CT Permit Test (2026): What's On It & How to Pass

The CT permit test is the written knowledge test you pass at the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to get a learner's permit, and you must be at least 16. Practice sites commonly say the Connecticut permit test has 25 questions and needs 80% to pass, but those figures are unofficial, so confirm them at portal.ct.gov/dmv and study the whole Connecticut Driver's Manual.

Connecticut permit test at a glance

Detail	What to know
Agency	Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), portal.ct.gov/dmv
Minimum age	16 for a learner's permit
Test	Written knowledge test from the Connecticut Driver's Manual: road signs, traffic laws and safe driving
Questions and pass mark	Third-party sites say 25 questions and 80%. This is unofficial; confirm with the DMV
Where	In person with the DMV. Check portal.ct.gov/dmv for locations and how to book
Online test	We could not confirm an online option for the learner's permit test. Check portal.ct.gov/dmv
Fee	Check the DMV's current fee list before you go
Permit holding period	120 days with a driving school course, 180 days if taught at home

View from the driver's seat of a New England town street with stone walls and colonial houses — A Connecticut town street. Narrow roads and crosswalks make right-of-way rules matter.

How many questions are on the CT permit test?

Many practice sites say the CT permit test has 25 questions and that you need 80%, which would mean 20 correct and no more than 5 wrong. We could not confirm those numbers from the Connecticut DMV, so treat them as a guide and ask at your test appointment if you want the exact count.

The safer plan is to score near 100% on practice tests. Then the exact cutoff does not matter.

What's on the Connecticut permit test

The test comes from the Connecticut Driver's Manual. Expect road signs, right of way, speed, parking, alcohol and the rules for new drivers. Road signs are an easy place to pick up points if you learn shapes first:

A clean flat illustration of 6–8 US road signs floating on frosted glass cards over white — Learn signs by shape and color first. The shape often tells you the answer.

Octagon: stop. It is the only eight-sided sign.
Triangle pointing down: yield.
Diamond, usually yellow: a warning about the road ahead, such as a curve or merge.
Pentagon (five sides): a school zone or school crossing.
Round and yellow: a railroad crossing ahead.
Rectangle: regulatory signs such as speed limits, or guide signs.

Connecticut's teen licensing rules are also fair game. The state's graduated licensing summary lists these:

Holding period: at least 120 days with a driving school course, or 180 days if taught at home.
Training: 30 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours behind the wheel, plus a short course for parents or guardians.
Supervisor: a licensed driving instructor, a licensed parent, or a licensed driver who is at least 20. A supervisor who is not a parent or instructor must have held a license for four years.
After licensing: 16 and 17 year olds may not drive from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., with exceptions.

Good to know

Connecticut's supervising driver can be 20, not 21 as in many states. If you study with a multi-state app, check every age and number against the Connecticut manual.

How to study for the CT permit test

Read the Connecticut Driver's Manual in short sessions, one chapter a day.
Learn road signs by shape and color first, then by meaning.
Write every number in the manual on one page: distances, ages, alcohol limits and fines.
Take practice tests and write down every question you miss, then find the answer in the manual.
Retest your weak topics a day later and book the real test when you score near 100%.

What to bring and how to book

A person at a touchscreen testing kiosk in a bright, modern, government-style office — Bring original documents to the DMV. Photocopies are usually refused.

Connecticut asks for identity documents and, for applicants under 18, a parent or guardian. The document list and booking process change, so check portal.ct.gov/dmv before your visit. In general, plan to bring:

Original proof of identity and date of birth.
Your Social Security number.
Proof of your Connecticut address.
A parent or guardian if you are under 18.
Payment for the permit and test fees, and your glasses or contacts for the vision test.

Can you take the Connecticut permit test online?

We could not confirm an online option for the Connecticut learner's permit test from the DMV, so plan to test in person unless portal.ct.gov/dmv says otherwise. Online practice tests are still the best way to prepare.

What happens if you fail the CT permit test?

We could not confirm Connecticut's retake wait or attempt limit from the DMV. Ask the examiner before you leave, then go back to the manual for every topic you missed.

CT permit test FAQ

CT permit test: how many questions?

Practice sites commonly say 25. That number is unofficial, so confirm it with the Connecticut DMV.

How many questions can you get wrong on the permit test in CT?

If the unofficial 25 questions and 80% are right, you can miss 5. Confirm the passing score with the DMV.

How old do you have to be for a learner's permit in Connecticut?

16.

How much does the CT permit test cost?

Check the Connecticut DMV's current fee list at portal.ct.gov/dmv, since fees change.

A happy new driver holding car keys next to a parent beside a modern car — Permit in hand: 40 hours behind the wheel come next, with a qualified supervisor.

Rules and fees change. Always confirm the details with the official Connecticut DMV or motor vehicle agency before you act. DMVZone practice questions are written to teach the rules and are not copies of the real test.