It depends on your state. In 24 of the 35 states that publish one overall pass mark you need 80%; the lowest is 70% (Michigan, New Mexico and Texas) and the highest 88% (Maryland).
Tests have 18 to 80 questions where the state publishes the number. Pick your state to see its official figures from its licensing authority. "Can get wrong" is worked out from them (questions minus correct answers needed) and shown only where one mark covers the whole test.
Commonly reported, not official: 30 questions, with 24 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Commonly reported, not official: 25 questions, with 20 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 36, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
80% when the written test is taken with an approved third-party tester (Colorado rule 1 CCR 204-30, Rule 8); no official mark is published for tests at a DMV office. Commonly reported, not official: 25 questions, with 20 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Each part is passed separately, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The exact number of questions is not published (the state rule sets at least 35; commonly reported as 35, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 50, not official), and each section is marked separately, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 40, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
These figures are for the Segment 1 state exam that teens under 18 take in driver education. Adults 18 and older take a separate Secretary of State knowledge test (with a road sign test), whose question count and pass mark are not published.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 40, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 30, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Commonly reported, not official: 33 questions, with 27 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
New Hampshire does not issue learner's permits: the knowledge test is taken when you apply for your first driver license (Youth Operator License at 16 to 20).
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 25, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Includes 4 road sign questions with their own mark (2 of 4), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 25, not official), and the two tests are marked separately, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Commonly reported, not official: 25 questions, with 20 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
CCRI, which gives the DMV knowledge test to its driver-education students, says 70% is needed to pass (not a DMV figure). The pass mark is not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Commonly reported, not official: 30 questions, with 24 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 25, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
The number of questions is not published (commonly reported as 30, not official), so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Applicants who have held a license before take a separate open-book 25-question test instead of the 50-question closed-book test.
Each part is passed separately, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Each part is passed separately, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Commonly reported, not official: 25 questions, with 20 correct needed. The number of questions and the pass mark are not published, so the wrong answers are not worked out.
Outside the United States, the official pass marks for each learner and theory test are on the Canada and Australia pages and the UK theory test page.
It depends on the state: take the correct answers needed away from the number of questions. In the 27 states that publish both and mark the whole test as one, the most you can get wrong runs from 3 (Maryland and Pennsylvania) to 24 (Michigan); the list below shows each state.
80% in most states (24 of the 35 that publish one overall pass mark). The range is 70% in Michigan, New Mexico and Texas to 88% in Maryland; a few states mark parts of the test separately (see the list).
From 18 (Pennsylvania) to 80 (Michigan) among the 32 states that publish the number; 19 of the 50 states and DC do not publish it.
Some licensing authorities do not publish the number of questions (19 of the 50 states and DC) or a pass mark (10). The questions and pass marks in the list are official; where a format is commonly reported but not official, the notes say so.
The questions and pass marks in the list are official: from each licensing authority's own pages, handbook or state rules, read between October 13, 2026 and October 22, 2026. "Can get wrong" is worked out from them, and figures marked "commonly reported, not official" in the notes are not from the authority. Montana and the District of Columbia are listed for completeness; we have no practice tests for them yet. Free practice tests for the other 49 states are on the United States page, and how we check facts is on the About page. Driving Knowledge Test is independent and not affiliated with any DMV.