The Colorado road test
A plain-language guide, checked against the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (Colorado DMV): 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 Colorado road test, also called the behind-the-wheel or driving skills test, is the final exam the Colorado DMV gives before it issues a driver's license. New drivers can take the Colorado driving test at 16, after logging 50 hours of supervised driving. Parallel parking is not scored on the Colorado test.
Colorado sets a specific pre-license education step every new driver has to clear. HB24-1021 (effective January 1, 2027) will require driver's ed for drivers under 21; drivers 21 and older are exempt.
Below you'll find the full Colorado 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, Colorado's written knowledge test ranks tied for 32nd-hardest of 51.
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Supervised hours before the Colorado 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 Colorado road test
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Documents
Your vehicle must have
Who comes with you. Only you and the examiner are in the vehicle. A licensed driver 21 or older brings you to the appointment.
If you fail the Colorado road test
Here's how a retake works in Colorado: The next business day. The retest fee is $15.40 (Driving Skills Retest).
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 $34.
How the Colorado road test is scored
You are scored on turns, stopping at and through intersections, lane changes, merging, and general driving behavior, grouped into perceptual, motor, and attentional categories.
Colorado doesn't publish a point system or a set passing score, so the examiner simply judges whether you drive safely and follow the rules. In general, you fail for dangerous driving, breaking a traffic law, causing a crash, or not following the examiner's directions. Small mistakes add up too, so drive smoothly and predictably.
Before the road test
Pass the Colorado 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 Colorado DMV (dmv.colorado.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 (3 official Colorado DMV pages)
- Eligibility: https://dmv.colorado.gov/permits-first-time-driver-license
- What to bring: https://dmv.colorado.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/DR_2337_Jan2025.pdf
- Test format: https://dmv.colorado.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/DR_2337_Jan2025.pdf
- Scoring: https://dmv.colorado.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/DR_2337_Jan2025.pdf
- Retakes: https://dmv.colorado.gov/state-dmv-fees
- Fees: https://dmv.colorado.gov/state-dmv-fees
- Handbook (January 2025 (DR 2337)): https://dmv.colorado.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/DR_2337_Jan2025.pdf
Current as of 2026-07-16. Official Colorado sources only; anything the state does not publish is left out rather than guessed.