The Missouri road test
A plain-language guide, checked against the Missouri Department of Revenue (MO DOR): 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 Missouri road test, also called the behind-the-wheel or driving skills test, is the final exam the MO DOR / MSHP gives before it issues a driver's license. New drivers can take the Missouri driving test at 15, after holding a learner permit for at least 182 days. and logging 40 hours of supervised driving. The drive includes parallel parking.
Missouri does not require a full driver's education course to get licensed. A permit holder under 16 must be accompanied by a qualified person, grandparent, instructor, or a driver 25 or older who has been licensed 3 years, with parental permission.
Below you'll find the full Missouri 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, Missouri's written knowledge test ranks tied for 14th-hardest of 51.
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Supervised hours before the Missouri 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 Missouri road test
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Documents
Your vehicle must have
Who comes with you. The car does not have to be yours, but it must be registered and insured. A permit holder under 16 must be accompanied by a qualified driver. Only the examiner rides along during the test.
If you fail the Missouri road test
Here's how a retake works in Missouri: One test per day, up to 3 in 12 months without DOR permission. $0 for the non-CDL skills test at Highway Patrol stations.
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 a Class F license valid up to 6 years ($16.50 for 3 years).
How the Missouri road test is scored
Point-deduction. Losing more than 30 points fails, so you need at least 70%.
Mistakes that end the test right away
Do any of these and the examiner stops the drive, no matter how well the rest went.
- Are in a crash with another vehicle and it is your fault
- Hit a pedestrian
- Drive so dangerously you might have caused a traffic crash
- Violate a traffic law
- Refuse to drive as the examiner asks
Before the road test
Pass the Missouri 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 MO DOR / MSHP (dor.mo.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 (4 official MO DOR / MSHP pages)
- Eligibility: https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/issuance/graduated-driver-license/details.html
- What to bring: https://dor.mo.gov/pdf/Chapter2.pdf
- Test format: https://dor.mo.gov/pdf/Chapter2.pdf
- Scoring: https://dor.mo.gov/pdf/Chapter2.pdf
- Retakes: https://dor.mo.gov/pdf/Chapter2.pdf
- Fees: https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/documents/feechart.pdf
- Handbook (Revised August 2025): https://dor.mo.gov/forms/Driver%20Guide.pdf
Current as of 2026-07-16. Official Missouri sources only; anything the state does not publish is left out rather than guessed.