Pennsylvania Practice Permit Test

To obtain a Pennsylvania Class C driver’s license (which allows you to operate most standard vehicles) you must be at least 16 years old.

In addition, you will need to complete a driver’s license application, pay all associated fees, provide documentation establishing your identity and Pennsylvania residency, and pass a vision, knowledge (written), and road (driving) test.

You will also need a physical examination from a doctor, a doctor’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or chiropractor. If you are under 18 years old, your parent or guardian will also need to complete a consent form.

The minimum age for a Pennsylvania Class C license is 16 years old. However, if you have never been issued a driver’s license before, you will need to apply for a learner’s permit first.

Your learner’s permit requires a six month waiting period before attempting the road test, which means that most Class C licensed drivers are actually probably closer to 17 years old.

In Pennsylvania acceptable documents are arranged into two groups—group A, which establishes identity and group B, which establishes residency. If you are under 18, you will need only one document from group A.

If you are over 18, you will need one document from group A and two documents from group B. You will also need to present your social security card, regardless of your age.

Group A documents include a government issued birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship, a certificate of naturalization, or a valid U.S. passport. No photocopies will be accepted.

Group B documents include a lease or mortgage agreement, a W-2 form, a current utility bill, tax records, or a weapons permit.

Before receiving a Class C driver’s license you will need to pass a vision test, a knowledge (written) test, and a road (driving) test. The knowledge test will cover traffic signs, Pennsylvania driving laws, and safe driving practices.

You can take the test in English, Spanish, or have it read aloud.

The road test can only be taken after successful completion of the knowledge test and after at least a six month waiting period.

During the exam you will be required to demonstrate proficiency in operating the vehicle and obeying all pertinent traffic laws. You may also be asked to parallel park.

If you are under the age of 18, you will need to pass an approved driver’s education course before being granted a Class C driver’s license.

Many public schools have driver’s education programs in place to help their students meet this requirement.

Pennsylvania operates under a graduated licensing system. When you obtain your initial Junior Learner’s Permit, you will only be able to drive with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the vehicle with you.

You must also never carry more passengers than there are seatbelts in the vehicle.

When you move up to your Junior Driver’s License, you will not be able to drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and you will not be able to carry more than one passenger under 18 years of age—unless the passengers are siblings or other immediate family members.

The knowledge examination portion of your driving test will include eighteen multiple choice questions regarding traffic signs, traffic laws, and safe driving practices.

Your road test will not involve any questions, but you will be required to demonstrate a proficiency in controlling the vehicle and following all applicable traffic laws.

You will need to answer at least 15 of the 18 questions correctly on the knowledge portion of your driving test.

It is up to the discretion of the test administrator to determine whether you pass or fail the driving portion of your test.

If you do not pass the knowledge portion of your driving test, you will be allowed to retake the exam as soon as the next business day. You must successfully complete the knowledge test before you will be allowed to take the road portion of the test.

If you do not pass the road test, you must wait at least seven days before retaking the exam. You are allowed three opportunities to pass the road test with a learner’s permit. If you do not pass the test three times, you must reapply for your learner’s permit.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website has a number of great resources to help you study for your knowledge test, including a complete handbook of Pennsylvania traffic laws and sample test questions. You are required by law to have 65 hours of supervised driving to prepare you for the road section of your driving test.

Your initial driver’s permit fees will cost $36 and include up to three attempts at the road portion of your test. You will have to pay this fee again if you require more than three attempts.

It’s important to note that this fee can only be paid by check or money order—cash, credit, or debit will not be accepted.

To obtain a learner’s permit, you must be at least 16 years old, successfully pass the knowledge portion of the driving test, pay the associated fees, have documentation of identity and residency, and have your parent or guardian complete a consent form (only for those under 18 years old).

You can take your written examination at any driver’s license center in Pennsylvania or any number of other approved locations. You can use the locator services on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website to find a location near you.

The hours for administering the test will vary from place to place. You will need to schedule an appointment to take the road test at any driver’s license center in Pennsylvania. You can confirm a time online or by calling the Department of Transportation help line.