You come to a red, eight-sided sign with white letters. What must you do?

Come to a complete stop, yield to pedestrians and close traffic, then go when safe

Slow down and continue if no cross traffic is visible

Stop only if another vehicle is already at the intersection

Yield to pedestrians only; a full stop is not required

In New Jersey, which kind of sign uses a yellow, five-sided (pentagon) shape?

Railroad crossing advance warning signs

An orange, diamond-shaped sign is used for which purpose?

Construction and maintenance warnings

Public recreation and scenic areas

Direction guidance to towns and routes

Speed limits and other regulations

What does the white, X-shaped railroad crossbuck sign require you to do?

Treat it like a YIELD sign and always yield the right-of-way to trains

Stop at the crossing only if a train is in sight

Stop every time, even when no train is coming

Slow down to 15 mph and continue across

What is the youngest age at which a New Jersey resident can get a special learner permit?

16, when enrolled in an approved behind-the-wheel driver training course

15, with a parent's written consent

17, with no driver training required

18, after passing the road test

A GDL permit holder under 21 must complete what supervised practice before the road test?

At least six months, including at least 50 hours of practice driving, 10 of them in darkness

At least three months and 20 hours of practice driving

At least 30 days, with no minimum number of hours

At least one year and 100 hours of practice driving

What must you do at a flashing red traffic light?

Stop, yield to traffic and pedestrians, and go only when it is safe

Slow down and continue with care without stopping

Stop only if cross traffic is coming

Wait until the light turns green

A pedestrian is walking in a marked crosswalk in front of you. What does New Jersey law require?

Come to a complete stop and stay stopped until the pedestrian has cleared your lane and the next lane in your direction

Slow down and steer around the pedestrian

Stop only if the pedestrian has a WALK signal

Sound your horn so the pedestrian hurries

When does New Jersey law require you to use your headlights?

From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, when visibility is 500 feet or less, and whenever your wipers are on

Only between midnight and 5 a.m.

Only when it is fully dark and streetlights are off

Only on highways with a speed limit above 50 mph

Under New Jersey's seat belt law, who in a passenger car must wear a seat belt?

Only the driver and front-seat passenger

For normal driving, where should your hands be on the steering wheel?

At the 9 and 3 o'clock positions on the outside rim

At 10 and 2 o'clock with thumbs hooked inside the rim

The rear of your car starts to skid to the right. What should you do?

Take your foot off the gas and steer in the direction the rear is skidding, without oversteering

Brake hard and hold the pedal down

You want to pass a bicyclist on a single-lane road and cannot move over a lane. What does the Safe Passing Law require?

Leave at least 4 feet; if that is not possible, slow to 25 mph and be ready to stop until it is safe to pass

Leave at least 1 foot and keep your speed

Sound your horn so the bicyclist moves onto the shoulder

NJ Permit Practice Test 2026 (Free, Explained)

New Jersey MVC knowledge test format

New Jersey MVC knowledge test	Official rule
Number of questions	50 questions, plus a survey question about organ donation source
Passing score	80 percent: 40 of the 50 questions correct source
Vision test	20/50 visual acuity, with or without corrective lenses source
Languages	Written test in English, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Albanian and Turkish; oral test in English and Spanish; MVC-arranged interpreter if your language is not offered source
Retake after failing	You can re-test in 7 days (road test: 14 days) source
Minimum age	16 for a special learner permit (enrolled in an approved behind-the-wheel course); 17 for an examination permit; 17 for a probationary license; 18 for a basic license source
Permit fee	$10 for a student (special) learner's permit or an examination permit source
Supervised driving (under 21)	At least 6 months, including at least 50 hours of practice driving with 10 in darkness, certified on form BA-CSD source
Supervised driving (21 and older)	At least 3 months before the road test source
Behind-the-wheel course (special learner permit)	Six full hours of instruction in a dual-controlled vehicle; the instructor buys the permit source
GDL restrictions (under 21)	No driving 11:01 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.; no hand-held or hands-free phones; supervising driver 21+ with 3 years' experience; limited passengers; red decals on both plates ($4 a pair) source
Permit validity	Two years to finish the steps and get your probationary license, or you must get a new permit source
Probationary license	Fee $6; at least one year of unsupervised driving before upgrading to a basic license at 18 or older source
Driver Manual edition	New Jersey Driver Manual 2026 (MVC manuals page: revised 09/26) source

Checked on the official sources on September 30, 2026. Rules change: always confirm on the official site before test day.

