MA Permit Practice Test 25

All 20 questions in test 25

Every question below comes from the Massachusetts 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. At night in Massachusetts, from how far away must your license plate number be visible?

   1. From 40 feet
   2. From 50 feet
   3. From 60 feet
   4. From 100 feet
   Show answer

   From 60 feet. Your license plates must be clean and unobstructed, and the plate number must be visible from 60 feet at night. Forty and 50 feet fall short of that distance; 100 feet is not the stated requirement. Registration stickers must be placed only in the upper right corner of the plate. Forty feet is shorter than the night visibility distance required for a plate number.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and safe following distance

2. 2. Which vehicles fall under a Massachusetts Class C license?

   1. Motorcycles only, as defined in state law
   2. Ordinary cars, sport utility vehicles, and family vans
   3. Combinations over 26,001 pounds towing units above 10,000 pounds
   4. Single or combined vehicles outside Class A or B that are designed to transport 16 or more people including the driver, or are required to have hazardous-material placards
   Show answer

   Single or combined vehicles outside Class A or B that are designed to transport 16 or more people including the driver, or are required to have hazardous-material placards. Class C covers single or combined vehicles missing the Class A and B definitions yet built for 16 or more occupants counting the driver, or needing hazardous material placards under federal rule 49 CFR 172.500. Ordinary family vans describe Class D instead, a swap that misleads because vans can look commercial at a glance. Holders may also operate Class D vehicles. Count the seats on a small shuttle bus, driver included; hitting sixteen seats is the mental image that separates this credential from an everyday passenger car license.

   Study this in the handbook: The learner's permit and permit exam

3. 3. At a crosswalk with pedestrian signals but no push button, how does a pedestrian get a WALK signal?

   1. Intersections without buttons automatically give WALK signals
   2. The pedestrian must wave traffic to a stop
   3. No WALK signal ever appears without a button
   4. The pedestrian should cross on the vehicle green alone
   Show answer

   Intersections without buttons automatically give WALK signals. Button hardware varies by intersection, and the signal cycle fills the gap. At crosswalks with pedestrian signals, a pedestrian pushes the button on the pole and waits for a WALK signal. Intersections without buttons automatically give WALK signals. Waving traffic down substitutes gestures for the signal phase. Claiming no WALK can appear without hardware would strand pedestrians at automatic locations. Crossing on vehicle green alone ignores the pedestrian display that controls the same space. As a driver, expect walk phases even where no button post stands beside the crosswalk.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and pedestrian signals

4. 4. What is the Dutch Reach method for opening a vehicle door?

   1. Opening the door with your far hand, which turns your body to see approaching bicyclists
   2. Opening with the hand closest to the door for speed
   3. Pushing the door open with a foot
   4. Opening the rear door first as a shield
   Show answer

   Opening the door with your far hand, which turns your body to see approaching bicyclists. The Dutch Reach means opening the door with your far hand, the hand farther from the door. It originated in the Netherlands. Reaching across forces your body to turn so you can better see approaching bicyclists and prevents the door from being opened too fast. Drivers and passengers should first check the rear-view and side-view mirrors. A rear door shield does not perform the far hand turn the method requires.

5. 5. For how long is a Massachusetts driver license valid, and when does it typically expire?

   1. Three years, on the issue date
   2. Seven years, at the end of the birth month
   3. Five years at most, typically on your birthday
   4. Five years at most, on January 1 for everyone
   Show answer

   Five years at most, typically on your birthday. Ordinary licensure runs on a five year birthday cycle. A Massachusetts driver license is valid for a maximum of five years and typically expires on your birthday. Three years shortens the cycle without basis. Seven years stretches it beyond the stated maximum, and month end rounding changes the anchor date. January 1 for everyone would detach expiration from the holder entirely. A useful memory hook is personal rather than calendar based: the birthday that renews your age also anchors renewal, once five years have run, unless a shorter lawful presence period applies.

   Study this in the handbook: The learner's permit and permit exam

6. 6. For a driver 18 or older in Massachusetts, when may a GPS device, including a cell phone, be used for navigation while driving?

   1. Held in one hand if the map stays open
   2. Only if the device is affixed, temporarily or permanently, in the vehicle to provide navigation assistance
   3. Only when stopped at red lights
   4. GPS use is banned while the vehicle moves
   Show answer

   Only if the device is affixed, temporarily or permanently, in the vehicle to provide navigation assistance. For drivers 18 and older, GPS devices, including cell phones, may be used for navigation if affixed temporarily or permanently in the vehicle. Devices must not interfere with driving. The manual prohibits handheld use while driving and at red lights or stop signs. Affixed GPS navigation is permitted while driving, not only when stopped at red lights. The manual permits an affixed device to provide navigation assistance while driving.

   Study this in the handbook: Hands free law and distracted driving

7. 7. Where may a limited use vehicle be driven in Massachusetts?

