Permit test by state/Illinois

Illinois permit test: format & rules

Illinois’s learner permit knowledge test is run by the Illinois Secretary of State. 35 questions · passing score not published.

Checked September 24, 2026 against the Illinois Rules of the Road 2026. Rules change — confirm with the Illinois Secretary of State before you test.

Questions35
Correct to passNot published
Wrong answers allowedNot published
Road signs scored separatelyNo separate minimum published
Study fromIllinois Rules of the Road

Rules that trip people up

  • 15 of the 35 questions are traffic-sign identification; the other 20 are multiple-choice or true/false.

How to pass the Illinois permit test on the first try

  1. Get the Illinois Rules of the Road. The test is written from it, so treat it as the syllabus, not background reading.
  2. Learn signs by shape and color first. Sign shapes are standardized nationally — an octagon is always stop, a triangle always yield, a diamond always a warning — so a sign you’ve never seen can still be read from its shape.
  3. Make a numbers sheet. Speed limits, following distances, parking distances and BAC limits are where most points are lost — they’re easy to confuse and easy to test.
  4. Practice at the real length. Take 35-question practice tests and don’t book the real one until you score 90% twice in a row.

Illinois practice questions are in the works

We write every bank from the official handbook, with an explanation and a source note on each answer. Leave your email and we’ll send one message when the Illinois bank opens — 20 questions free.

Meanwhile, our free guide to the most-missed DMV test concepts covers the rules that trip up drivers in every state.

Illinois permit test FAQ

The standard car knowledge test has 35 questions.

The Illinois Secretary of State doesn't publish a passing number. Aim for 90%+ in practice so the exact cutoff doesn't matter.

The Illinois Rules of the Road. Every question on the real test comes from it. Start with road signs and right-of-way, then the numbers people forget: speed limits, following distances, and blood-alcohol limits.