How to Pass the Georgia DDS Permit Test

The Georgia permit test is the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) knowledge exam, and it has 40 questions in two parts: 20 on road signs and 20 on road rules. You need at least 15 of 20 on each part, and each part is scored on its own, so a perfect signs score cannot rescue a weak rules score.

Georgia permit test at a glance

How many questions are on the Georgia permit test?

There are 40 questions on the Georgia permit test: a 20-question Road Signs section and a 20-question Road Rules section. DDS states that you must answer 15 out of 20 correctly on each section.

That means you can miss up to 5 questions per part, or 10 in total, but only if the misses are split. Six wrong answers on the signs part is a fail even if you ace the rules.

What's on the Georgia permit test

Both parts come from the Georgia Drivers' Manual on dds.georgia.gov.

• Road Signs: regulatory, warning and guide signs, signals and pavement markings.
• Road Rules: right of way, speed, passing, lane use, parking and emergencies.
• Parking distances: 15 feet from a fire hydrant, 20 feet from a crosswalk, 30 feet from a stop sign and 50 feet from a railroad crossing.
• Georgia's hands-free law and its points and fines.
• The Super Speeder fee: $200 for 75 mph or more on a two-lane road, or 85 mph or more on any road.

What makes the Georgia test different

• Two parts scored separately: you must reach 15 of 20 on signs and on rules.
• Many languages: DDS lists 26 languages for the non-commercial knowledge exam, from Albanian to Yoruba. The Drivers' Manual also says applicants must be able to read simple English, so learn sign wording in English too.
• ADAP for teens: Georgia teens under 18 must complete the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP) to get a Class D license. Many complete it at high school, and an online eADAP version is available.

How to study for the Georgia permit test

1. Download the Georgia Drivers' Manual from dds.georgia.gov and read it in short sessions.
2. Split your time evenly: a signs session one day, a rules session the next.
3. Track two scores on every practice test, signs and rules, so you know which part is weaker.
4. Write down every number: distances, speeds, fines and points.
5. Book your visit when you score at least 17 of 20 on both parts, three times in a row.

What to bring and how to book

You do not need an appointment for the knowledge exam. Walk in to any DDS Customer Service Center and be at the testing computer at least 30 minutes before closing. Fill out the License/ID/Permit form online at dds.georgia.gov first; it stays on file for 60 days. Bring:

• One proof of identity, such as an original or certified U.S. birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport.
• Your full Social Security number (DDS verifies it; bring your card or a W-2 in case it does not match).
• Two proofs of Georgia residency from separate sources. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
• If you are under 18: proof of school enrollment, such as the Certificate of School Enrollment (Form DDS-1), a transcript or a current school ID.
• The $10 permit fee.

You will also pass a vision exam at the visit. All documents must be in English.

Can you take the Georgia permit test online?

No. DDS requires you to take and pass the knowledge exam at your Customer Service Center visit. The only online pieces are study tools: the Drivers' Manual and the free DDS practice test. Georgia does offer a virtual road test for some applicants later on, but that is the driving test, not the permit test.

What happens if you fail the Georgia permit test?

DDS says that after a failed knowledge exam you wait 1 day before retesting, and after a second failure you wait 7 days. Retests need an appointment through the DDS online system and payment of the permit fee again, by cash or card only. Use the wait to drill the part you failed.

Georgia permit test FAQ