All exams/Permit test retake rules
Failed the permit test? Retake rules by state
You may be able to try again the next day, or you may wait a week, pay a retest fee or hit an attempt limit. What 32 state agencies publish about the wait, the attempts and the fee.
How long you wait
The wait after a failed test, at a glance
State by state
Retake rules by state
32 states
Arizona7 days
- Wait
- 7 days, per an MVD announcement that extended the old next-business-day wait (MVD's FAQ page still says next business day; confirm with MVD)
- Attempts
- Up to 3 written-test attempts on one application fee
- Fees
- Not published
California7 days
- Wait
- 7 days if you are under 18, not counting the day you failed; none published for adults
- Attempts
- 3 attempts per application
- Fees
- After 3 failures you reapply and pay the application fee again
Colorado
- Wait
- Not published
- Attempts
- No limit, but no more than 2 attempts in one day
- Fees
- $11.50 state retest fee for each retest
District of Columbia3 days
- Wait
- 3 full calendar days (fail on Tuesday, retest from Saturday)
- Attempts
- After 6 failures in 12 months you cannot take a seventh test until 12 months after the first failure
- Fees
- The test fee is paid whether you pass or fail
Florida
- Wait
- Not published
- Attempts
- In-office exams are limited to 2 attempts per day
- Fees
- $10 for each retest (some tax collector offices charge more)
Georgia1 day
- Wait
- 1 day after a first failure; 7 days after a second
- Attempts
- No limit stated
- Fees
- The $10 permit fee is kept if you fail and paid again for each retest
Illinois
- Wait
- Not published
- Attempts
- 3 attempts, written and road tests together, within one year of the first attempt
- Fees
- The one fee covers those 3 attempts
Kansas1 day
- Wait
- The next working day
- Attempts
- 4 chances at the written test; after the fourth failure you wait at least 6 months
- Fees
- $1.50 re-exam fee
Maryland1 day
- Wait
- The next business day after a first failure; at least 7 calendar days after two or more failures
- Attempts
- Not published
- Fees
- Not published
Michigan
- Wait
- Not published
- Attempts
- Online test: up to 2 attempts per calendar day
- Fees
- The fee is paid for each online attempt
Minnesota1 day
- Wait
- One test per day
- Attempts
- Online: 2 attempts, then an exam station by appointment
- Fees
- The first 2 attempts are free; the third and later cost $10
New Hampshire10 days
- Wait
- 10 calendar days for car and motorcycle applicants (5 for CDL)
- Attempts
- Not published
- Fees
- Not published
New Jersey7 days
- Wait
- 7 days
- Attempts
- Unlimited within your test receipt's 180 days
- Fees
- Renew the test receipt if you have not passed after 180 days
Ohio1 day
- Wait
- At least 24 hours
- Attempts
- No limit in person; online testing is limited to 2 attempts per 6 months
- Fees
- Not published
South Dakota1 day
- Wait
- The next working day
- Attempts
- 3 tries per fee paid within a 6-month period
- Fees
- Not published
Tennessee1 day
- Wait
- 24 hours
- Attempts
- Online test for ages 15–17: 2 attempts, then a Driver Services Center
- Fees
- Not published
Texas
- Wait
- A failed application is held for 90 days
- Attempts
- Up to 3 attempts
- Fees
- Not published
Vermont1 day
- Wait
- At least 1 day for the knowledge test (7 days for the road test)
- Attempts
- Not published
- Fees
- You pay again for each test
Virginia15 days
- Wait
- Under 18: 15 days. 18 and older: none, but a $2 re-exam fee applies within 15 days
- Attempts
- After 3 failures you must complete the classroom part of a Virginia driver training school program
- Fees
- $2 re-exam fee if you retake within 15 days (18 and older)
Washington
- Wait
- The DOL says there may be a waiting period; it does not give the length
- Attempts
- Not published
- Fees
- A test fee that varies by testing location
West Virginia7 days
- Wait
- Not within 1 week of the failed test
- Attempts
- Not published
- Fees
- Not published
Wisconsin1 day
- Wait
- Not before the next day
- Attempts
- 5 attempts at the same test within one year; more only with DMV permission
- Fees
- Not published
Wyoming3 days
- Wait
- Applicants who miss 13 or more questions wait 3 days
- Attempts
- The written test may be taken twice in one day
- Fees
- Not published
Before a retest
What to do before a retest
Check your wait and fee
Find your state's card above, then book only when you can retake.
Study what you missed
Use the wait on the sections you missed in your state's manual; the retest draws from the same manual.
A certification exam instead?
Retake rules differ for NCLEX, NREMT, CompTIA, ServSafe and more.
Want the full plan?
A step-by-step plan, and every state's pass mark.
It depends on the state. Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin let you try again within about a day. Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Vermont make you wait about a week, in some cases only after a second failure or for younger applicants. Some agencies publish no wait for the written test at all.
Several states cap attempts: California and Texas allow 3 per application, Illinois 3 within a year, Wisconsin 5 per year, and Virginia sends you to a driver training school classroom course after 3 failures. Ohio and New Jersey set no cap on in-person attempts. The table shows what each agency says.
Some states charge for retests and some include a set number of attempts in the first fee. Examples: Florida charges $10 per retest, Colorado $11.50, Minnesota charges from the third attempt, and California and Illinois include three attempts in the application fee. Check your state's row.
Massachusetts and New York do not state a wait or attempt limit for the written permit test on the pages we read, so we leave the cells blank rather than guess. Ask your motor vehicle agency, and don't rely on a practice-test site for it.
Each row comes from the state agency's own page or rules, gathered between September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026, and every row links to its source. Some agency sites block automated reading, so a few rows were checked through a search summary of the agency page. Rules change, so confirm with your agency before you book a retest.