Motor Vehicle Division (MVD)
Montana Permit Test (2026)
Study for the official MVD Written test (also called the knowledge test) with free practice tests written from the state's own rules — plus the verified facts below: how many questions, the passing score, and what it costs.
Montana permit test: quick facts
- Questions on the exam
- Check your state's official site
- Passing score
- Check your state's official site
- Minimum permit age
- 14½
- Fee
- A Class D basic license or a learner permit costs $5.00 per year of validity, so the total depends on the license term; a motorcycle endorsement adds $0.50 per year. A replacement license or state ID is $10.00, a state ID is $16.00 at 21 or older and $8.00 under 21, and a mail renewal notification is $0.50. A 3% administrative fee applies to MVD products and services, and REAL ID adds $25.00.
- If you fail
- A driver license receipt is valid for one year and allows the applicant three attempts within that year to pass all required examinations. Receipts cannot be renewed, so anyone who does not finish testing within the year must re-apply and start the licensing process over. Montana does not publish a mandatory waiting period between non-commercial written test attempts; the next-working-day rule appears only in the state CDL manual and applies to commercial written and endorsement tests.
- Online testing
- In person only
- Languages
- Check your state's official site
How it works
Step 1
Take Practice Test 1 like the real thing — no notes, one question at a time.
Step 2
Read every explanation, especially for questions you missed. That's where the learning happens.
Step 3
Repeat with Test 2 and the road signs test until you pass comfortably every time.
Free Montana practice tests
Montana Practice Test 1
30 questions — signs, rules, and state law
Montana Practice Test 2
30 fresh questions, no repeats from Test 1
Montana Road Signs Test
25 questions on signs, shapes, and signals
New-driver rules in Montana
Montana phases in drivers under 18 through a three-step Graduated Driver Licensing program: a non-commercial learner permit (NCLP), then a first-year restricted license, then full privileges. The youngest teens can get an NCLP at 14½ if they are enrolled in or have finished a state-approved traffic education course, while a teen testing at an exam station qualifies at 15 with a completed course or at 16 without one; the permit must be held at least six consecutive months and backed by 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night, plus a clean six-month record. On the first-year restricted license the teen may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. except for limited reasons such as work, school, church, farm activities or emergencies, is capped at one non-family passenger under 18 for the first six months and three for the second six months, and everyone in the vehicle must be belted.
Verified 2026-08-18 · Source: MVD
Montana permit test FAQ
How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Montana?
You can apply for a learner's permit in Montana at 14½, according to the MVD (verified 2026-08-18).
How much does the Montana permit cost?
A Class D basic license or a learner permit costs $5.00 per year of validity, so the total depends on the license term; a motorcycle endorsement adds $0.50 per year. A replacement license or state ID is $10.00, a state ID is $16.00 at 21 or older and $8.00 under 21, and a mail renewal notification is $0.50. A 3% administrative fee applies to MVD products and services, and REAL ID adds $25.00. — as listed by the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), verified 2026-08-18. Always confirm current fees on the official site.
What happens if you fail the Montana permit test?
A driver license receipt is valid for one year and allows the applicant three attempts within that year to pass all required examinations. Receipts cannot be renewed, so anyone who does not finish testing within the year must re-apply and start the licensing process over. Montana does not publish a mandatory waiting period between non-commercial written test attempts; the next-working-day rule appears only in the state CDL manual and applies to commercial written and endorsement tests. (per the MVD, verified 2026-08-18).
Can you take the Montana permit test online?
No. The Montana Written test (also called the knowledge test) is administered in person through the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), not online.
Who runs the permit test in Montana?
Driver licensing in Montana is handled by the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). The official site is https://mvdmt.gov/.
Where can I read the official Montana driver handbook?
The official Montana driver handbook is published by the MVD at https://mvdmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/25-0100M-Montana-Driver-Manual-English-05.26.pdf. It is the source our practice questions are grounded in.
What is the Montana permit test officially called?
The MVD officially calls it the Written test (also called the knowledge test). "Permit test" and "written test" are common informal names for the same exam.