MD Permit Practice Test

How to use this MD practice test

1. Take the 25 question exam-length practice test above once, untimed, to find your weak topics.
2. Work through the numbered 20 question sets below. Each one is fixed, so a second attempt is a fair comparison.
3. Read the explanation on every miss. The wording comes from the Maryland Driver's Manual, which is what the examiners use.
4. When you pass three sets in a row at 88 percent or better, book the real test.

MD practice tests, 20 questions each

Fixed sets in a fixed order so you can retake one and compare your score.

1. Test 1
2. Test 2
3. Test 3
4. Test 4
5. Test 5
6. Test 6
7. Test 7
8. Test 8
9. Test 9
10. Test 10

Printable MD practice test with answer key

All 25 questions, MD exam length

Every question below comes from the Maryland question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. What following gap should you use behind a bus or delivery van that stops often?

   1. Four or five seconds, and possibly more if needed
   2. The same three seconds required in every condition
   3. One second because the vehicle is moving slowly
   4. One car length regardless of speed
   Show answer

   Four or five seconds, and possibly more if needed. Vehicles that stop frequently require more room because their speed and position can change repeatedly. Full explanation in Test 1

2. 2. Under Maryland's seat belt restriction for Provisional License holders under 18, who must be buckled up?

   1. Only the driver
   2. Only passengers in the front seat
   3. Only passengers under 16
   4. The driver and every passenger, with children in child safety seats
   Show answer

   The driver and every passenger, with children in child safety seats. A Provisional License carries a seat belt restriction that covers everyone in the vehicle. Full explanation in Test 2

3. 3. What is a safe speed choice when a road has pedestrians or animals nearby?

   1. Increase speed to pass the area quickly
   2. Reduce speed so you have more time to respond
   3. Maintain the posted limit regardless of visibility
   4. Match the fastest nearby vehicle
   Show answer

   Reduce speed so you have more time to respond. Maryland lists roads where pedestrians or animals may be present among the conditions that call for reduced speed. Full explanation in Test 3

4. 4. What does the pictured red sign communicate?

   
   1. The road is one-way in your direction
   2. Parking is permitted for five minutes
   3. A railroad crossing is ahead
   4. Do not enter
   Show answer

   Do not enter. The manual identifies red as a sign color used for stop, yield, do not enter, or wrong way messages. Full explanation in Test 4

5. 5. If a vehicle begins to hydroplane, which response is recommended?

   1. Accelerate sharply to force the tires through the water
   2. Apply the brakes firmly while turning toward the shoulder
   3. Take your foot off the gas and keep the vehicle straight
   4. Turn quickly from side to side to regain contact
   Show answer

   Take your foot off the gas and keep the vehicle straight. Hydroplaning occurs when the tires lose contact with the pavement on a sheet of water. Full explanation in Test 5

6. 6. What does the five-sided sign in the image warn you about?

   
   1. A railroad crossing ahead
   2. A recreational area entrance
   3. A school zone or school crossing
   4. A mandatory truck route
   Show answer

   A school zone or school crossing. The pentagon is the shape used for school zones and school crossings. Full explanation in Test 6

7. 7. What vision does Maryland require to qualify for a driver's license?

   1. 20/20 in one eye
   2. Binocular vision, at least 20/40 in each eye, and a continuous field of vision of at least 140 degrees
   3. 20/70 in either eye with 90 degrees
   4. Any vision with corrective lenses
   Show answer

   Binocular vision, at least 20/40 in each eye, and a continuous field of vision of at least 140 degrees. To qualify for a Maryland driver's license the applicant must have binocular vision, visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye, and a cont Full explanation in Test 7

8. 8. What does the round railroad warning sign tell a driver?

   
   1. A railroad crossing is ahead
   2. The vehicle must enter a roundabout
   3. A railroad crossing has just ended
   4. Trains have priority only at night
   Show answer

   A railroad crossing is ahead. The round sign is a railroad warning sign used before a crossing. Full explanation in Test 8

9. 9. By Maryland law, what must a bicycle's brakes be able to do?

   1. Stop the bicycle within 50 feet at 20 mph
   2. Stop the bicycle within 3 feet at any speed
   3. Stop the bicycle within 15 feet at 10 mph on dry, level, clean pavement
   4. Stop the bicycle within 100 feet on wet pavement
   Show answer

   Stop the bicycle within 15 feet at 10 mph on dry, level, clean pavement. Maryland lists required bicycle equipment, and the brake standard is exact: the brakes must stop the bicycle within 15 feet when it is going Full explanation in Test 9

10. 10. What do Maryland traffic signs use to communicate information?

    
    1. Only flashing lights
    2. Engine sounds and tire size
    3. Symbols and words
    4. Vehicle registration numbers
    Show answer

    Symbols and words. Maryland states that traffic signs use symbols and words to communicate information. Full explanation in Test 10

11. 11. You are in an intersection when an emergency vehicle approaches using its siren and flashing lights. What should you do?

    1. Turn around and drive against traffic to clear a path
    2. Stop where you are in the intersection immediately
    3. Follow the emergency vehicle through the intersection
    4. Move toward the edge, stay out of intersections, and remain stopped until it passes
    Show answer

    Move toward the edge, stay out of intersections, and remain stopped until it passes. Emergency vehicles using their signals have priority, but a driver should not create a blockage by stopping in the intersection. Full explanation in Test 1

12. 12. A Maryland officer believes a driver is impaired by drugs. Who may request that the driver submit to a blood test?

