The Driver Knowledge Test contains 45 questions in total, and every one is multiple choice. The questions split into two sections that test different things, and knowing the split helps you plan your study.
The Driver Knowledge Test contains 45 questions in total, and every one is multiple choice. The questions split into two sections that test different things, and knowing the split helps you plan your study.
The first section has 15 general knowledge questions about road safety. These cover speed and stopping distances, the effects of alcohol and fatigue, and how to spot and respond to hazards.
The second section has 30 road rule questions covering signs, signals, give way rules, speed limits and the conditions attached to your licence. Because road rules make up two thirds of the test, they should take up most of your revision time.
You sit the test on a touchscreen computer at a Service NSW centre. Each question appears one at a time, often with an image of a road scene or a sign, and you tap the answer you think is correct.
The format is deliberately simple. The DKT is designed to measure your road knowledge, not your computer skills, so you do not need to be tech-savvy to do well. If you understand the rules, the touchscreen will not slow you down.
The questions are pulled at random from a large question bank, so no two candidates get exactly the same test. That is why memorising a fixed set of answers does not work. You need to genuinely understand the rules.
Working through a full set of road sign and give way practice questions is the most reliable way to prepare. It teaches the rule rather than one wording of it.
There is no harsh time limit that catches people out. Most candidates finish comfortably in 20 to 30 minutes. Take your time, read each question carefully, and do not let the touchscreen format rush you.
It also helps to know roughly how the questions are spread across topics. Road signs, give way rules and speed limits dominate the road rule section, so these deserve the bulk of your revision.
The 15 safety questions lean towards the big causes of crashes in Australia: speed, alcohol, drugs, fatigue and failing to spot hazards. Cover all of these and you have prepared for the ground the DKT is most likely to test.
To pass the DKT you must answer at least 41 of the 45 questions correctly. That is roughly 91 per cent, so you can afford no more than four wrong answers across the whole test.
The high pass threshold is deliberate. The rules the test covers keep you and other road users safe, so a near-perfect score is expected before you are allowed onto the road as a learner.
There is an important detail in scoring. If you make too many mistakes in one section the test can end early and record a fail, even if you might have done well in the other section.
So do not gamble on one strong area carrying a weak one. You need a solid understanding across every topic, from signs and give way rules to speed, alcohol and hazard perception.
The computer marks your test instantly and shows your result before you leave the counter. There is no waiting for a letter in the post, and you find out straight away whether you have earned your learner licence.
The computer marks your test instantly and tells you the result before you leave the counter. You either reach the 41-correct threshold or you do not. There are no partial marks for a question, and there is no negative marking for a wrong answer beyond simply not gaining that mark.
Because the two sections are scored, balance matters. A candidate who aces the road rules but neglects the safety section can still fail. Aim to be solid on signs, give way, speed and the alcohol and fatigue material alike.
If you do not pass, you can rebook and try again, usually after paying the test fee a second time. There is no limit on the number of attempts.
That said, each retake costs money and time, so it pays to prepare properly and pass on your first go. Candidates who read the official Road Users' Handbook and consistently score above 90 per cent on practice tests almost always clear the threshold comfortably.
The high pass mark is not there to make life difficult. Driving is one of the riskiest things most people do, and the road rules exist to manage that risk.
Knowing who gives way at a roundabout, what a flashing yellow arrow means, or how far to stay behind the car in front is not trivia. It is the difference between a safe trip and a crash. Framed this way, the 41-of-45 standard is a sensible minimum for sharing the road.
It is also worth remembering that the test reflects real conditions on busy Australian roads, where a single misjudged give way or misread sign can cause a serious crash. The standard is high because the consequences of getting it wrong behind the wheel are high. Passing the DKT shows you are ready to take that responsibility seriously from your very first drive as a learner.
The cost of getting your learner licence in NSW has two parts: the Driver Knowledge Test fee and the learner licence fee. As a rough guide the test costs about $25 and the licence about $28, so budget roughly $53 for your first attempt.
These fees are reviewed periodically, so always check the current amounts on the Service NSW website before you go. Concessions may apply to some customers, and the eyesight check is included in the process.
If you do not pass on your first try, you generally pay the test fee again for each retake, although you do not pay the licence fee until you actually pass.
That makes preparation a money-saver as well as a time-saver. Every retake you avoid is money kept in your pocket, which is one more reason to study properly before you book.
Around $25 for sitting the Driver Knowledge Test itself. You pay this again for each retake if you do not pass.
Around $28 for the learner licence, paid once you pass. The licence is valid for several years of supervised driving.
Free on PracticeTestGeeks. Prepare as much as you like without adding to the cost of getting your licence.
Because the licence fee buys you a learner licence valid for several years, the cost works out to very little per year of driving practice.
It is worth budgeting for the costs that come after the DKT too. Once you hold your learner licence you must log many supervised driving hours, and many learners pay for some professional lessons along the way. None of that is part of the DKT fee, but planning early means no surprises.
The DKT itself is the cheapest stage of getting your licence, so passing it efficiently leaves more of your budget for the driving practice that really builds your skills.
You book the DKT through Service NSW, either online or by visiting a service centre. To be eligible you must be at least 16 years old and able to prove your identity.
Before the test you complete the licence application, pass an eyesight check and pay the relevant fees. Many people book an appointment online to avoid waiting, but walk-in testing is also available at most centres during business hours.
Book once you are already scoring well on hazard perception and road rule practice tests, rather than locking in a date and then cramming.
Give yourself a week or two of steady study so the rules sink in. If you need to change your appointment, you can usually reschedule through the same Service NSW channel you used to book.
Arriving prepared makes the whole experience smoother. When you already know the material, the booking is just a formality and the test itself is something you have effectively rehearsed many times.