   1. On any highway, including limited access roads
   2. Never on a limited access or express state highway or any road with a speed limit faster than 40 mph
   3. Only on roads posted above 40 mph
   4. Only on limited access highways during daylight
   Show answer

   Never on a limited access or express state highway or any road with a speed limit faster than 40 mph. A limited-use vehicle can go faster than 30 mph but not more than 40 mph. It is classified as a motorcycle or passenger vehicle depending on its number of wheels, requiring a Class M or Class D license or permit respectively. It cannot be driven on a limited-access or express state highway or any road with a speed limit faster than 40 mph.

8. 8. Some Massachusetts communities set a thickly settled speed limit of 25 mph. How do drivers learn that limit applies there?

   1. It applies statewide with no signs needed
   2. It applies only when a police officer announces it
   3. It replaces every posted limit on highways
   4. Signs are posted at all entrances to these cities and towns
   Show answer

   Signs are posted at all entrances to these cities and towns. Some Massachusetts communities have a thickly settled speed limit of 25 mph unless posted otherwise, under M.G.L. c90, Section 17c. The manual says signs are posted at all entrances to these cities and towns. This is the stated way drivers are informed of the community limit. The manual says signs are posted at all entrances to communities with this 25 mph limit; it does not make an officer announcement a prerequisite.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits and the dangers of speeding

9. 9. What may a Massachusetts driver do on a channelizing island?

   1. Park briefly if hazards are on
   2. Use it to pass slow traffic
   3. Stop there to read directions
   4. Drive over or park on it only when directed by a police officer
   Show answer

   Drive over or park on it only when directed by a police officer. A channelizing island is a traffic island or pavement marking that guides traffic along certain paths and prevents operation on parts of the roadway. You cannot drive over or park a motor vehicle on one unless a police officer directs you to do so. Hazard lights, passing slow traffic, or reading directions are not the exception stated in the manual.

   Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and special lanes

10. 10. What braking performance must a bicycle have under Massachusetts law?

    1. A proper working brake system able to stop from 15 MPH within 30 feet
    2. Any brake that slows the bicycle eventually
    3. Brakes are optional below 10 MPH
    4. Only a rear brake is required
    Show answer

    A proper working brake system able to stop from 15 MPH within 30 feet. A bicycle must have a properly working brake system able to stop from 15 MPH within 30 feet. The rule states a stopping-performance requirement, not an exemption for low speeds or a requirement limited to a rear brake. Slowing eventually, with no measured distance, states no braking standard. The rule demands stopping performance, not a single rear brake only. The brake requirement applies regardless of low riding speed.

11. 11. A 15 year old holds a license from a state that allows driving before age 16. May that teenager drive in Massachusetts?

    1. Yes, if a parent rides along
    2. Yes, on local roads only
    3. Yes, with the home state license in hand
    4. No. No person under 16 may drive in Massachusetts
    Show answer

    No. No person under 16 may drive in Massachusetts. Age eligibility travels with Massachusetts law once driving happens here. No person under the age of 16 may drive in Massachusetts, and that bar holds even when another state, territory, or country issued a license or permit allowing operation below 16. A parent passenger does not cure the age problem. Limiting travel to local roads still involves operating a motor vehicle on Massachusetts ways. Possession of the home credential matters for older visitors, yet it cannot override a flat minimum age. The birthday controls: sixteen comes first, driving follows.

12. 12. Which working driver is excused from wearing a safety belt in Massachusetts?

    1. An employee of the U.S. Postal Service who is driving a motor vehicle while working
    2. Any delivery driver on a tight route
    3. Any food delivery driver on a tight route
    4. Any driver making frequent stops
    Show answer

    An employee of the U.S. Postal Service who is driving a motor vehicle while working. Work based belt exceptions name a specific employer rather than a general delivery pattern. An employee of the U.S. Postal Service who is driving a motor vehicle while working does not need to wear a safety belt under this entry. The manual also lists drivers of taxis, liveries, tractors, buses, and trucks with gross weights of 18,000 pounds or more, noting that drivers of some commercial motor vehicles do need to wear safety belts. A tight route describes pressure, not an exempt status, whether the driving is delivery work or repeated stops along a street. Food delivery driving and frequent stops may feel similar in daily motion, yet neither appears in this exception. The cue is the employer and the task together: Postal Service employment plus driving on the job.

    Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and safe following distance

13. 13. What flashing light may a funeral home vehicle display during a funeral procession?

    1. Flashing red, like an emergency vehicle
    2. Flashing purple, and no other color, when operated by the owner or a funeral home employee or contractor in the procession
    3. Flashing blue from any procession car
    4. No flashing light is ever allowed
    Show answer

    Flashing purple, and no other color, when operated by the owner or a funeral home employee or contractor in the procession. A vehicle owned by a funeral home or funeral home director may display a flashing purple light, but no other color, when operated by the owner or a funeral home employee or contractor during a funeral procession. The funeral-vehicle rule permits flashing purple and expressly excludes other colors, including red. A flashing purple light is allowed within the ownership and procession limits. Blue is likewise outside the single permitted purple color.

14. 14. Which places may never be used for passing another vehicle?