What the New Jersey knowledge test is

New Jersey does not have a "DMV". Licenses are issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), and every first-time driver goes through its Graduated Driver License (GDL) program in phases: a permit, a probationary license, then a basic license (NJ Driver Manual, chapter 1).

The knowledge test is the first real step. You take it with a vision test at an MVC driver testing center, and once you pass, your permit is validated for supervised practice driving. To prepare, the MVC tells you to study the New Jersey Driver Manual, which covers the license system, rules of the road, safe and defensive driving, alcohol and drugs, penalties, sharing the road and road signs.

Format and scoring

	New Jersey knowledge test
Questions	50, plus one survey question about organ donation
To pass	80 percent, or 40 of the 50 questions correct
Vision test	20/50, with or without corrective lenses
If you fail	re-test in 7 days
Languages	13 written languages; oral test in English and Spanish

The written test is offered in English, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Albanian and Turkish. If your language is not on the list, the MVC can arrange and pay for an interpreter; the manual says to tell the MVC at least two weeks before the date you plan to test. The MVC does not publish a time limit.

Forty out of fifty leaves room for only ten mistakes. The MVC's own sample knowledge test is a good way to see the style of the questions before you start.

The three GDL roads, step by step

Which road you take depends on your age when you start. All the steps below come from chapter 1 of the Driver Manual and the MVC's first driver license page.

Age 16: special learner permit (the "Early Bird Road")

Be at least 16, have signed parent or guardian consent, and enroll in an approved behind-the-wheel course through a school program or a licensed driving school.
The approved instructor buys the permit. You pass the knowledge and vision tests and pay the $10 permit fee.
Complete six full hours of behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual-controlled car. The MVC validates the permit for practice only after the course.
Practice with a supervising driver for at least six months, then take the road test. You must be at least 17 to receive the probationary license.

Ages 17 to 20: examination permit (the "Young Adult Road")

Be at least 17 (parent or guardian consent if you are under 18), buy an examination permit and pass the knowledge and vision tests.
Practice supervised driving for at least six months.
Pass the road test and get your probationary license.

Age 21 and older: examination permit (the "Adult Road")

Pass the knowledge and vision tests.
Practice supervised driving for at least three months.
Pass the road test.

On every road, the probationary license lasts at least one year of unsupervised driving, and you must be at least 18 to upgrade to a basic license. Once you have your permit, you have two years to finish the steps and get your probationary license, or you must get a new permit.

Supervised practice: the 50-hour rule

If you are under 21, six months of practice is not enough on its own. You need at least 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours in darkness, and a parent, guardian or supervising driver must certify them on form BA-CSD. The MVC says only this form is accepted, and that the 50 hours still apply if you got your permit before 21 and apply for the license after turning 21.

Your supervising driver must sit in the front seat, be at least 21, hold a valid New Jersey license and have at least three years of driving experience.

GDL restrictions for drivers under 21

These rules apply to special learner permits, examination permits and probationary licenses (Driver Manual, chapter 1):

Hours: no driving between 11:01 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless you carry a signed letter proving a work or religious need.
Phones: no hand-held or hands-free phones or other electronic devices.
Passengers: dependents plus one additional passenger, unless a parent or guardian is in the car.
Seat belts: you and every passenger must buckle up.
Decals: two red reflective decals, one on the top left corner of each license plate, $4 a pair.

Breaking a GDL restriction can mean a $100 fine or a suspension. If you are 21 or older, the hour, passenger and decal restrictions do not apply.

Fees

The MVC fee chart lists $10 for a special learner or examination permit, and the Driver Manual's license chart lists $6 for the probationary license and $24 for a standard basic license. GDL decals cost $4 a pair. The manual notes that fees can change, so check the MVC fee page before your appointment.

