Failed the Maryland permit test? What happens next
Failing the knowledge test happens, and you can try again. Here is what the next test looks like and what to do differently this time.
Independent practice site. We're not the MVA and aren't connected to any government agency.
What happens now
- The test
- The same 25 questions in 20 minutes next time, drawn from the whole manual.Source: Manual section 1, Driving tests requirements, page 7
- When you can retake
- The manual doesn't say. Ask the MVA when you book your next appointment.Source: Manual section 1, Driving tests requirements, page 7
What to change before your next try
- Write down what caught you out while you still remember: which topics, and which kinds of question.
- Answer questions instead of rereading. Practicing with questions and reading why each wrong answer is wrong helps more than going over the manual again.
- Check yourself on wordings you haven't seen. The real test may ask a rule in a different way from any practice test.
- Go over the numbers. Distances, seconds, ages, days and fines are easy to mix up. Each topic below has them.
- Practice against the clock. 25 questions in 20 minutes is under a minute each.
Practice by topic
Sources
Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026.
We read these sources and wrote this page in our own words. The MVA has the final word, and rules change, so check anything important with the MVA before your appointment.