The Indiana permit test road signs section is one of two parts of the BMV knowledge exam: one part tests traffic signs and the other tests traffic rules and laws. You need 80% or higher on each part, so a strong rules score cannot make up for a weak signs score. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) does not publish how many questions are in each part.
Quick answer: what the Indiana signs and rules test is
The BMV says the exam has "two sections concerning traffic maneuvers and knowledge of types of traffic signs," with multiple choice questions on a computer at a branch (in.gov/bmv).
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Agency | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), in.gov/bmv |
| Parts | Two: traffic signs, and traffic rules and laws |
| Passing score | 80% or higher on each part |
| Number of questions | Not published by the BMV. Third-party sites claim 16 sign and 34 rules questions, which is unofficial |
| Where | Computer-based exam at a BMV branch. No appointment needed |
| Arrive by | At least 30 minutes before the branch closes |
| If you fail | Wait until the next business day to try again |
Sign shapes and colors
Indiana follows the national sign standard, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) from the Federal Highway Administration, so the shapes and colors in the Indiana Driver's Manual are the same ones below. Some shapes belong to one sign only, which makes them easy points.
Octagon (8 sides)
- Red with white letters: STOP.
- No other sign uses this shape, so you can recognize it from behind or in snow.
Triangle, point down
- Red and white: YIELD.
- Slow down and stop if needed to let traffic and pedestrians go first.
Diamond
- Yellow with black symbols: a warning.
- Curves, hills, merging traffic, slippery roads, deer and similar hazards ahead.
Pentagon (5 sides)
- School zone or school crossing.
- Usually fluorescent yellow-green. Slow down and watch for children.
Pennant (sideways triangle)
- Yellow: NO PASSING ZONE.
- Posted on the left side of the road, where you would see it while thinking about passing.
Circle
- Yellow with an X and two Rs: railroad crossing ahead.
- This is an advance warning. The crossing itself comes later.
Crossbuck (X shape)
- White X at the tracks: the railroad crossing itself.
- Treat it like a yield sign for trains.
Vertical rectangle
- Usually regulatory: speed limits, turn rules, lane use.
- White signs give rules you must obey.
Horizontal rectangle
- Guide and information signs: green for directions, blue for services, brown for parks and points of interest.
What each color means
| Color | What it means |
|---|---|
| Red | Stop, yield or something you must not do (DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY, red circle and slash) |
| White | Regulatory: a rule you must obey, such as a speed limit |
| Yellow | General warning: a hazard or change ahead |
| Fluorescent yellow-green | School, pedestrian and bicycle warnings |
| Orange | Work zones and temporary traffic control |
| Green | Guide signs: directions, exits and distances |
| Blue | Motorist services: gas, food, lodging, hospital |
| Brown | Recreation and cultural sites: parks, historic sites |
| Black | Used with white on some rule signs, such as ONE WAY |
The signs people miss most
In our experience teaching new drivers, people almost never miss STOP. They miss look-alike warning signs and signs they rarely notice from the passenger seat:
- NO PASSING ZONE pennant: a yellow sideways triangle on the left side of the road. Do not start a pass here.
- Round yellow railroad sign: the crossing is ahead, not here. Slow down, look and listen.
- Crossbuck: the crossing itself. Yield to any train, and stop if one is coming.
- Pentagon school sign: school zone or crossing. Slow down and expect children.
- Yield sign: you do not always have to stop, but you must let others go first and stop if needed.
- Divided highway begins and divided highway ends: two signs that look alike. On "ends", traffic will soon come toward you with no median.
- Lane ends or merge: the lane you are in is ending, or traffic will join from the side. Adjust speed and make room.
- Keep right of divider: pass on the right side of the median or island ahead.
- Yellow advisory speed plate under a curve sign: the suggested safe speed for that curve, not the posted limit.
- DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY: you are about to enter a one-way road or ramp against traffic. Turn around safely.
Indiana has many rural railroad crossings. The round yellow sign comes first as a warning, then the crossbuck marks the tracks. Know which is which.
Practice: 10 indiana permit test signs practice questions
Cover the answers, say each answer out loud, then check. Because the sign part is scored on its own, aim for 10 out of 10.
- Which shape is used only for the stop sign?
- You see a yellow, sideways triangle on the left side of the road. What does it mean?
- A round yellow sign with a black X and two letter Rs means what?
- What does a five-sided (pentagon) sign tell you?
- What color are work zone signs?
- A yellow diamond-shaped sign is what kind of sign?
- What does a red and white triangle pointing down mean?
- What do brown signs point to?
- A red circle with a slash over a symbol means what?
- At a crossbuck with no signals, what must you do?
Answers
- An octagon (eight sides).
- No passing zone. Do not start to pass.
- A railroad crossing is ahead.
- You are near a school zone or school crossing.
- Orange.
- A warning sign about a condition or hazard ahead.
- Yield: slow down, let others go first, and stop if needed.
- Recreation and cultural places such as parks and historic sites.
- The action shown is not allowed.
- Slow down, look both ways and yield to any train. Stop if a train is coming.
How the signs section fits into the full test
The knowledge exam is one step toward a learner's permit. You also pass a vision screening. Chapter 9 of the Indiana Driver's Manual includes a practice section for each part: one on common signs and one on traffic rules and laws. Use both, because each part is scored on its own.
Indiana bmv written test questions: what the rules part covers
- Right of way at intersections, four-way stops and roundabouts.
- Speed limits, following distance, passing and lane use.
- Parking rules and distances.
- School buses, emergency vehicles and railroad crossings.
- Alcohol, drugs and the penalties that come with them.
How many questions can you miss on Indiana permit test?
The BMV does not publish a question count, so it does not publish a number you can miss either. What it does say is that you need 80% or higher on each part. If the third-party count of 16 sign questions were right, 80% would mean missing no more than 3 signs. Treat that as a guide only and study to get every sign right.
Indiana permit test road signs FAQ
How many questions can you miss on Indiana permit test?
The BMV does not publish the number of questions. You need 80% or higher on the signs part and on the rules part, scored separately.
What is on the in bmv permit test?
Two parts: traffic signs, and traffic rules and laws. It is a computer-based multiple choice exam taken at a BMV branch.
What happens if I fail the Indiana knowledge exam?
You must wait until the next business day before taking another knowledge exam.
Do I need an appointment for the Indiana knowledge exam?
No, but you must arrive at the branch at least 30 minutes before it closes.
Where can I find bmv permit test indiana practice?
Chapter 9 of the Indiana Driver's Manual has practice questions for both parts, and DMVZone has free Indiana practice tests.