The road test

You can schedule it once your supervised period is complete. Bring your 6 Points of ID, your validated permit, an accompanying New Jersey driver who is at least 21 and has been licensed for at least three years, and a registered, inspected and insured vehicle with the red decals if you are under 21. The test takes about 10 to 15 minutes and includes driving in reverse, a 3-point turn and parallel parking. If you fail, you must wait at least 14 days before trying again.

New Jersey rules that come up often

Speed limits unless posted: 25 mph in school, business and residential districts, 35 mph in suburban business and residential districts, 50 mph on non-posted rural roads.
School buses: stop at least 25 feet away when the red lights flash; on a divided highway across a raised median, slow to 10 mph.
Pedestrians: stop, not just slow down, for a pedestrian in a crosswalk and stay stopped until they clear your lane and the next one.
Alcohol: the limit is 0.08 percent, or 0.01 percent for drivers under 21.
Parking: not within 10 feet of a hydrant, 25 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, or 50 feet of a stop sign or railroad crossing.

How to prepare

Download the free Driver Manual and read chapters 1 to 8 once, then study the sign chart and sign pages in the appendix until you can name each sign from its shape and color. Numbers are where most points are lost: GDL hours, following distances, parking distances, BAC limits and point values. Write them on one page and review them the day before. Try the MVC's sample test too.

Our practice questions are original, written from the current Driver Manual, and each one gives the chapter and page of the manual it comes from. They are for practice and do not replace the manual. The MVC decides what is on your test.

Frequently asked questions

Is it the DMV or the MVC in New Jersey?

New Jersey's licensing agency is the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), not a DMV. You visit a driver testing center with your 6 Points of ID to buy an examination permit, then make an appointment for the knowledge test (with a vision test) at an MVC testing location. Source

How many questions are on the New Jersey knowledge test, and what score do I need?

The test has 50 questions, plus a survey question about organ donation. You must answer 80 percent, or 40 of the 50, correctly. Source

What happens if I fail the knowledge test?

The MVC says that if you fail, you can re-test in 7 days. If you pass, your permit is validated and you can start supervised practice driving. Source

Can I get a permit at 16?

Yes, but only a special learner permit: you must have parent or guardian consent and be enrolled in an approved behind-the-wheel course (six hours in a dual-controlled car with a driving school or school program). The instructor buys the permit. Without a course, the examination permit starts at 17. Source

How many hours of supervised driving do I need?

If you are under 21, at least six months of supervised practice, including at least 50 hours of practice driving with 10 in darkness, certified by a parent, guardian or supervising driver on form BA-CSD. The MVC says the 50 hours still apply if you got your permit under 21 and apply for the license after turning 21. Drivers 21 and older need three months of supervised driving. Source

Which languages can I take the test in?

The written tests are offered in English, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Albanian and Turkish, and oral tests in English and Spanish. If your language is not offered, the MVC can arrange an interpreter. Source

Do the GDL rules apply if I am over 21?

Every new driver goes through the GDL phases, but if the examination permit or probationary license holder is 21 or older, the hour, passenger and decal restrictions do not apply. Adults still need a supervising driver while on a permit and three months of supervised practice. Source

Other states and road signs

California permit practice test

California DMV

Texas permit practice test

Texas Department of Public Safety

Florida permit practice test

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)

New York permit practice test

New York State DMV

Pennsylvania permit practice test

PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services

Ohio permit practice test

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

North Carolina permit practice test

North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV)

Georgia permit practice test

Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)

Virginia permit practice test

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Illinois permit practice test

Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services

Tennessee permit practice test

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver Services

Michigan permit practice test

Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State)

Road signs practice test

Shapes, colors and meanings

Sources

New Jersey Driver Manual, 2026 edition (MVC manuals page: revised 09/26; PDF last modified September 23, 2026) — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
Knowledge Test — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
Sample knowledge test — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
First Driver License/ID — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
Basic Road Test — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
Vision Test — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
License and Permit Fees — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
Graduated Driver License (decals and restrictions) — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)
Driver Manuals — New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (checked September 30, 2026)

passmock is an independent practice resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC). Our questions are original practice questions written from the official test description and study materials; they are not questions from the real test.

New Jersey permit practice test

Free New Jersey MVC knowledge test practice test (20 questions)