ND DMV Practice Test

This page is for North Dakota residents preparing for the DMV knowledge test that leads to a learner's permit. It lists the fees and retake rules published by the North Dakota Department of Transportation, then gives you free practice sets on traffic laws, road signs, licensing, registration and safe driving, with worked examples.

ND DMV Exam at a Glance

What the ND DMV is and how it works

According to North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division, “Any North Dakota resident who’s at least 14 years old.”^[1]

The North Dakota knowledge test is the written step toward a learner's permit. The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division, runs it. You can take it in person at a North Dakota Driver License Site, or online through KnowTo Drive.

In person, the test costs $5 per attempt and you can try only once per day. Online, each attempt costs $10 and there is a 60-minute time limit. If you fail online, you can retake after 24 hours, and after 5 failures you wait 1 year. The online test is open to North Dakota residents who are at least 14 years old.

The permit itself costs $15, and the road test costs $5. For the permit you bring proof of identity and address and complete a vision screening. If you are under 18, a sponsor must sign for approval and financial liability before the permit is issued.

We have not verified the number of questions, the passing score or the official topic outline, so check those with NDDOT before test day. Fees and rules can change, so confirm them on the NDDOT website at dot.nd.gov. The questions on this site are practice material written by us, not real exam questions.

Worked examples: how to reason through ND DMV questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What does a flashing yellow signal indicate at an intersection in North Dakota?

1. Proceed with caution
2. Stop and wait for green
3. Yield to all traffic
4. The signal is malfunctioning

Answer: A. Proceed with caution

Explanation:

The correct answer is that a flashing yellow signal means proceed with caution. You do not have to stop, but you should slow down and watch for cross traffic and pedestrians before going through.

Stop and wait for green is wrong because that describes a red signal, or a yellow that is about to turn red, not a flashing yellow. Yield to all traffic is wrong because a flashing yellow does not hand right of way to everyone else; you still follow normal right-of-way rules. The signal is malfunctioning is wrong because a flash is an intended signal mode, not a fault.

Rule to remember: flashing yellow means slow down and check; flashing red means stop first, then go when it is safe.

Example 2

Question: Where can you find information about the locations and hours of operation for North Dakota DMV offices?

1. On the DMV’s social media pages
2. In the local phone book
3. On the North Dakota DMV website
4. By visiting the state capital

Answer: C. On the North Dakota DMV website

Explanation:

The correct answer is the North Dakota DMV website. Official pages are kept current by the agency that runs the offices, so they are the most dependable place to check locations and hours before you travel.

Social media pages are wrong because posts can be old, unofficial or incomplete, and they are not a maintained directory. The local phone book is wrong because printed listings go out of date and rarely reflect changes in hours. Visiting the state capital is wrong because driver license services are not handled by travelling to one city to ask.

Rule to remember: for office details, fees and requirements, go to the official state source first. For North Dakota that means the NDDOT site, and it is worth checking before each visit.

Example 3

Question: What must you do when changing your address in North Dakota?

1. Notify the DMV within the required timeframe, typically 10-30 days
2. No notification is needed
3. Wait until license renewal
4. Only notify if you change counties

Answer: A. Notify the DMV within the required timeframe, typically 10-30 days

Explanation:

The correct answer is to notify the DMV within the required timeframe. Your license and vehicle records are used for notices and for identifying you, so the state expects them to stay accurate after you move.

No notification is needed is wrong because a changed address is a reportable change. Wait until license renewal is wrong because renewal may be far off, and the records would be wrong in the meantime. Only notify if you change counties is wrong because the duty applies to a change of address, not only a change of county.

The question gives a typical range of 10-30 days, but this can vary by situation, so check the exact deadline and method with NDDOT. Rule to remember: report an address change promptly rather than waiting.

How to use these practice tests

Start by reading the official material from NDDOT, since that is what the test is based on. Keep it open next to our practice sets so you can look up any rule you miss.

Work through the sets by topic rather than jumping straight to the full practice test. Begin with road signs and traffic laws, because they come up in daily driving and are easy to check against what you see on the road. Then move to safe driving practices, alcohol and drug laws, licensing, and vehicle registration. Save the services and offices set for the week you plan your visit.

After each set, write down every question you got wrong and the rule behind it. Do not just memorise the answer letter; the wording on a real test will differ from ours. Read the explanation for the options you rejected as well, since wrong options often show a rule that applies elsewhere.

Once your misses become rare, take the full practice test and repeat only the topics where mistakes remain. Before you go, check NDDOT for the current fees, the documents to bring and whether you will test in person or online. Remember that in person you can attempt the test only once per day, so arrive prepared.

Sources & last verified

1. knowtodrive.com — time limit, exam fee, retake policy, eligibility (official source). “There is a 60-minute time limit to complete the test.” Verified Oct 21, 2026.
2. North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division — exam fee, retake policy, delivery, eligibility (official source). “Knowledge Test: $5 per attempt (one attempt allowed per day)” Verified Oct 21, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.