How to pass the Georgia permit test the first time
Independent practice site. We're not the DDS and aren't connected to any government agency.
Find your weak topics before you start reading, and study those first. Learn the rules that look alike as pairs, side by side. Then bring back every question you miss on a later day, until you've got it right on two different days.
Every fact here comes from the Georgia Drivers' Manual. The pages are listed at the end, so you can check any of it.
Start with the free check-up to see which topics to study first. The free test takes about 5 minutes.
What the Georgia knowledge exam is
It's the written part of getting your instructional permit, and it has two parts. Road Signs asks you to identify signs, signals and markers. Road Rules asks about laws, your responsibilities as a driver and safe driving.
The numbers to know
- 20Questions per part
- 15 rightTo pass each part
- $10Fee, every attempt
- Next dayRetake after a first fail
- 7 daysWait after a second fail
You must pass both parts. If you fail one, you retake only that part: the next day after a first fail, or 7 days later after a second. The $10 fee is paid before every attempt and isn't refunded.
Exams are walk-in at any DDS Customer Service Center. Start at least 30 minutes before the center closes. No pens, paper or phones are allowed in the testing area, and talking to anyone but the examiner counts as a fail.
What's on it: nine topics
To study the manual, it helps to split its rules into topics. This site uses nine. Road Signs draws on signs, signals and pavement markings; Road Rules on the rest.
Some topics are mostly about who does what, like who goes first at a four-way stop. Others are mostly numbers: distances, speed limits, alcohol limits, ages and points. Those you have to memorize, and they're easy to swap.
Rules people often mix up
Many rules in the manual come in look-alike pairs: the same kind of situation with a different number. Learn each pair together, so you know which number goes with which.
Numbers that come in pairs
High beams
- The bigger number
- Dim them within 500 feet of a car coming toward you
- The smaller number
- Dim them within 200 feet of a car you're following
Parking
- The bigger number
- Park at least 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection
- The smaller number
- Park at least 15 feet from a fire hydrant
Fire trucks
- The bigger number
- Don't park within 500 feet of one stopped at a fire
- The smaller number
- Don't follow one answering an alarm closer than 200 feet
| High beams | Parking | Fire trucks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The bigger number | Dim them within 500 feet of a car coming toward you | Park at least 20 feet from a crosswalk at an intersection | Don't park within 500 feet of one stopped at a fire |
| The smaller number | Dim them within 200 feet of a car you're following | Park at least 15 feet from a fire hydrant | Don't follow one answering an alarm closer than 200 feet |
Alcohol limits
21 and over
- Legally under the influence at
- 0.08 or more
Under 21
- Legally under the influence at
- 0.02 or more
| 21 and over | Under 21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Legally under the influence at | 0.08 or more | 0.02 or more |
The mix-up
Not quite: On a four-lane road, I don't have to stop for a school bus on the other side.
Right: Without a median, traffic in both directions stops. Only a median lets oncoming traffic keep going.
The mix-up
Not quite: I can drive in the center turn lane for a block before my turn.
Right: Enter the center turn lane no more than 300 feet before your left turn, and use it only to turn left.
The mix-up
Not quite: With a Class D, I can drive home from work after midnight if I have a note.
Right: A Class D holder may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. There are no exceptions.
How to study in the days you have
A week before the exam
- Take a practice test before you read anything, and note which topics you missed. Those are the ones you study first.
- Study your two or three weakest topics a day. Read their pages in the manual, answer questions on them, and read why each wrong answer is wrong.
- Keep a list of every question you miss, and try each one again on a later day. Cross it off once you've got it right on two different days.
- On each of the last three days, start with a full practice exam. Spend the rest of your time on the topic it shows is weakest.
- The day before, go over your list of misses and the number pairs one last time. Don't start anything new.
With less time, keep the same order and squeeze it. With one evening, take a practice test, go over what you got wrong and the number pairs, and stop there.
What to bring
Before you leave
- Original documents that prove who you are and your citizenship or lawful presence.
- Your full Social Security number.
- Two documents with your Georgia address, dated within the last 6 months.
- The $10 fee, in cash or by card. DDS doesn't take checks or money orders.
- Your glasses or contacts if you need them. Everyone takes a vision test.
Under 18, you also need to be at least 15, to bring proof of school enrollment, and to have a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult sign your application.
After you pass
With your permit, you may drive only with a licensed driver at least 21 in the seat beside you. The permit is valid for 2 years.
For a Class D license at 16, you hold the permit for one year and one day, finish driver education and ADAP, and drive at least 40 hours, 6 of them at night, before the road test.
Questions people ask
How many questions are on the Georgia permit test?
Two parts of 20: Road Signs and Road Rules. You need 15 right on each, and you must pass both.
What happens if I fail one part?
You retake only that part. After a first fail you can retake it the next day; after a second or later fail you wait 7 days. The $10 fee is paid again each time.
Can I take the Georgia permit test in another language?
The manual says the Road Rules part is offered in some other languages and the Road Signs part in English only. Ask DDS what's available when you go.
What do I bring to the permit test?
Original identity documents, your Social Security number, two proofs of your Georgia address, and the $10 fee. Under 18, also proof of school enrollment and an adult to sign.
Take the free 20-question test
20 questions from every topic, each with the answer explained and a link to the manual page. You need 15 right for 75%, the pass mark the DDS uses. Free, no sign-up.
Go deeper
Practice the rules in this guide
Each one has a free practice question with the answer explained.
- Dim high beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic
- Dim high beams within 200 feet of a car you follow
- Distance from a crosswalk
- Distance from a fire hydrant
- Fire trucks: follow 200 feet back, park 500 feet away
- BAC limit for drivers 21 and over
Show all 13
- BAC limit for drivers under 21: 0.02
- School bus: only a median lets oncoming traffic go
- Center left turn lane: 300 feet
- Class D: no driving midnight to 5 a.m.
- Instructional permit at 15, supervisor 21 or older
- Permit good for 2 years; hold it 1 year and 1 day
- Joshua's Law: driver education and 40 hours
Sources
Georgia Drivers' Manual
- Section 1, General Licensing Information: page 6
- Section 2, Obtaining a License, Permit or Identification Card: page 8
- Section 3, Testing Information: pages 12 and 13
- Section 5, Traffic Laws: pages 18, 20, 23 and 24
- Section 6, Teen Driving Laws: pages 26 and 27
- Section 7, Signs, Signals and Markings: page 37
- Section 9, Sharing the Road: page 44
Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026.
We read these sources and wrote this guide in our own words. The DDS has the final word, and rules change, so check anything important with the DDS before your appointment.