The learner's permit and permit exam

Key points

1. You must be at least 16 to apply for a Class D or M learner's permit.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “You must be at least 16 years old to apply for a Class D or M learner’s permit.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 15

2. The permit exam has 25 multiple choice questions, and you must answer 18 correctly within 25 minutes.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “Each learner’s permit exam has 25 multiple-choice questions. Topics covered on the exam include alcohol misuse, suspensions, and JOL violations, as well as rules of the road and identifying road signs. To pass the exam, you must answer 18 questions correctly within the allotted time of 25 minutes.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 16

3. A permit lets you drive with a licensed operator at least 21 years old, and is valid up to 2 years.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “A learner’s permit gives you permission to drive (accompanied by a licensed operator at least 21 years old) while you practice your driving skills and prepare for your road test. A permit is valid up to two years.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 15

4. The supervising driver must sit beside you, hold a valid license and have at least 1 year of driving experience.

   Source: Handbook p. 18

   “You must be accompanied by a licensed operator who occupies the passenger seat next to you and is at least 21 years old, holds a valid driver’s license from Massachusetts or another state, and has at least one year of driving experience.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 18

5. Under 18, a permit holder may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless with a licensed parent or guardian.

   Source: Handbook p. 18

   “If you are under 18, you may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 18

6. You need 20/40 vision in your better eye and 120 degrees of side vision for a full license.

   Source: Handbook p. 5

   “your vision must be at least 20/40 visual acuity in your better eye (corrected) and at least 120 degrees of horizontal peripheral vision (both eyes together) for a full license.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 5

7. Cheating on the permit exam means no license or permit for 60 days.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “If you are found responsible for cheating, you will not be allowed to hold any type of driver’s license or permit for 60 days.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 16

8. The permit exam fee is $30.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “Pay a $30 learner’s permit exam fee, which covers the cost of your exam.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 15

9. A Massachusetts license is valid for up to 5 years and usually expires on your birthday.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “A Massachusetts driver's license is valid for a maximum of five years and typically expires on your birthday.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 7

10. New residents must get a Massachusetts license; there is no grace period.

    Source: Handbook p. 2

    “If you become a resident of Massachusetts, you must obtain a Massachusetts driver's license to retain your driving privileges. There is no grace period.”
    Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 2

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Massachusetts practice test

1. 1. What is the minimum age to apply for a Class D or Class M learner's permit in Massachusetts?

   1. 17
   2. 15
   3. 16 1/2
   4. 16
   Show answer

   16. The Massachusetts ladder starts at 16 with the learner's permit for a car or motorcycle. Fifteen is too young, sixteen and a half is the earliest age for the Junior Operator license itself, and seventeen has no special meaning in the sequence. The permit lets the holder practice with a licensed operator who is at least 21 in the passenger seat, and the six months of holding it, plus driver education for those under 18, come before the road test.

2. 2. How many questions must a Massachusetts applicant answer correctly to pass the learner's permit exam, and in how much time?

   1. 20 questions within 30 minutes
   2. 25 questions within 60 minutes
   3. 15 questions within 20 minutes
   4. 18 questions within 25 minutes
   Show answer

   18 questions within 25 minutes. The permit exam has a clock as well as a score. Massachusetts requires 18 correct answers within 25 minutes, and the audio version of the exam carries the same 25 minute limit. The other combinations either overstate the number needed or invent a longer time window. Cheating carries a separate penalty: anyone found responsible cannot hold any license or permit for 60 days. Prepare from the manual rather than memorizing practice questions, because the wording changes.

3. 3. How many questions are on each Massachusetts learner's permit exam?

   1. 18 multiple-choice questions
   2. 40 true or false questions
   3. 50 multiple-choice questions
   4. 25 multiple-choice questions
   Show answer

   25 multiple-choice questions. Each learner's permit exam contains 25 multiple choice questions covering alcohol misuse, suspensions, JOL violations, rules of the road and road signs. Eighteen is the number you must get right, not the number asked, and fifty or forty questions overstate the exam. The test allows about a minute per question, for a 25 minute limit, and is offered on automated testing kiosks and online in several languages for Class D and M permits.

Source: the Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Chapter 1: Obtaining Your License. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.