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  Same test at every ageTeen and adult applicants take the same single 35-question test, so prepare for all of it, road signs included, rather than only the general rules.

The handbook covers traffic laws in detail. Master right-of-way rules, signal timing, and sign meanings first.

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  Road signsDiamond shapes warn of hazards. Downward-pointing triangles mean yield. Round signs indicate railroad crossings. Orange = construction zone.
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  Right-of-way and turningWhen two cars arrive at an uncontrolled intersection at the same time, yield to the driver on your right. When turning left, yield to all oncoming traffic and pedestrians already in the intersection. At an unmarked T-intersection, traffic on the through-road has right-of-way.
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  Signal distance — 100 feetOregon law requires you to activate your turn signal at least 100 feet before turning or changing lanes. Signaling is required by law even when no other traffic is present.
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  Following distance — at least 2 secondsAt speeds of 30 mph or slower, maintain at least 2 seconds of following distance behind the vehicle in front. The broader rule is 2–4 seconds under normal conditions. Increase distance behind large vehicles that block your view.
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  BAC limit (21+) — 0.08%It is illegal to drive in Oregon with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher if you are 21 or older. Oregon's offense is called DUII — Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants — and covers alcohol, controlled substances, and inhalants.
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  DUII first-offense suspension — 1 yearA first DUII conviction results in a one-year suspension of your driving privileges.
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  Implied consent — breath, blood, or urineUnder Oregon's Implied Consent Law, driving in the state means you have already agreed to a breath, blood, or urine test should you be arrested for DUII. Refusing the test is no legal escape — it brings separate administrative penalties.
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  Alcohol impairment starts before 0.08%Alcohol slows reflexes, harms judgment, and reduces coordination at any amount — not just above the legal limit. Coffee, fresh air, and food do not reduce BAC — only time does.
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  Speed limitsPosted speed limits are the maximum legal speed under ideal conditions — not a target you must hit. Driving so slowly that you disrupt traffic flow is also illegal. Slow down whenever conditions are less than perfect.

These topics are easy to mix up. If you only have time to drill a few topics, start here.

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  Right-of-way scenariosIf two cars reach an uncontrolled intersection together, the left-hand driver gives way to the driver to their right. On a solid green light, a left turn means yielding to all oncoming traffic — you have the right-of-way only on a green left-turn arrow. Left-turning drivers must yield to oncoming traffic AND pedestrians in the intersection.
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  School bus rulesWhen a school bus has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, stop completely and wait to proceed — in both directions on a two-lane highway. Amber flashing lights mean the bus is preparing to stop — slow down and prepare to stop yourself. After the bus loads or unloads, watch for children walking along the roadside before proceeding.
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  Hill parking — downhillParking downhill on a street with a curb: turn wheels to the right (toward the curb). If brakes fail, the curb catches the car before it rolls into traffic.
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  Hill parking — uphill with curbParking uphill with a curb: turn wheels sharply away from the curb (to the left). The curb acts as a stop if the brakes fail. The rule flips from downhill — don't mix the two up.
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  DUII vs. legal limit framingThe legal limit of 0.08% is the threshold for arrest — not the point where impairment begins. Alcohol harms driving ability well before you reach that number. 'I'm under the legal limit' is not a safe driving strategy.
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  Passing a bicyclistTo safely pass a bicyclist on a two-lane road, slow down and wait until oncoming traffic is clear, then pass while giving the cyclist as much space as possible. Do not honk to clear the way — that's incorrect.

Reading the handbook once may not be enough. Try three loops: read once, drill once, listen once.

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  Loop 1 — read the handbookDownload the Oregon Driver Manual free from oregon.gov/odot/dmv. Read through once without stopping to memorize. Reading it once isn't enough on its own.
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  Loop 2 — drill the practice examsTake the free 40-Q exam on this page cold. If you score under 32/40, identify the categories you missed and drill those specifically. Anything under 80% in a category warrants another full pass.
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  Loop 3 — listen along on YouTubePlay the Oregon DMV practice video the night before your test. It makes a useful last review. Train your ear to eliminate wrong answers.
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  Sleep beats crammingMemory consolidates overnight. A full night's sleep before the test outperforms two extra hours of late-night studying every time. Finish your last drill session at least an hour before bed.
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  Study signs visually, not verballyDon't just memorize sign descriptions in text form. Look at the actual shape, color, and symbol. This matters because road signs are part of the single knowledge test.
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  Read every option before pickingA plausible-looking option may not be the most precise one. Read every option before you choose.

Passing the knowledge test gets you an Oregon instruction permit — not a full license. Oregon's GDL rules include a midnight curfew, phased passenger limits, and a 6-month minimum hold before you can test for a provisional license.

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  Permit supervisionA licensed driver at least 21 years old must sit in the front passenger seat whenever you drive on your instruction permit. To count toward your required practice hours, that supervisor must have held their license for at least 3 years. No remote supervision — they must be physically present next to you.
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  Permit hold time — 6 months minimumYou must hold your instruction permit for at least 6 months before you are eligible to apply for a provisional license. There is no way to shorten this waiting period.
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  Supervised practice hoursIf you completed an ODOT-approved driver education course: 50 total hours of supervised driving required. Without driver ed: 100 total hours required. All hours must be logged and documented.
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  Night driving curfew — midnight to 5 AMDuring the first year of your provisional license, no driving between midnight and 5 AM. Exceptions exist for driving between home and work, to a school event with no other transportation, for employment, or when accompanied by a licensed driver age 25 or older.
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  Passenger restriction — first 6 monthsFor the first 6 months of your provisional license, no passengers under age 20 are allowed unless they are immediate family members. The restriction does not care how many — zero non-family under-20 passengers.
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  Passenger restriction — next 6 monthsFrom month 7 through month 12, you may carry up to 3 passengers under age 20 (immediate family excluded from the count). The limit drops to 3, not unlimited — don't fill the car.
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  When restrictions lift — whichever comes FIRSTBoth the midnight curfew and the passenger restrictions end after 1 year with the provisional license OR when you turn 18 — whichever milestone happens first. If you get your provisional license at 17 years and 6 months, the restrictions end at 18, not at the 1-year mark.