A yellow sign showing a bump or dip in the road warns you to:

Slow down for a rough spot ahead

Keep speed - it only affects trucks

Move to the shoulder to avoid it

A yellow diamond sign showing a 'T' shape indicates:

A side road enters from one side

When you parallel park next to a curb, where should your car end up?

Parallel to the curb and as close as practical

About three feet from the curb so passengers can get out

With front wheels turned in toward the curb

Angled with the back wheel touching the curb

Free Iowa DOT Practice Permit Test - Practice Test 4 2026

25 questions80% to passExplanations includedFree

—Real test questions

—Pass score

This Practice Test 4 is modeled on the Department of Transportation (DOT) written knowledge exam, whose length the agency does not publish; to pass you need a pass mark the DOT does not publish (our practice tests use 80%). These 25 questions rotate through traffic laws, road signs, and right-of-way - the core topics the DOT tests most heavily. Every question includes an explanation, so you learn the rule behind each answer - not just whether you got it right.

Question 1 of 25

An Iowa intermediate license holder may not drive without adult supervision between:

Tip: Press 1-4 to select, Enter to submit, F to flag

Inside this test

What's on the Iowa Practice Test 4

The DOT does not publish how many questions are on the real Iowa knowledge test. Practice Test 4 is a 25-question set drawn from 49 questions, scored against a practice target of 80%.

Topics in this test's question pool

Road signs 15
Safe driving 12
Traffic laws 7
Right of way 6
Parking 2
Alcohol & drugs 2
Vehicle equipment 2
Emergencies 2
Speed limits 1

49 questions in the pool, 8 of them written specifically for Iowa. Each attempt shows 25 in a new order.

Sample questions from this test, with answers

Want to test yourself first? Take the test above before reading these. Every answer below is checked against the source shown.

1. What is the minimum speed on Iowa's interstate system?
- A. 40 mph (correct)
- B. 35 mph
- C. 45 mph
- D. 50 mph
Why: Iowa interstates have a 40 mph minimum speed. Vehicles that cannot reach at least 40 mph under normal conditions are not allowed on the interstate.
Source: official Iowa driver handbook, p.42 (PDF p.42), 4.5 Appropriate Speed
2. An Iowa intermediate license holder may not drive without adult supervision between:
- A. 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. (correct)
- B. 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- C. Midnight and 6 a.m.
- D. 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Why: Iowa intermediate license holders may drive unsupervised between 5 a.m. and 12:30 a.m., but not between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Source: Iowa Code 321.180B(2)(b)
3. A yellow sign showing a bump or dip in the road warns you to:
- A. Move to the shoulder to avoid it
- B. Slow down for a rough spot ahead (correct)
- C. Stop and check the road ahead
- D. Keep speed - it only affects trucks
Why: Bump and dip signs warn of an abrupt change in the road surface. Slow down to maintain control and protect your vehicle's suspension.
Source: Federal MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 2C.26
4. When should you use your vehicle's emergency hazard lights?
- A. When parking briefly in a no-parking zone
- B. When your car is disabled on or near the road (correct)
- C. To thank a driver who let you merge
- D. When you plan to change lanes or make a turn
Why: Hazard lights warn others that your vehicle is stopped, disabled or a hazard. Rules for using them while moving (for example in heavy rain) differ between states, so follow your state handbook.
Source: official Iowa driver handbook
5. When two lanes merge and there are 'zipper merge' signs, you should:
- A. Merge early - as soon as you see the sign - to be polite
- B. Use both lanes to the merge point, then take turns (correct)
- C. Let all vehicles in the other lane go first
- D. Stop and wait for all traffic to clear
Why: Where zipper-merge signs are posted, stay in your lane until the merge point, then take turns with the other lane like the teeth of a zipper. Merging early leaves one lane empty and makes the queue longer; the Minnesota Department of Transportation reports that the zipper merge can cut the length of a backup by as much as 40 percent.
Source: official Iowa driver handbook
6. What is the danger zone around a large truck where the truck driver cannot see you?
- A. Only behind the trailer and on its right
- B. In front, behind, and along both sides (correct)
- C. Only beside the cab on the driver's side
- D. Large trucks have no blind spots with modern mirrors
Why: Large trucks have significant blind spots (no-zones): directly in front (20 feet), directly behind (30 feet), to the right (2 lanes wide), and to the left (1 lane). If you cannot see the driver's face in their mirror, they cannot see you.
Source: official Iowa driver handbook

More Iowa facts, the full requirements table and the printable PDF are on the Iowa permit practice test page.

Iowa DOT Test Info

Questions on real test: Not published by the DOT
Passing score: Not published
Correct needed: a pass mark the DOT does not publish (our practice tests use 80%)
Minimum age: 14 years old
Testing agency: Department of Transportation

Official IA DOT Website ↗

More Iowa Tests

Study Tip

Don't just aim to pass this Iowa Practice Test 4 once - keep taking it until you score 80% or higher two or three times in a row. Read the explanation after every question, even the ones you get right, to lock in the rule before your DOT exam.