PermitPal
Am I Ready for the Colorado Permit Test?
12-question diagnostic · 4 easy, 4 medium, 4 hard · Updated July 12, 2026
Twelve questions, deliberately mixed: four easy, four medium, four of the hardest in our verified Colorado bank. The real test needs 80% — but a diagnostic this short needs a margin, so read your result like this: 11+ of 12, you're ready to book; 9–10, you're close — drill the 25 hardest first; below that, work the full test ladder before test day.
Answer each question to see the explanation. Your score is tallied against the real passing bar at the end.
1. Colorado has how many separate impaired-driving offenses based on the level of impairment?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Two — DWAI and DUI
A driver may be convicted of either DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired) or DUI (Driving Under the Influence), depending on the level of the driver’s mental or physical impairment.
2. What is the minimum age to operate a motor vehicle on Colorado public streets and highways with a valid driver license?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: 16 or older
Anyone who operates a motor vehicle, motor-driven cycle or moped on Colorado public streets and highways must be 16 or older and have a valid driver license. (Younger drivers may drive on an instruction permit under supervision.)
3. Before you leave a parked vehicle, you should always:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Set the parking (emergency) brake and remove the ignition key
Whenever you leave a parked vehicle, set the emergency brake and remove the ignition key. Leave an automatic in park, or a manual in gear, so it cannot roll.
4. To control your speed while driving down a steep mountain grade, you should:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Shift to a lower gear
Shift to lower gears to control your speed when driving down steep hills or mountains. Riding the brakes the whole way can overheat them and cause brake failure.
5. Under Colorado’s Move Over Law, when you approach any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazard lights flashing, you must:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Move over one lane if you can do so safely
The Move Over Law applies to any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazards flashing. You must move over one lane if you can do so safely.
6. What is the most important thing to understand about right-of-way law?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: The law says who must yield; it does not give anyone the right-of-way, and you are always responsible for avoiding a crash
The law states who must yield the right-of-way, but it does not give anyone the right-of-way, even if your signal is green. You must yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers already in an intersection you are approaching.
7. DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired) means the driver is:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Impaired to the slightest degree
DWAI means the driver is impaired to the slightest degree. It is a separate, lesser offense than DUI, which means the driver is substantially incapable of safe driving.
8. On a narrow mountain road, who has the right-of-way?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: The vehicle going uphill
On a narrow mountain road, vehicles going uphill have the right-of-way over vehicles going downhill, because it is harder for an uphill vehicle to stop and restart on the grade.
9. Under the Move Over Law, if you cannot move over safely or the road has one lane in each direction, you must:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Slow to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit
If it is not safe to move over, or you are on a road with one lane in each direction, you must slow down to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
10. Two vehicles meet on a steep, narrow mountain road too narrow for both. What must the downhill vehicle do?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Yield by backing up to a wider place to let the uphill vehicle pass
When the road is not wide enough for two vehicles, the vehicle going downhill must yield by backing up to a wider spot or turnout, unless it is more practical for the uphill vehicle to do so.
11. At what BAC can Colorado infer that a driver is guilty of DWAI?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: 0.05%
Colorado’s impaired-driving table lists DWAI at a BAC of 0.05%. Because DWAI only requires impairment to the slightest degree, it applies at a lower BAC than the 0.08% DUI level.
12. While waiting to turn left with oncoming traffic present, how should your front wheels be positioned?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: Pointed straight ahead
Never turn your front wheels toward the left while waiting to turn. If you are rear-ended, you would be pushed into oncoming traffic. Keep the wheels straight until you begin the turn.
📱 The app version of this is smarter: PermitPal tracks every answer across the full 230-question Colorado bank and tells you exactly which topics aren't test-ready yet. Free to start, $29.99 once.