The Indiana road test
A plain-language guide, checked against the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Indiana BMV): who the test is for, what to bring, how it is scored, and what a retake really costs.
The rule that decides your path
The Indiana road test, also called the behind-the-wheel or driving skills test, is the final exam the Indiana BMV gives before it issues a driver's license. New drivers can take the Indiana driving test at 16, after holding a learner permit for 180 days and logging 50 hours of supervised driving.
Indiana sets a specific pre-license education step every new driver has to clear. A probationary license carries 180 days of night-driving restrictions (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) and passenger restrictions.
Below you'll find the full Indiana road test requirements: who qualifies, what to bring, how examiners score the drive, and the retake rules if you don't pass the first time. On our Driving Index, Indiana's written knowledge test ranks tied for 7th-hardest of 51.
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Supervised hours before the Indiana road test
These are hours you spend driving with a licensed adult, usually a parent, before you can take the test. Keep a log as you go, on paper or in an app, because the state can ask to see it. Practice in a mix of conditions, day and night, highways and quiet streets, rain and clear weather, and get the night hours in early, since those are the ones most people leave to the last minute.
What to bring to the Indiana road test
Tap each item to check it off. Your progress is saved on this device.
Documents
Your vehicle must have
Who comes with you. You must be accompanied by a valid licensed driver. If under 18, a parent or guardian who assumes financial responsibility must be at the appointment. Only the BMV examiner rides in the vehicle during the test.
If you fail the Indiana road test
Here's how a retake works in Indiana: 7 days; after three failures, 2 months.
Beyond any fee, a retry usually means another day off work or school, another ride to the office, and another car to borrow, so failing costs far more than it looks on paper.
Passing on the first try is the cheapest way through. A first license runs $17.50 for drivers under 75; the permit is $9.
How the Indiana road test is scored
A point-based demerit system. 11 or more points fails, and certain marked items are automatic failures (Score Sheet Form 54948).
Mistakes that end the test right away
Do any of these and the examiner stops the drive, no matter how well the rest went.
- A.1. Failing to use a seat belt
- C.2. Driving too fast for conditions
- C.3. Exceeding the posted speed limit
- E.6. Failing to stop at a stoplight
- E.7. Failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign
- E.8. Disobeying a traffic signal
- F.5. Turning into or using the wrong lane
- G.2. Failing to obey the required laws at a railroad crossing
- H.1. Failing to obey posted speed limits or signs in a school zone or for a school bus
- H.2. Passing a school bus with its stop arm out
- I.3. Straddling marked lanes or using the wrong lane
- I.4. Driving too close to pedestrians or bicycles
- I.5. Passing in a no-passing zone or crossing a solid yellow line
- I.6. Driving left of center or crossing the yellow line
- I.7. Failing to pull over and stop for emergency vehicles
- I.9. Causing an accident during the driving skills test
- I.10. Failing to yield the right of way
- K.5. Backing over a curb
- K.6. Driving into a parked vehicle
- L.1. Failing to follow instructions
- L.2. Disobeying a yield, stop, school zone, or no-turn-on-red sign
- L.3. Failing to react to hazardous driving conditions
Before the road test
Pass the Indiana written test on your first try
Nearby road-test guides.
Six more states, neighbours first, then the closest matches on test difficulty.
Test specifications, fees and laws change. This guide was last verified July 2026; always confirm current requirements with the Indiana BMV (www.in.gov) before booking a test. DMV IQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with any state DMV, DPS, MVD, or BMV.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] and we'll get it corrected.
Sources for this guide (5 official Indiana BMV pages)
- Eligibility: https://www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/learners-permits-and-drivers-licenses-overview/drivers-license/
- What to bring: https://www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/learners-permits-and-drivers-licenses-overview/drivers-license/driving-skill-examination
- Test format: https://www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/learners-permits-and-drivers-licenses-overview/drivers-license/driving-skill-examination
- Scoring: https://forms.in.gov/download.aspx?id=10397
- Retakes: https://www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/learners-permits-and-drivers-licenses-overview/drivers-license/driving-skill-examination
- Fees: https://www.in.gov/bmv/files/Fee_Chart.pdf
- Handbook (Current (PDF updated June 2026)): https://www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/files/drivers-manual.pdf
Current as of 2026-07-16. Official Indiana sources only; anything the state does not publish is left out rather than guessed.