Free Colorado DMV Permit Practice Test 2026
Get ready to pass your Colorado DMV written test on the first try. Our free Colorado permit practice tests are based directly on the official Colorado Driver's Handbook and contain the same types of questions you will see on test day. Each test covers traffic laws, road signs, right-of-way rules, safe driving techniques, and Colorado-specific regulations. You need 80% correct to pass, so preparation is essential. Start practicing today - unlimited attempts, instant feedback, detailed explanations.
Take the Colorado DMV Permit Practice Test Now
25 questions drawn from the Colorado driver handbook, 80% to pass, with an explanation after every answer. Free, no sign-up - press Start when you are ready. More Colorado tests are listed below.
Colorado DMV Practice Test 1
Questions are shuffled every time and drawn from the Colorado driver handbook. Nothing starts - and no clock runs - until you press the button.
- 25 questions
- 80% to pass (20 correct)
- About 15 minutes
- Explanation after every answer
Ways to practice
Learn with practice tests and flashcards, then take the mock test when you think you are ready.
Also try: the Colorado cheat sheet of rules and numbers, the hardest questions people miss most, or make your own test on the topics you find hard.
Colorado Permit Practice Tests
198 unique questions in the Colorado bank (38 Colorado-specific) - practice until you are confident
More Colorado Practice Tests
Official Colorado Driver's Handbook
The DMV writes every real exam question from this manual - read it alongside your practice tests.
Colorado Permit Practice Test PDF (2026)
Free printable version: 100+ Colorado questions with an answer key and explanations, plus the DMV test facts on the cover. Or print a 25-question test. All state PDFs →
Colorado Instruction Permit Test: Quick Facts
Verified against Division of Motor Vehicles publications - last reviewed September 2026.
| Official permit name | Instruction Permit |
|---|---|
| Questions on the test | Not published by the DMV |
| Passing score | 80% correct |
| Wrong answers allowed | Depends on test length (not published) |
| Minimum age | 15 years old |
| Under-21 alcohol limit | 0.02% BAC or higher |
| Driver's education | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Supervised practice | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (under 18) |
| Permit holding period | 12 months (under 18) |
| Testing agency | Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
Sample Colorado Permit Test Questions
Three of the Colorado-specific questions from our bank, with the answer and the rule behind it. The Colorado bank behind the tests above holds 198 unique questions.
1. In Colorado, drivers under 18 are:
- A. Barred from using a cell phone at all (correct)
- B. Allowed to make hands-free calls only
- C. Allowed to text at stop lights
- D. Under the same rules as adult drivers
Why: Colorado prohibits drivers under 18 from using a mobile device for any purpose while driving, except to report an emergency. Since January 1, 2025, adult drivers may use a phone only with a hands-free accessory.
2. Under Colorado's Move Over law, if you cannot change lanes for a stopped emergency vehicle on a higher-speed road, you must slow to:
- A. 20 mph below the posted limit (correct)
- B. The posted speed limit
- C. 5 mph below the posted limit
- D. 10 mph below the posted limit
Why: Colorado's Move Over law requires moving over or, if you can't, slowing down: to 25 mph on lower-speed roads, and to 20 mph below the posted limit on higher-speed roads.
3. In Colorado, a driver under 21 commits an offense with a blood alcohol level over:
- A. 0.02 (correct)
- B. 0.05
- C. 0.08
- D. 0.10
Why: The Colorado handbook sets the limit for drivers under 21 at a BAC over .02 (over .08 for adults, over .04 for commercial drivers).
Colorado Permit Test Study Guide (2026)
A free Colorado DMV written test study guide - updated for 2026, verified against the official Division of Motor Vehicles handbook.
Reviewed by Chad HenryAfter 25 years of teaching driver educationLast reviewed September 2026
Mountain passes, fast-changing weather, the I-70 climb into the Rockies, plus commuter traffic around Denver, Colorado Springs, and Boulder - Colorado's DMV written test covers chain laws, steep grades, altitude, and winter conditions a flat-state exam never touches. Our Colorado practice permit test, from the official Colorado Driver Handbook, readies you for both city and mountain driving.
What to Expect on the Colorado Permit Test
The Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires every new driver to pass a written knowledge test before being issued a learner's permit. The DMV does not publish the number of questions; to pass you need 80% correct. You must be at least 15 years old to apply. Every question is drawn from the official Colorado driver's handbook, so the topics on our practice tests match exactly what the DMV asks.