    1. Only a judge after a hearing
    2. Only the MVA after a written notice
    3. A tow truck operator at the scene
    4. A drug recognition expert
    Show answer

    A drug recognition expert. When an officer has reason to believe a driver is impaired by drugs, alcohol or a controlled substance, the officer may have a drug recognit Full explanation in Test 2

13. 13. Where is it illegal to drive with an open alcohol container under Maryland's manual?

    1. Only in a locked trailer behind the vehicle
    2. Only in the trunk of a sedan
    3. In the passenger area of the vehicle
    4. Only when the container is made of glass
    Show answer

    In the passenger area of the vehicle. Maryland prohibits driving with an open alcohol container in the passenger area of the vehicle. Full explanation in Test 3

14. 14. When driving in Maryland, how may you carry your valid insurance identification card?

    1. Only after a police officer requests it
    2. Only as a paper card issued within the past 30 days
    3. Only as a photograph stored on another driver's phone
    4. In paper or electronic format
    Show answer

    In paper or electronic format. Maryland requires a driver to have a valid insurance identification card while operating a motor vehicle, and the card may be electronic. Full explanation in Test 4

15. 15. Which maneuvers are required on the Maryland driving test, and in what size spaces?

    1. Pull in parking, back in parking and a three point turn, in a 10 by 20 foot space with the turn in a 16 by 20 foot space
    2. Only a three point turn
    3. Parallel parking in a 25 foot space
    4. Only parallel parking
    Show answer

    Pull in parking, back in parking and a three point turn, in a 10 by 20 foot space with the turn in a 16 by 20 foot space. Parallel parking is no longer required on the Maryland driving test, though it is taught in the driver education course. Full explanation in Test 5

16. 16. What color is used for school, pedestrian, and bicycle signs?

    1. Brown
    2. Fluorescent yellow-green
    3. Blue
    4. Black
    Show answer

    Fluorescent yellow-green. Maryland identifies fluorescent yellow-green as the color used for school, pedestrian, and bicycle signs. Full explanation in Test 6

17. 17. What share of crashes does the Maryland manual say advanced driver assistance systems prevent when used properly?

    1. 5 percent
    2. 40 percent
    3. 100 percent
    4. None, they are only for comfort
    Show answer

    40 percent. Advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, are vehicle technologies that make driving safer, and when used properly they prevent 40 percen Full explanation in Test 7

18. 18. Why can alcohol create driving impairment concerns before a driver reaches 0.08 BAC?

    1. A lower BAC improves reaction time but increases fines
    2. The legal limit changes to 0.10 when traffic is light
    3. Only experienced drivers are affected below 0.08 BAC
    4. Judgment and coordination can be impaired at a much lower BAC
    Show answer

    Judgment and coordination can be impaired at a much lower BAC. The manual identifies 0.08 as Maryland’s threshold for driving under the influence, but it also warns that alcohol can impair judgment and p Full explanation in Test 8

19. 19. What must a Maryland driver caught drinking and driving install in the vehicle?

    1. A dashboard camera that records every trip
    2. A speed governor set at 55 mph
    3. A GPS tracker monitored by the court
    4. A breathalyzer car lock that prevents starting the vehicle if alcohol is detected
    Show answer

    A breathalyzer car lock that prevents starting the vehicle if alcohol is detected. Maryland warns that a driver caught drinking and driving will have to install a breathalyzer car lock, which stops the vehicle from starting Full explanation in Test 9

20. 20. What is the first required action at a flashing red signal?

    1. Slow down and continue without stopping
    2. Make a complete stop before the stop line or crosswalk
    3. Proceed if no vehicle is visible, then stop in the intersection
    4. Stop only when a pedestrian is waiting
    Show answer

    Make a complete stop before the stop line or crosswalk. A flashing red signal is treated as a stop requirement. Full explanation in Test 10

21. 21. Which license is issued to a new driver who has never held a driver license?

    1. A Provisional Driver’s License
    2. A commercial driver license
    3. A temporary learner card
    4. A motorcycle instruction card
    Show answer

    A Provisional Driver’s License. Maryland describes the Provisional Driver’s License as the stage issued to new drivers who have never held a driver license. Full explanation in Test 1

22. 22. You are stopped at a T intersection and want to enter the road that continues across. Who must receive the right of way?

    1. The vehicle that signals first
    2. Traffic already on the road you are entering
    3. The driver stopped at the end of the T
    4. Traffic approaching from the less busy direction only
    Show answer

    Traffic already on the road you are entering. A driver entering from the stem of a T intersection must yield to drivers already traveling on the through road. Full explanation in Test 2

23. 23. How long must an applicant under 18 hold a Maryland learner's permit without a violation before a provisional license?

    1. 45 days
    2. 3 months
    3. 18 months
    4. 9 months
    Show answer

    9 months. An applicant under 18 must complete a nine-month permit period without a violation before becoming eligible for the provisional license. Full explanation in Test 3

24. 24. What does a posted speed limit represent under ideal road conditions?

    1. The maximum legal speed you can travel on that road
    2. The minimum speed allowed on that road
    3. A recommended speed that may always be exceeded by 10 mph
    4. A target speed that applies only when traffic is light
    Show answer

    The maximum legal speed you can travel on that road. A posted speed limit is the maximum legal speed for that road when conditions are ideal. Full explanation in Test 4

25. 25. What does a steady yellow traffic signal indicate?

    1. Stop if you can do so safely, or continue carefully if too close to stop
    2. Accelerate every time to beat the red signal
    3. Stop only after entering the intersection
    4. Treat the signal as a green light until it turns red
    Show answer

    Stop if you can do so safely, or continue carefully if too close to stop. A steady yellow means the signal is changing from green to red. Full explanation in Test 5