    1. A breakdown lane, the shoulder of a road, or a sidewalk
    2. A broken yellow lane when sight is clear
    3. The left lane of a multi lane highway
    4. A passing lane marked for that purpose
    Show answer

    A breakdown lane, the shoulder of a road, or a sidewalk. Some surfaces sit outside passing law regardless of how empty they appear. A breakdown lane, the shoulder of a road, and a sidewalk may never be used to pass another vehicle. A broken yellow center line can authorize temporary opposing lane use when sight and safety allow. Left and marked passing lanes exist precisely for lawful overtaking on multi lane roads. Shoulder temptation grows in congestion, yet emergency space and pedestrian surfaces cannot absorb impatient traffic. If the only path around runs onto shoulder or sidewalk, the pass does not happen; patience becomes the maneuver.

    Study this in the handbook: Turns, right of way and rotaries

15. 15. Can prescription drugs support an operating under the influence charge in Massachusetts?

    1. No, only alcohol counts
    2. No, only illegal street drugs count
    3. Yes, but only when alcohol is also present
    4. Yes. You can be considered OUI with prescription drugs, and driving while impaired by any substance is illegal
    Show answer

    Yes. You can be considered OUI with prescription drugs, and driving while impaired by any substance is illegal. Impairment, not the shelf where a substance came from, drives this prohibition. A driver can be considered operating under the influence with prescription drugs. Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by any substance is illegal, whether the source is illegal drugs, prescription medicine, or over the counter products that dull driving skills. Alcohol only and street drug only readings both carve out medicines the rule expressly includes. Requiring alcohol alongside medicine adds a condition that never appears. Read labels, ask prescribers about drowsiness and reaction effects, and treat medicated impairment as a reason to hand over the keys.

    Study this in the handbook: Zero tolerance and under 21 alcohol laws

16. 16. How must you pull away from a curb into traffic?

    1. Pull out quickly before traffic arrives
    2. Back out until the lane clears
    3. Wait for travel lane vehicles to pass, signal that you are pulling out, and move slowly into traffic
    4. Pull out without signaling if traffic is light
    Show answer

    Wait for travel lane vehicles to pass, signal that you are pulling out, and move slowly into traffic. When pulling away from the curb, wait for vehicles in the travel lane to pass. Then signal that you are pulling out and move slowly into traffic. The manual instructs you to wait for travel-lane vehicles to pass, signal, and move slowly into traffic. A quick launch enters before travel lane traffic has passed as required. Signaling is required even when traffic appears light.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and hills

17. 17. An applicant wears a head cover for religious reasons at the RMV photo. When may that cover stay on for the photo?

    1. Whenever the applicant prefers to keep it on
    2. When it does not hide any facial features
    3. Only when a physician note is filed in advance
    4. Never, regardless of the reason
    Show answer

    When it does not hide any facial features. A head cover worn for medical or religious reasons may be allowed if it does not hide any facial features. The captured image must show all facial features, including the eyes, nose, mouth, and cheeks. For a religious head cover, the stated condition is that it must not hide any facial features. Preference alone is not enough; the cover must leave every facial feature visible.

18. 18. You witness a crash and no police or emergency vehicles have arrived. Where should warning devices be placed?

    1. Fifty feet behind the crash only
    2. Two hundred feet or more in front of and behind the crash
    3. Directly against the bumpers of the involved vehicles
    4. In the hands of a person waving traffic from the lane
    Show answer

    Two hundred feet or more in front of and behind the crash. If warning devices are available, place flares, emergency triangles, or reflectors 200 feet or more in front of and behind the crash to warn other drivers. The specified placement is 200 feet or more in front of and behind the crash, not against the bumpers. Fifty feet is far short of the stated 200 feet or more in front of and behind the crash.

19. 19. How many questions must you answer correctly to pass the Massachusetts learner permit exam, and within what time limit?

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

    18 questions correct within 25 minutes. Passing the Massachusetts learner permit exam requires 18 correct responses inside an allotted 25 minutes. Getting all 25 questions correct within 60 minutes sets a perfect score and a far longer clock than the exam allows. Twenty correct within 30 minutes raises both the passing mark and the time beyond their actual values. Fifteen correct within 25 minutes keeps the clock right yet drops the passing mark too low. A handy pairing to lock in before test day is eighteen and twenty five, the score and the minutes together.

    Study this in the handbook: The learner's permit and permit exam

20. 20. Before backing up in Massachusetts, what check protects people hidden behind your vehicle?

    1. Rely only on mirrors and backup sensors
    2. Honk twice and back up at normal speed
    3. Check behind the vehicle before getting in, then turn your head and look out the window before backing
    4. Back up quickly so you spend less time in reverse
    Show answer

    Check behind the vehicle before getting in, then turn your head and look out the window before backing. Before getting into your vehicle, check behind it for children or animals. Do not rely only on mirrors or sensors, because blind spots may hide people or objects. Turn your head and look out the window before you start backing up. Blind spots may hide people or objects behind the vehicle, so do not rely only on mirrors or sensors. The manual says to check behind the vehicle and look out the window before backing up.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles and mopeds