If you fail your permit test in Virginia, you can take it again: drivers under 18 wait a full 15 days, and drivers 18 and older can test once per day. What happens if you fail your permit test in Virginia also depends on where you missed. The test starts with 10 road sign questions and all 10 must be right, so a single sign mistake ends the exam before you reach the general knowledge part.
This guide explains the retake rules from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (dmv.virginia.gov), how many questions you can miss, what happens after a third fail, and how we would study for the next try.
Quick answer: what happens if you fail your permit test in Virginia
- Under 18: you wait a full 15 days before you can retake the knowledge exam. DMV's own example: fail on January 1, and the earliest retake is January 17.
- 18 and older: you can take the exam once per day.
- Every retake means reapplying for the learner's permit, with a new application and your identity and residency documents.
- Three fails at any age: you must finish the classroom part of a Virginia-approved driver training school program before you can test again.
- If you pass but do not get your permit or license within 1 year, you have to take the exam again.
How many questions can you miss on the Virginia permit test?
The Virginia knowledge exam has two parts, both multiple choice, taken on a computer at a DMV customer service center or in class at a participating high school. DMV publishes the scoring on its knowledge exam page:
| Part | Questions | To pass | You can miss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part one: road signs | 10 | All 10 correct | 0 |
| Part two: general knowledge | 30 | 24 correct | 6 |
So the honest answer to how many questions you can miss on the Virginia permit test is zero on signs and six on general knowledge.
Why one sign question can fail the whole test
Part one works like a gate. You must answer all 10 sign questions correctly before the exam moves on to the 30 general knowledge questions. In our years of teaching, the people most surprised by this are adults and teens who already know signs on the road but have never had to name them on a screen. A pennant and a yield sign are both triangles. A round yellow railroad sign and a crossbuck mean different things. Those are the misses we see most.
Retake rules by age
| Your situation | When you can retest | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18, failed once or twice | After a full 15 days | A new permit application and your documents |
| 18 or older, failed once or twice | The next day (one test per day) | A new permit application and your documents |
| Any age, failed three times | After you finish the classroom part of an approved driver training school course | The Driver Education Certificate, with a completion date after your third fail |
Fees can apply when you reapply. DMV lists its charges on the fee chart at dmv.virginia.gov, so check the current amounts there rather than relying on a number from a forum.
What to do after a third fail
After three fails, DMV will not let you simply book another try. You complete the classroom portion of a Virginia-approved driver training school program, and the course must be finished after your third failure. Then you bring the Driver Education Certificate to a customer service center and test again.
This rule exists for a reason. Three fails usually means the study method is the problem, not the effort. A classroom course walks through the manual in order, which fills the gaps that practice apps skip.
How to pass on your next try
- Write down what tripped you, right after the test, while you still remember: signs, numbers, or right of way.
- If part one stopped you, spend your first study days only on signs. Learn each shape and color, then say the meaning out loud.
- Read the Virginia Driver's Manual sections on signs, signals and pavement markings again. It is free on dmv.virginia.gov.
- Take practice tests and do not count a sign round as passed unless you get 10 of 10.
- Then work on part two. Write every number on one page: following distances, parking distances and alcohol limits.
- Try DMV's sample knowledge exam on dmv.virginia.gov a few days before you go back.
Ask yourself one question per sign: what shape is it, what color is it, and what do I do? If you can answer all three in two seconds, you are ready for part one.
On test day
- Walk-ins must arrive by 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, to take the knowledge exam. You can also book an appointment online.
- Bring your original documents again, since each retake is a new permit application.
- Phones are off and away. DMV says using a cell phone during the exam, or giving or getting help, is unlawful.
- You can ask for an oral exam at any customer service center, and the test is offered in English, American Sign Language and many other languages.
FAQ
What happens if you fail your permit test in Virginia?
You can retake it. Under 18 you wait a full 15 days. At 18 or older you can test once per day. Each retake means reapplying for the permit, and after three fails you must complete the classroom part of an approved driver training course first.
How many questions can you miss on the Virginia permit test?
None of the 10 road sign questions, and up to 6 of the 30 general knowledge questions. You need 10 of 10 signs and 24 of 30 general questions.
If I fail the signs part, do I still take the general knowledge part?
No. All 10 sign questions must be correct before you can move on, so the exam stops after part one.
Do I have to pay again when I retake the test?
Each retake means a new permit application. Check the current fees on the DMV fee chart at dmv.virginia.gov before you go.
How long is a passing score good for?
If you do not get your permit or license within 1 year of passing the knowledge exam, you must take it again.