To sit the DKT you must prove your identity, so bring the documents Service NSW asks for, such as your birth certificate or passport, a Medicare card and proof of your NSW address.
Check the current identity requirements before you go. Turning up without the right documents means you cannot sit the test and will have to rebook. You will also complete an eyesight check, so bring your glasses or contact lenses if you wear them.
For study, the official Road Users' Handbook is your main resource. Read it cover to cover, then test yourself with practice questions until you score above 90 per cent without trouble.
Pay particular attention to give way rules and road signs, which appear constantly. The safety topics of speed, alcohol, fatigue and hazard perception make up the entire general knowledge section, so do not neglect them either.
On the day itself, get a good night's sleep, eat something beforehand, and arrive early so you are calm. Read every question carefully — the answers are not designed to trick you, but a rushed reading can cause silly mistakes.
If you are organising the test for a teenager, review the identity document list in advance, since young people often do not have a passport readily on hand. Service NSW publishes a points-based list of acceptable documents.
The same applies to the eyesight check. If there is any doubt about vision, an eye test beforehand removes uncertainty on the day and avoids a last-minute surprise at the counter.
Try to do a couple of full practice runs without looking anything up, the same way you will sit the real DKT. This builds confidence with the format and shows whether you can hold a passing standard from start to finish.
By the time you walk in, the test should feel familiar rather than daunting. That calm is often the difference between scraping through and passing comfortably, and it is the natural reward for steady preparation.
Passing the DKT is your first real step towards driving on Australian roads. With the handbook read and plenty of free practice behind you, it is very achievable on the very first attempt.
Sit the 45-question Driver Knowledge Test at Service NSW and score at least 41 correct to earn your learner licence and L plates.
Drive only with a fully licensed supervisor while displaying L plates, recording every drive in your learner logbook.
Once you meet the hours and age requirements, pass the computer-based Hazard Perception Test to move towards your P1 licence.
Pass the practical driving test to get your P1 (red) provisional licence, then progress to P2 (green) and finally a full licence.
Most people who fail the DKT do so for predictable reasons, and knowing them in advance is half the battle. The biggest is simply not studying enough. The pass mark is high, and the test rewards genuine understanding rather than guesswork.
A second common slip is misreading the question. Some questions use words like “must”, “may” or “must not” that change the meaning entirely. Slow down and read every word before you choose an answer.
Another trap is confusing the STOP sign with the Give Way sign. A STOP sign always means a complete stop, while a Give Way sign means slow down and stop only if needed. Mixing these up is a classic error.
Speed limit questions also catch people out. Remember the default 50 km/h built-up limit, the 40 km/h school zones during signposted times, and the 90 km/h cap that applies to learner drivers in NSW.
Finally, candidates often underestimate the safety section. They focus on road rules and lose marks on questions about alcohol, fatigue and hazard perception. Give every topic fair attention and these avoidable errors disappear.
Nerves play a part too. Some well-prepared candidates rush, second-guess themselves and change correct answers to wrong ones. If you have studied and your first instinct matches the rule you learnt, trust it rather than talking yourself out of it on the day. A calm, methodical approach to each question will serve you far better than rushing to finish. Take a breath, read carefully, and answer with the rule you have practised.
Passing the DKT earns you a NSW learner licence, but it is only the first stage of the graduated licensing scheme. From here you must build real driving experience under supervision before you can move forward.
As a learner you must display L plates on the front and rear of the vehicle and always drive with a fully licensed supervisor seated beside you. You also keep a logbook recording your supervised driving hours.
Once you have logged the required hours and reached the right age, you can sit the Hazard Perception Test and a practical driving test to progress to a P1 provisional licence. This is the green light to drive on your own.
From P1 you move to P2 and eventually to a full, unrestricted licence. Each stage has its own rules, including lower demerit point limits, zero blood alcohol and speed restrictions, all of which the DKT introduced you to.
Seeing the DKT as the start of this journey, rather than just a test to get out of the way, helps you take the rules seriously. The habits you build now are the ones that keep you safe for the rest of your driving life.
Tip: Short, regular study sessions beat one long cram. Spend 20 minutes a day on practice questions for a week or two and the road rules will stick far better than a single marathon session the night before the test.
The DKT has a reputation for being tricky, mostly because of its high pass mark. In reality it is very manageable for anyone who prepares properly. The questions test practical road knowledge, not obscure trivia.
Most candidates who fail simply have not studied enough, or have skipped the safety section. With a sensible study plan, the test becomes far less intimidating and the pass mark feels well within reach.
How long you need to study depends on your starting point. If you have grown up around cars and already know many road rules, a week of focused revision may be enough. If road rules are new to you, give yourself two to three weeks.
The best approach is to read the official Road Users' Handbook first, then switch to practice questions. The handbook gives you the rules, and the practice tests reveal which rules have not yet stuck.
Track your scores as you go. When you are consistently scoring above 90 per cent across all six topics, you are ready to book. If one topic keeps tripping you up, focus your next few sessions there rather than re-testing what you already know.
Above all, do not rush to book before you are ready. There is no prize for sitting the DKT early, and a failed attempt costs another fee. Patience and steady practice are what turn a daunting test into a comfortable pass.
It can also help to study with a parent or supervisor who already holds a full licence. Talking through tricky give way scenarios out loud often makes them clearer than reading alone, and your supervisor can share real examples from their own driving.
Remember that the DKT is not the finish line. It is the entry point to learning to drive, and the knowledge you build for it carries straight into your time on L plates. Every rule you master now is one less thing to think about when you are concentrating on actually controlling the car.
So treat your DKT preparation as the foundation of your driving, not a box to tick. Approach it that way and you will not only pass the test comfortably, you will also start your driving life with the safe habits that matter most on Australian roads.