Topics Covered on the CO Written Test
- Traffic Laws (Rules of the Road): State-specific rules of the road, including right-of-way, lane changing, and intersection rules
- Road Signs: Recognition and meaning of all standard road signs - warning, regulatory, and informational
- Speed Limits: Default speed limits, school zones, work zones, and highway speeds
- Safe Driving: Following distance, blind spots, defensive driving, and weather conditions
- Alcohol & Drugs: DUI laws, BAC limits, and consequences of impaired driving
- Parking Rules: Legal and illegal parking situations, curb colors, and distances
How to Prepare for the Colorado Permit Test
The strongest preparation pairs a read-through of the official Colorado Driver's Handbook with repeated practice tests that surface your weak spots. The DMV writes its test from that handbook, so the rules you practise here are the rules you will be asked about. A sensible target: score at least 80% on several fresh practice tests in a row - and read the explanation on every miss - before you book your appointment.
Official Colorado DMV Information
For official test requirements, locations, and fees, visit the Division of Motor Vehicles website. You can also read the official Colorado driver's handbook free of charge - every question on our practice tests traces back to it.
Colorado Permit Test - Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the Colorado DMV written test?
The DMV does not publish how many questions are on the Colorado knowledge test. To pass you need 80% correct.
What is the phone rule for new drivers in Colorado?
Colorado: drivers under 18 may not use a phone at all, except to report an emergency. Colorado prohibits drivers under 18 from using a mobile device for any purpose while driving, except to report an emergency. Since January 1, 2025, adult drivers may use a phone only with a hands-free accessory. (CDOT, The Hands-Free Law (SB24-065, effective Jan. 1, 2025))
When are new drivers in Colorado not allowed to drive?
Colorado minors, first year: no driving midnight-5 a.m. (some exceptions). For the first year, minor drivers may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. unless with an instructor, parent or guardian. Exceptions include school or work trips with a signed statement and medical emergencies. (p.2 (PDF p.5), Minor Drivers - Curfew)
How many passengers can a new driver in Colorado carry?
Colorado, first 6 months under 18: no passengers under 21 unless an adult 21+ rides. For the first six months, Colorado drivers under 18 may not carry passengers under 21 unless a parent or another licensed adult driver is in the vehicle. After six months, one passenger under 21 is allowed. (PDF p.5, Passenger restrictions)
What is the blood alcohol limit for drivers under 21 in Colorado?
A driver under 21 in Colorado violates the zero-tolerance law at a BAC of 0.02% or higher - far below the 0.08% adult limit.
How many questions can you miss on the Colorado permit test?
You need at least 80% correct. The DMV does not publish the number of questions on the test, so the number you can miss depends on the test you get - on our 25-question simulator that is 5.
What is the Colorado learner's permit officially called?
Colorado issues the Instruction Permit. It is the first stage of the state's licensing process for new drivers.
Is driver's education required for a Colorado permit?
Required for applicants under 18.
How long do I have to hold my Colorado permit?
Minimum holding period: 12 months (under 18). Required supervised practice: 50 hours incl. 10 at night (under 18).
Sources & Methodology
Every Colorado question on this page is written from the official Colorado driver handbook, and the facts in the table above are checked against Division of Motor Vehicles publications. Last reviewed: September 2026. Every question shows its own source under the explanation; all corrections are listed in our corrections log.
Chad Henry – Reviewer
After 25 years of teaching driver education
Chad Henry has taught driver education for 25 years and reviews every state's practice questions, quick facts and study guides against the official driver handbook and agency publications before they are published.
Last reviewed: September 2026
- https://dmv.colorado.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/DR_2337_Jan2025.pdf
- https://dmv.colorado.gov/
- https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/colorado_drunk_driving_laws_-_colorado_law_summary.pdf
- https://www.codot.gov/safety/colorado-teen-drivers
- https://www.codot.gov/safety/colorado-teen-drivers/assets/2025-assets/teendriving_gdlresourceguide_cdotreview_ada-1.pdf
Study Guides to Help You Pass
All articles →Hand signals for the permit test: left, right, stop, and when the law requires them
The three driver hand signals every permit test asks about, which arm to use, and when 14 state handbooks say you must or may use them.
Traffic Laws10 Driving Rules That Change at the State Line (With the Handbook Page for Each)
Ten permit-test rules that differ by state - hydrant distance, school bus stops, Move Over speeds, headlights - with a handbook page for each.
Test InfoWhat's on the motorcycle permit test, and how it differs from the car test
What the motorcycle knowledge test covers, where its questions come from, the gear and SEE rules it asks about, and how states give or waive it.
Practice Permit Tests in Other States
Studying in more than one state, or planning a move from Colorado? Jump straight to another state's free DMV-style practice tests below, or browse all 50 states.
Start Your Colorado Permit Test Prep Now
Free, unlimited practice. No registration required.
Take Colorado Practice Test 1 - Free