The Oregon permit test has 35 questions, and you need 28 correct (80%) to pass. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-22.
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Key Oregon DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the Oregon handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free Oregon DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the Oregon handbook (last verified 2026-09-07).
Speed limits
- Oregon sets a 15 mph maximum for driving in alleys. (Handbook, p. 19)
- A residential district has a statutory maximum of 25 mph when no other speed is posted. (Handbook, p. 19)
- The manual assigns business districts a 20 mph maximum unless a different limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 19)
- Oregon sets 55 mph for roads and highways that do not fit another statutory speed definition, unless a different limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 19)
- Oregon's statutory 25 mph limit covers residential districts, public parks, and ocean shores where vehicles are allowed. (Handbook, p. 19)
Right of way
- At a signalized intersection, the pedestrian must be six feet or more from the lane you are turning into before the turn begins. (Handbook, p. 47)
- A driver crossing a transit lane for a permitted movement must yield to transit vehicles and people riding bicycles in the lane. (Handbook, p. 8)
- Oregon permits operators of motorized wheelchairs, scooters, and personal assistive mobility devices to use bike lanes and paths. (Handbook, p. 51)
- Oregon requires drivers to stop for pedestrians crossing at both marked and unmarked crosswalks. (Handbook, p. 46)
- Before entering a roundabout, a driver must yield to traffic already inside and to traffic exiting the roundabout. (Handbook, p. 43)
Alcohol and DUI
- A driver under 21 fails Oregon's alcohol test with any amount of alcohol in the blood. (Handbook, p. 83)
- Oregon presumes impairment when blood alcohol concentration reaches 0.08 percent. (Handbook, p. 82)
- Driving in Oregon means agreeing to take a breath, blood, or urine test when a police officer asks. (Handbook, p. 83)
- Oregon's implied consent rule connects the act of driving with agreement to take a breath, blood, or urine test when a police officer asks. (Handbook, p. 83)
- Oregon treats an alcohol container as open once its seal is broken, even if someone puts the cap back on afterward. (Handbook, p. 83)
Signals and markings
- Oregon bars parking within 7 and a half feet of railroad or light rail tracks when it interferes with the train, on top of the 50 foot rule for the nearest rail of a crossing. (Handbook, p. 71)
- Oregon requires a moving driver to signal at least 100 feet before turning or changing lanes, giving others time to react. (Handbook, p. 38)
- Hand-and-arm signals are limited to daylight and to conditions where you can clearly see people and vehicles 1,000 feet away. (Handbook, p. 38)
- The manual requires a driver to stop and yield when a school crossing guard signals the driver to do so. (Handbook, p. 50)
- A driver approaching a bike box must stop for the traffic signal behind the box and must not stop in the box. (Handbook, p. 51)
Parking
- Oregon's parking list bars parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant. (Handbook, p. 70)
- Oregon phrases this rule by effect rather than a flat ban: you may not park within 50 feet of a traffic signal or sign if your vehicle hides the signal or sign from view. (Handbook, p. 71)
- Oregon warns that parking in a space reserved for persons with disabilities without a valid permit is expensive: fines start at $165 and can reach $1,000. (Handbook, p. 70)
- Oregon's no parking list bans parking within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. (Handbook, p. 71)
- Oregon bans parking within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad or light rail crossing. (Handbook, p. 71)
Safe driving
- At speeds above 35 mph, Oregon permits passing a bicyclist in the lane only when the driver leaves enough distance to prevent contact if the bicyclist falls. (Handbook, p. 50)
- Oregon requires lights whenever conditions make it difficult to see people or vehicles 1,000 feet ahead, including during daylight. (Handbook, p. 76)
- Approved child safety seats remain required until the child is 8 years old or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, and the adult lap and shoulder belt fits correctly. (Handbook, p. 74)
- Dim high beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. (Handbook, p. 76)
- Dim your headlights when you follow another vehicle within 350 feet. (Handbook, p. 76)
Road signs
- This school speed sign activates the reduced 20 mph limit whenever children are present, regardless of the day or clock time. (Handbook, p. 49)
- Oregon's parallel parking rule places the vehicle no more than 12 inches from the curb. (Handbook, p. 68)
- A School Hours sign sets a 20 mph limit from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days school is in session. (Handbook, p. 49)
- A flashing yellow light on a school speed sign indicates that children are arriving at or leaving school. (Handbook, p. 49)
- An octagon identifies a stop requirement, not a suggestion to slow down. (Handbook, p. 7)
Laws and paperwork
- An applicant under 18 can qualify through either of two documented paths: 100 hours of supervised driving experience, or 50 hours combined with an ODOT-approved traffic safety education course. (Handbook, p. 90)
- The supervised hours count only when the accompanying person meets both experience conditions in the manual: that person must be at least 21 years old and must have had valid driving privileges for at least three years. (Handbook, p. 90)
- Oregon requires an applicant under 18 to have held an instruction permit for at least six months before applying for a driver license. (Handbook, p. 90)
- For an Oregon Class C noncommercial driving privilege, the minimum age to apply for an instruction permit is 15. (Handbook, p. 89)
- For an applicant younger than 18 who is enrolled in or attending school, Oregon places the certification duty on a parent or legal guardian. (Handbook, p. 89)
Emergencies
- After an emergency vehicle passes, Oregon requires the driver to stay at least 500 feet behind it. (Handbook, p. 58)
- Oregon’s minimum required coverage for damage to another person’s property is $20,000 per collision. (Handbook, p. 93)
- A collision report on Form 735-32 is due within 72 hours when the damage to the vehicle you were driving is over $2,500, so $3,000 of damage triggers it even with no injuries and no tow. (Handbook, p. 94)
- When approaching a stopped vehicle with flashing lights, Oregon tells drivers to allow it as much room as safely possible, and at emergency scenes to slow down and be prepared to stop. (Handbook, p. 57)
- Oregon's collision procedure protects people from a second crash when disabled vehicles are still movable. (Handbook, p. 93)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 21 short lessons quoted from the Oregon manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free Oregon DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see Oregon DMV facts and fees before test day.