Indiana BMV Permit Test 2026

Who Can Get a Learner's Permit

In Indiana, you must be at least 15 years old to apply for a learner's permit. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must co-sign your application and will share legal responsibility for your driving during the permit phase.

Driver education: Indiana requires all applicants under 18 to complete an approved driver education program. The knowledge test alone is not enough — you must also complete the education requirement before advancing to a probationary license.

Residency: You must be an Indiana resident. You will need to provide documents proving your Indiana address when you apply at a BMV branch.

Driver Education Requirements

Indiana requires driver education for all permit holders under 18. The course must be completed at an Indiana-approved provider and includes:

Upon completing driver education, you will receive a certificate of completion. This certificate is required when you apply for your probationary license. Keep it safe.

Adults 18 and over: Driver education is not required. You can take the knowledge test and road skills test without completing any formal course.

Fees and What You Pay For

The Indiana learner's permit costs $14. This fee is paid at the BMV branch when you apply.

There is no retest fee for the knowledge test. If you fail, you can return the next day and try again at no additional cost.

Driver education costs: Separate from the BMV fee. Approved courses typically cost $200–$400 for the full program (classroom + behind-the-wheel).

Documents You Need

Indiana uses a point-based document system. You must present documents totaling at least 4 points to verify your identity, plus proof of Social Security number and Indiana residency.

The Knowledge Test

Indiana's knowledge test has 34 multiple-choice questions covering Indiana traffic laws and safe driving practices. All questions are drawn from the Indiana Driver's Manual.

The test is taken on a computer at the BMV branch. There is no time limit. The test is available in multiple languages — ask the BMV representative if you need a language other than English.

Important: Indiana also has a separate road signs identification test in addition to the 34-question knowledge test. See the next section for details.

The Road Signs Identification Test

Indiana is one of the few states that administers a separate road signs testin addition to the main knowledge test. Both must be passed to receive your learner's permit.

The road signs test presents images of signs without their text labels. You must identify what each sign means from the shape, color, and symbol alone. This tests practical recognition — the same skill you'll need while actually driving.

Which signs appear? The test draws from a pool of common regulatory, warning, and guide signs. Focus your study on: stop, yield, speed limits, school zones, railroad crossings, do-not-enter, one-way, no-passing zones, construction signs, and pedestrian crossing signs.

Study tip: The road signs chapter of the Indiana Driver's Manual covers all signs you need to know. Practice identifying signs by shape and color alone — many warning signs are yellow diamonds, regulatory signs are white rectangles or red, and guide signs are green or blue.

Passing Score and Results

Both tests are administered at the BMV branch on the same visit. Results are shown immediately on the computer screen after each test. You must pass both to receive your learner's permit.

Note that the road signs threshold (88%) is actually higher than the knowledge test threshold (79%). Give road signs at least as much study time as the traffic laws.

If You Don't Pass

If you fail either the knowledge test or the road signs test, you must wait until the next business day before retaking it. You cannot retake on the same day.

There is no retest fee. Your initial $14 permit fee covers unlimited attempts at both tests.

Do you have to retake both tests if you fail one? If you pass one test but fail the other, you only need to retake the one you failed — you don't have to redo the test you already passed.

Use the overnight waiting period to review the specific areas where you struggled. For the knowledge test, go back to the relevant sections of the Indiana Driver's Manual. For the road signs test, drill yourself on sign identification by shape and color.

At the BMV Branch

Indiana BMV branches accept walk-ins for learner's permit applications. Here's what happens during your visit:

After You Pass

Your Indiana learner's permit is valid until your 18th birthday (for teens) or for 2 years (for adults). You can start supervised driving the same day your permit is issued.

Supervision requirement: While driving with a learner's permit, you must have a licensed driver who is at least 25 years old seated beside you in the front passenger seat at all times. This is stricter than most states, which require 21+. You cannot drive alone.

Begin accumulating your 50 hours of supervised driving practice (including 10 at night) as soon as possible. You must hold the permit for at least 180 days before applying for a probationary license.

Learner's Permit Rules

Indiana's GDL Program

Indiana's Graduated Driver Licensing program has three stages for drivers under 18:

Getting Your Probationary License (16+)

After holding your learner's permit for 180 days, you can apply for a probationary license at age 16 or older.

Requirements:

Probationary License Restrictions

Getting Your Full License (18+)

All probationary restrictions end at age 18. You can then upgrade to a full Indiana driver's license with no curfew, passenger limits, or phone restrictions.

Adults 18+ applying for their first license: You skip the GDL process entirely. After passing the knowledge test, road signs test, and road skills test, you receive a full license with no holding period or GDL restrictions.

The Indiana Driver's Manual

The Indiana Driver's Manual is the official study resource for both the knowledge test and the road signs test. Every question on the knowledge exam and every sign on the road signs test comes from this manual.

The manual is available as a free PDF download from the BMV website. It covers Indiana traffic laws, road signs (with full color images), right-of-way rules, safe driving practices, and the GDL program.

Study tip: Read the road signs chapter multiple times and practice identifying signs by shape and color alone — without relying on the text label. This is exactly how the road signs test works.

Practice Tests

Because Indiana has both a knowledge test and a separate road signs test, practice is especially important. You need to be comfortable with both formats before your BMV visit.

DMV Question Bank: Take Indiana BMV practice tests on DMV Question Bank. Practice until you're scoring consistently above 90% before your test day.

Recommended approach: read the manual once, take a practice test on each section, identify weak spots, re-read those sections, and test again until you pass comfortably every time.

Supervised Driving Requirements

To qualify for a probationary license, Indiana teens must complete supervised driving practice during the permit phase:

Keep a driving log documenting each session: date, time, duration, and supervising driver signature. Your parent or guardian must certify the hours when you apply for your probationary license.

Practice in a variety of conditions — city streets, rural roads, highways, parking lots, and night driving. The more diverse your experience, the better prepared you'll be for the road skills test and for driving independently.

Quick Reference

Official Links