Rhode Island DMV written test
Rhode Island DMV Cheat Sheet
The Rhode Island knowledge test facts in one place, checked against Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) sources and last verified November 2026.
The numbers
Rhode Island DMV test numbers to memorize
The Rhode Island knowledge test has 40 questions and you need 28 correct, which is 70 percent. You can miss 12. Rhode Island's agency does not publish its question count or passing score, so these numbers are the defaults our simulator uses, not an official requirement. The test is given by the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Scoring rule: rhode Island DMV publishes the 40-question count but does not publish a passing score. The figure shown is our working estimate, not an official RI DMV requirement.
40
Questions on the test
28
70% to pass
Correct answers needed
12
Questions you can miss
16
Minimum age
- Time limit
- The agency states a time limit of 90 minutes.
- Test fee on record
- $11.5. The agency's fee page decides exactly what this covers, so confirm it before you go.
- Format
- Computer-based at DMV office. Reservation required.
- Online test
- Not offered. You test in person.
- Appointment
- Required. Reservations required for all knowledge exams. Schedule online or by phone. Foreign language exams (beyond English/Spanish/Portuguese) must be scheduled in advance.
Before you go
Documents to bring in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) asks for these documents for the permit test. Check the agency's current list before you go, because requirements change.
0 of 4 done
- Proof of identity (birth certificate or passport)
- Social Security card
- 2 proofs of Rhode Island residency
- Parental consent (if under 18)
If you fail
If you fail: Rhode Island retake rules
After failing the knowledge exam you must wait at least 8 days to retake it; CDL and CLP knowledge exams carry a separate 7-day wait. The RI DMV publishes no knowledge-exam retest fee and no limit on attempts. Road-test waits escalate: 30 days after the 1st failure, 90 days after the 2nd, and 180 days after the 3rd and every failure after that. If repeated failures use up your permit's 2 one-year extensions, you must pass the knowledge test again to get a new permit.
- knowledge_exam (CDL): wait 7 days.
- Attempt limit: the agency does not publish one that we could confirm.
- Retest fee: the agency does not publish a per-attempt retest fee that we could confirm.
- Road-test waiting period lengthens with each failure: 30 days after the 1st, 90 days after the 2nd, 180 days after the 3rd and each subsequent failure.
- Repeated road-test failures burn through the learner permit's life: once the permit has exhausted its 2 possible one-year extensions (or the applicant is no longer extension-eligible), a new permit must be obtained by pa.
Some retake details for Rhode Island are not published by the agency (Agency does not publish: retake fee), so confirm them with DMV before you rely on them.
Who can test
Age and permit rules in Rhode Island
- Under 18
- Must be at least 16. Must have parental consent. Must complete a minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night) before the road test. Limited provisional license restrictions until age 18.
- Permit versus license
- A learner's permit (limited instructional permit) allows supervised driving with a licensed driver 21+ in the front seat. Must hold for at least 6 months before taking the road test.
- Where the test is given
- In-person at the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.
- How you get results
- Immediate. Pass/fail shown on screen after completing the test.
Study material
Languages and handbook
Our record of exam languages for Rhode Island: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Dari, Farsi (Persian), French, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Korean, Laotian, Nepali, Pashto, Polish, Russian, Somali, Swahili, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, and Yoruba.
The study source is the Rhode Island Driver's Manual (2024-2025 edition). The agency also publishes a Spanish version of the driver manual.
From learner data
Most missed Rhode Island practice questions
These free Rhode Island questions have the lowest correct rates among learners on DMV IQ. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 5 and only questions with enough answers are listed. Each one shows the right answer, so read the reasoning in the handbook, not just the answer.
- 1
If you double your speed, your braking distance increases by about:
Four times
About 30% get it right
- 2
A hand signal with the left arm extended downward means:
Slowing down or stopping
About 50% get it right
- 3
If the road is wet, you should reduce your speed by:
5-10 mph or more
About 50% get it right
- 4
A center lane marked on both sides by a solid yellow line and a broken yellow line is used for:
Left turns from either direction
About 50% get it right
- 5
A lap and shoulder belt gives the best protection when the lap portion sits:
Low across the hips and upper thighs
About 55% get it right
- 6
You park on a hill where there is no curb. Your front wheels should point:
Toward the edge of the road
About 55% get it right
Your plan
Free Rhode Island study checklist
Work through the free practice runs and topic cards, and tick each one off. Your ticks stay on this device.
Test yourself on the Rhode Island questions
Free practice tests and topic cards, each question with a hint and an explanation from the driver manual.
Start free practice test 1