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Montana Permit Practice Test
20 real questions from our handbook-verified Montana bank · Updated July 12, 2026
The official Montana knowledge test has 33 questions — you can miss 6 and still pass (80%). That 80% bar ties Montana with 35 other states at #7 strictest of the 50 states. Montana offers the real exam in Spanish — practica en español aquí.
The real Montana exam format — this practice test scores you against the same 80% bar.
Answer each question to see the explanation. Your score is tallied against the real passing bar at the end.
1. To get a Montana driver license, the vision test requires at least:
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Correct answer: 20/40 vision in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses
Montana requires you to pass a vision test showing at least 20/40 vision in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses.
2. What does a Montana Class D basic driver license allow you to drive?
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Correct answer: Any non-commercial vehicle under 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight
A Class D basic driver license allows you to drive any non-commercial vehicle under 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Commercial vehicles need a CDL and motorcycles need a motorcycle endorsement.
3. When you park your vehicle, you are responsible for making sure it:
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Correct answer: Does not become a hazard and is far enough from the travel lane and visible to approaching traffic
Drivers must make sure a parked vehicle does not become a hazard. Park far enough from any travel lane to avoid interfering with traffic, and where cars approaching from either direction can see it.
4. If your brakes suddenly stop working, you should first:
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Correct answer: Pump the brake pedal several times to try to build up pressure
If your brakes fail, pump the brake pedal several times to try to build up pressure. If that does not work, use the parking brake slowly and shift to lower gears while looking for a safe place to stop.
5. At a four-way stop, who has the right to go first?
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Correct answer: The driver who reaches the intersection first, after coming to a complete stop
At a four-way stop, the driver who reaches the intersection first gets to go first, after coming to a complete stop. If two arrive together, the driver on the right generally goes first.
6. Distracted driving occurs any time you:
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Correct answer: Take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off driving
Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off the task of driving safely. About 90% of driving decisions are based on what you see.
7. Under Montana law, a person riding a bicycle on the roadway has:
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Correct answer: The same rights as the operator of any other vehicle using the road
Motorists must grant bicyclists the same rights as the operators of any vehicle legitimately using Montana roadways, and may not intentionally interfere with a person lawfully riding a bicycle.
8. Which traffic sign is the only one shaped as an eight-sided octagon?
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Correct answer: The STOP sign
The STOP sign is the only eight-sided traffic sign. It means you must come to a complete stop before entering the intersection ahead and yield to traffic close enough to be an immediate hazard.
9. For cars and light trucks, what is the daytime speed limit on a Montana two-lane highway?
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Correct answer: 70 mph
Montana's daytime speed limit for cars and light trucks on two-lane highways is 70 mph (65 mph at night). Always obey the posted limit and slow down when conditions are poor.
10. Where there are no lane markings to control turning, you should:
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Correct answer: Turn from the lane closest to the direction you want to go, into the lane closest to the one you came from
Turn from the lane closest to the direction you want to go and turn into the lane closest to the one you came from. This way you cross the fewest lanes of traffic.
11. If your driver license says you must wear corrective lenses, you:
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Correct answer: Must wear them every time you drive or you can be ticketed
If your license requires corrective lenses, always wear them when you drive, even for a short trip. If you are stopped and not wearing them, you could get a ticket. Keeping a spare pair in the vehicle is a good idea.
12. To obtain your first Montana driver license, which tests must you pass?
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Correct answer: The vision, written, and road tests
In order to obtain your license, you need to pass the vision, written, and road tests. You may not have to test if you hold a valid license from another jurisdiction.
13. Whenever you park, you should always:
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Correct answer: Set your parking brake and leave the vehicle in gear or in "park"
Always set your parking brake when you park. Leave the vehicle in gear if it has a manual transmission, or in "park" if it has an automatic transmission.
14. If a tire suddenly blows out while you are driving, you should:
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Correct answer: Hold the wheel tightly, keep going straight, and slow down gradually
If a tire goes flat, hold the steering wheel tightly and keep the vehicle going straight. Take your foot off the gas and slow down gradually, using the brakes lightly, then pull off the road in a safe place.
15. At an intersection with no stop sign or traffic signal, you should yield to vehicles coming from which direction?
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Correct answer: From the right
At an intersection where there is no stop sign or traffic signal, drivers should yield to vehicles coming from the right. Always be prepared to yield to avoid a crash.
16. Why is texting considered the most alarming distraction?
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Correct answer: It involves manual, visual, and cognitive distraction at the same time
Texting is the most alarming distraction because it combines manual, visual, and cognitive distraction. Reading or sending a text takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds — at 55 mph, roughly the length of a football field.
17. You may overtake and pass a bicyclist only when:
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Correct answer: You can do so without endangering the rider or nearby vehicles
Motorists may not overtake and pass a person riding a bicycle unless it can be done without endangering the rider or those in any nearby motor vehicle.
18. What does a YIELD sign require you to do?
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Correct answer: Slow to a reasonable speed and yield right-of-way to all vehicles on the road you are entering
The YIELD sign means slow down to a reasonable speed and yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway being entered.
19. Even when you are driving below the posted speed limit, you can still be ticketed if:
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Correct answer: You are going too fast for wet, icy, or low-visibility conditions
Speed limits are posted for ideal conditions. If the road is wet or icy, you cannot see well, or traffic is heavy, you must slow down — you can get a ticket for driving too fast for conditions even under the posted limit.
20. When making a right turn, you should avoid:
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Correct answer: Swinging wide to the left before you turn
On right turns, avoid swinging wide to the left before turning. If you swing wide, the driver behind you may think you are changing lanes or turning left and try to pass you on the right.
📱 These 20 questions are a warm-up. PermitPal for iPhone and iPad drills the full handbook-verified Montana bank of 234 questions with spaced repetition, and runs mock exams in the real 33-question format — plus motorcycle and CDL tracks. Free to start, $29.99 once.
Montana test facts
How many questions are on the Montana permit test?
33 questions. You need 27 correct (80%) — you can miss 6. Full details in the passing-score calculator.
What happens if I fail?
Retake scheduling varies by office — check with your local branch before you go back.
Can I take the Montana test in Spanish?
Yes — Montana offers the knowledge test in Spanish. Try the Spanish practice test. See which states test in Spanish.
What age can I get my permit in Montana?
The minimum learner's permit age is 14½. You'll need 50 supervised practice hours (10 at night) before the license stage. Full ladder in the permit-age lookup.