The Texas road test
A plain-language guide, checked against the Texas Department of Public Safety (Texas DPS): 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 Texas road test, also called the behind-the-wheel or driving skills test, is the final exam the Texas DPS gives before it issues a driver's license. New drivers can take the Texas driving test at 16, after holding a learner permit for 6 months and logging 30 hours of supervised driving. The drive includes parallel parking.
In Texas, driver's education is required before anyone under 18 can be licensed. These steps apply to drivers under 18, who must take the road test and complete a state-approved driver's ed course plus the Impact Texas Teen Driver program. New residents 18 or older who surrender a valid out-of-state license can skip the adult course. Teens practice with a licensed driver who is at least 21.
Below you'll find the full Texas 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, Texas's written knowledge test ranks 50th-hardest of 51.
REQUIRED IN TEXAS
The state-approved course Texas requires before you get licensed
Complete Texas's required course with Aceable, a TDLR-approved provider (course #C2839).
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Supervised hours before the Texas 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 Texas 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. Only the examiner rides with you during the test. No pets or extra passengers are allowed.
If you fail the Texas road test
Here's how a retake works in Texas: You can retry while your application is active; it stays open for 90 days. No separate retest fee. After 90 days or three failed tries, you file a new application ($33 for adults, $16 for minors).
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 $33 for an adult Class C license (valid 8 years); $16 for a minor.
How the Texas road test is scored
Pass or fail. The examiner scores each maneuver and gives you feedback along the way.
Mistakes that end the test right away
Do any of these and the examiner stops the drive, no matter how well the rest went.
- Any dangerous or illegal move stops the test immediately and results in a fail.
Mistakes that cost you points
These don't end the test on their own, but enough of them adds up to a fail.
- Hesitating or stopping when you don't need to
- Wide or short turns
- Following too closely
- Skipping mirror and blind-spot checks
- Rolling stops and uneven speed control
Before the road test
Pass the Texas 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 Texas DPS (www.dps.texas.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 Texas DPS pages)
- Eligibility: https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/texas-provisional-license-teen
- What to bring: https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-15.pdf
- Test format: https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-60.pdf
- Scoring: https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-60.pdf
- Retakes: https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-60.pdf
- Fees: https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/driver-license-fees
- Handbook (Revised January 2026): https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-7.pdf
Current as of 2026-07-16. Official Texas sources only; anything the state does not publish is left out rather than guessed.