Format: Multiple choice, administered by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Many teens take the test at the end of their Driver Education course, not at the DPS office.
Minimum age: 15 for a learner permit
Texas has one of the more forgiving passing thresholds — 70% — but the requirements surrounding the test (driver ed hours, supervised driving) are some of the strictest in the country.
Who Needs a Permit in Texas
Teens aged 15 to 17 must complete Driver Education before getting a permit. Texas offers two legal paths:
Classroom course (32 hours) at a licensed driving school
Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE) — a state-approved at-home program where a parent or legal guardian is the designated instructor
Both paths cover the same curriculum and end with the same knowledge test. The written test is often administered as part of the course, not separately at a DPS office.
Adults 18 and older are not required to complete Driver Education in most cases but must pass the written test, road test, vision test, and provide documentation.
What Is on the Written Test
The Texas DPS test covers the Texas Driver Handbook. Topics covered:
Traffic signs and signals (color, shape, meaning)
Right of way and intersections
Safe driving practices
Speed limits and lane use
DUI, DWI, and implied consent laws
Teen driver laws (curfew, passenger limits, phone rules)
Licensing, insurance, and financial responsibility
Texas questions often use scenario language — "You are driving on a rural highway at 65 mph when…" — and several questions reference Texas-specific laws like the Move Over law and the school bus passing rule.
Texas-Specific Rules You Should Memorize
Move Over law: You must move over a lane or slow down 20 mph below the posted speed limit when passing stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks, or TxDOT vehicles with flashing lights.
School bus passing: Stop for a school bus with flashing red lights — on both sides of the road in most cases, unless divided by a physical barrier.
Teen phone rule: Drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone (handheld or hands-free) except to call 911.
Graduated license stages: Permit, then Provisional (16 to 17), then Unrestricted (18 and older).
Languages
The Texas written test is offered in English and Spanish.