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Maryland MVA Permit Test

Maryland Permit Test 2013

When you finally choose to apply for your drivers license, the state will ask you to pass the 2013 Maryland permit test prior to issuing you with any type of a licensing document. It does not matter how old you are when you are applying for a license, there is no way around taking the 2013 Maryland MVA permit test. The exam tests your knowledge of road signs, traffic laws and safe driving techniques. Although the Maryland permit test questions are not specifically hard, you should start preparing for it well in advance if you want to pass the test the first time you take it. Remember, more than a half of first time takers fail the MVA permit test so you should go ahead and study before you hit the office.

Maryland Permit Test Questions

More than 50 percent of all first time Maryland learners permit applicants fail their permit test the first time they take it. The reason for this is very simple - people don't study for the test and they are not prepared for the level of questions they encounter. Most of the applicants are under impression that general knowledge about driving should be sufficient for passing the DMV permit test, which is not true. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration wants to make sure that you have in-depth knowledge of the traffic laws and are able to deal with most of the possible on-road situations at least in theory and that's why the permit test questions are usually quite complex.

Just to give you an idea of what you will be facing, here is a sample MVA permit test question that is provided in the official Maryland DMV test manual.

The best way to tell if you are permitted to pass other vehicles is to see if:

  • a. there is a green flashing light
  • b. the road ahead is straight
  • c. the vehicle ahead signal that it is OK to pass
  • d. there are solid or broken lane markings

The correct answer to this question is d - there are solid or broken lines present.

The real Maryland MVA permit test will contain 20 multiple choice questions like this and the passing score is 85%, which means you need to give at least 17 correct answers. If you are cool with the questions of this kind, you should be all right on your test.

Studying for the Maryland Drivers Permit Test

Thankfully, there is no shortage of study materials when it comes to applying for a Maryland drivers license. The best place to start is definitely the official drivers handbook that is published by the MVD. The book contains two parts, one of the them covers the licensing procedure while the other one contains the actual rules of the road and traffic signs that you need to know. Make sure not to skip the first part of the book as it contains important information about the Maryland graduated license law that specifies all restrictions that you need to observe before you get a full drivers license.

Once done with the drivers license book, you may take a Maryland MVA practice permit test. Practice permit tests will help you learn the wording used on the real exam and although identify the rules you may need to study a little more. Although Maryland practice permit tests are quite useful, they should not be used as the only study material, they must supplement the drivers handbook. Remember that we also have a free MVA practice test and a Maryland MVA drivers practice test available on the site. The official MVA practice test is timed while these sample exams are not timed.

Finally, there are also professional Maryland drivers education classes. According to the current graduated license law, drivers license applicants of all ages must take a drivers ed class before they can be issued with a provisional drivers license. Approved drivers ed courses have at least 30 hours of classroom instruction time and 6 hours of behind the wheel instruction. Although the MVD only requires you to take the course prior to applying for a license, you may want to sign up for the course early as it provides you with the information that comes very handy on your drivers permit test. Please remember that the Maryland MVD does not accept online drivers ed or any other home study programs, it must be the actual in person class.

Taking the Test

There are two types of learners permits that can be issued in Maryland. Type 1 learners permit are issued to all first time applicants, while type 2 learners permit are issued to drivers who have held or currently hold a valid drivers license.

The minimum age for taking a Maryland MVA permit test for a type 1 learners permit is 15 years and 9 months. At this age, you can visit one of the MVD locations and apply for a learners permit. If you are under 18 years of age, you must have a parent or legal guardian present at the time of the application. When you visit an MVD office, please be prepared to do the following:

  • present proof of identity
  • provide proof of age
  • provide proof of residency
  • provide your Social Security number
  • fill in the application form
  • pay the application fee
  • take a vision exam
  • take your drivers permit test

If you are under 18 years of age, your parents will need to co-sign the application form, granting you permission to obtain a drivers license. The parent has the right to withdraw this authorization and cancel your drivers license any time before your 18th birthday.

If you fail the Maryland permit test, you can come back and retake it the next business day. If you fail the test again, you will have to wait at least seven days prior to having another go at the exam.

Once you successfully pass your permit test, you will be issued with a learners permit. Please remember to observe all Maryland learners permit restrictions as it is not a full drivers license yet. You will have to pass the driver skills test before you can gain a drivers license.

If you have a reading disability and require special assistance on the exam, please call the drivers license office you plan on attending in advance so special arrangements can be made.