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  • Updated for January 2025
  • Based on official South Dakota Driver's manual

Free South Dakota DMV Permit Practice Test 2025

This South Dakota DMV practice test has just been updated for January 2025 and covers 40 of the most essential road signs and rules questions directly from the official 2025 SD Driver Handbook. If you want to get your learner’s permit or driver’s license in the state of South Dakota, you will need to pass the official SD DMV test. It’s also known as the DMV permit test, driving test, DMV written test, driver’s license test, or simply the driver’s test. You’ll need to get an 80% passing score on a written knowledge test, consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions. Individuals age 14 and up can qualify for an instruction permit after they take the written test, a vision test, turn in an application (with parental permission if they are underage), provide required forms of ID, and meet certain other requirements depending on age. If you have taken a driver education course approved by the state, you may not have to take the written knowledge test to get your instruction permit, but you should still be able to answer all potential questions on the test. Effective July 1, 2021, before an underage driver with an instruction permit may upgrade to a restricted permit, he or she must hold an instruction permit for 275 days (or just 180 days if he or she completes a driver’s ed course) and log 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours in bad weather and 10 hours at night. You will need to pay a fee of $28 whether you are getting an instruction permit, a restricted minor’s permit, or a driver’s license. To help you prepare, we’ve designed this SD DMV practice test -- use it as your first step to prepare for the official exam. This practice test covers the same information and uses questions in the same format as the real test.

[faq]

FAQs

How many questions are on the permit test?

The South Dakota permit test consists of 25 questions. You need to answer at least 20 questions correctly to pass, achieving an 80% passing score.

How can I obtain a learner’s permit?

To obtain a learner’s permit in South Dakota, you must be at least 14 years old. You’ll need to pass a vision test and a knowledge test, and provide proof of identity, social security number, and residency.

Can a 14-year-old drive in South Dakota?

Yes, in South Dakota, a 14-year-old can drive with a learner’s permit. However, they must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or an adult authorized by a parent or guardian.

What tests are required for a driver’s license?

To get a driver’s license in South Dakota, you must pass a vision screening, a knowledge test (if you don’t already have a permit), and a driving skills test.

What are the driving rules with a permit?

With a learner’s permit in South Dakota, you must be accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 18 years old and has at least one year of driving experience. The licensed driver must sit in the front passenger seat.

[/faq]

  • Perfect for learner’s permit, driver’s license, and Senior Refresher Test

What you need to know

6 min to complete
Available in EN, ES, RU
Verified by Steven Litvintchouk, M.S., Chief Educational Researcher, Member of ACES. See our detailed commitment to accuracy and quality in our practice tests.

What to expect on the actual SD DMV exam

25

questions

20

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

14 y/o

minimum age to apply

List of questions (classic view)

  1. Where there are both a solid and a dashed yellow line between opposing lanes of traffic, you may NOT pass
  2. Shared center lanes are reserved for
  3. On multilane roads, the _________ lane is intended to be used for passing slower vehicles.
  4. A driver under the age of 18 must hold a restricted permit for at least _______ before they may apply for a full driver license.
  5. Which of the following rules about turning is FALSE?
  6. If an emergency vehicle displaying flashing red or blue lights or sounding a siren or air horn is approaching, you must
  7. South Dakota law requires you to _________ for a pedestrian carrying a white cane or using a guide dog, whether or not the person is in a crosswalk.
  8. This sign is
  9. To hold the steering wheel, place
  10. When approaching an intersection without signs or signals, you must yield to
  11. When turning a corner, you should turn the steering wheel using
  12. What does this sign indicate?
  13. Which of the following activities can distract you from driving?
  14. To avoid last-minute braking or the need to turn suddenly, you should look at least ________ ahead while driving in the city.
  15. At high speeds, you should start to signal __________ before you turn.
  16. This posted sign is
  17. For better visibility in fog, rain, or snow, use
  18. _________ are areas around trucks or other large vehicles in which other vehicles may disappear into blind spots.
  19. When should you sound a sharp blast on your horn?
  20. What does this sign mean?
  21. If you spot a slow-moving vehicle in your lane, you should
  22. When there is water on the roadway, you must reduce your speed below 35 mph to avoid
  23. If you miss your exit on an interstate highway, what should you do?
  24. What does this sign mean?
  25. At 75 mph, your vehicle will travel _________ in the time that it takes you to react to a hazard and bring the vehicle to a stop.
  26. You must hold an instruction permit for at least ________ and complete a driver's ed course before you are eligible to apply for a restricted permit.
  27. When entering an interstate highway from an acceleration lane, you must
  28. This sign is
  29. If you are being followed closely (tailgated), you should NOT
  30. Without completing the driver's ed course, you must hold an instruction permit for at least ________ before you are eligible to apply for a restricted permit.
  31. Use __________ to ensure that you are not driving faster than the distance you can see ahead.
  32. What does this sign mean?
  33. If you are about to pass a bicycle to your immediate right and an oncoming vehicle is approaching you on your immediate left, what should you do?
  34. You should dim your headlights whenever you are within ________ of an oncoming vehicle.
  35. In South Dakota, you must use your headlights between _________ and at any other time when visibility is poor.
  36. This sign may be posted
  37. A steady yellow traffic light at an intersection indicates that you must
  38. If you approach a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing on a two-lane road, you must come to a complete stop at least ________ from the school bus.
  39. A driver at least 21 years of age can be charged with driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol if his or her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is _______ or greater.
  40. A driver under 18 years of age who holds an instruction permit must accumulate at least ____ hours of supervised driving before they may apply for a driver license.
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