What's on the test
The questions come from the Delaware Driver Manual. They cover these areas; each links to free practice questions on it:
- Signs, signals & work zonesSignal colors and arrows, sign shapes, warning signs, flaggers and work zones.
- Right-of-way, lanes & school busesPhones, passing, move-over, railroads, lane lines, roundabouts and school buses.
- Parking, speed & sharing the roadParking rules, speed limits, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles and trucks.
- Seeing, space & road conditionsScanning, lights, signals, slippery roads, night driving and following distance.
- Alcohol, health & emergenciesImpaired and distracted driving, DUI penalties, health, emergencies and crashes.
- Licenses, points & equipmentGraduated license, license classes, points, suspensions, equipment, insurance.
A study plan in five steps
Read the Delaware Driver Manual
Everything on the test is in it. Read it chapter by chapter, slowly, and come back to the parts you find hard:
- Introduction and Definitions
- License Requirements and the Graduated License
- ID Cards, License Classes and the Driver Exam
- Medical Rules, Suspensions and Points
- Aggressive, Impaired and Distracted Driving
- Vehicle Equipment, Registration and Insurance
- Traffic Signals, Highway Signs and Work Zones
- Delaware Laws, Markings, Lanes, Right-of-Way and School Buses
- Parking and Speed
- Pedestrians, Bicycles, Motorcycles and Trucks
- Before You Drive, Seeing and Communicating
- Adjusting Speed, Night Driving and Sharing Space
- Fitness to Drive, Emergencies and Crashes
Practice one topic at a time
After each chapter, practice that topic. You see the right answer and why straight away, with the handbook page to reread.
Learn the road signs
Signs are quick points once you know them by shape and color. Study the signs one at a time, then test yourself on 20.
Fix your weak spots
Your practice results are saved on your device. Practice my weak spots builds a round from the topics you miss most.
Take the full practice exam
The full exam works like the real one: 32 questions, 26 to pass, no answers until the end. Keep going until you pass comfortably several times in a row, then review every question you missed.
Before test day
Permit from 16 after driver education
Teens apply for the Level One Learner's Permit from age 16 (up to 22 for students on an IEP) after passing a Delaware-approved driver education course, with a parent or other sponsor signing. (Delaware Driver Manual, p. 28)
50 hours in the first six months
For the first six months every drive is supervised, and the sponsor certifies 50 hours of practice, 10 of them after dark. The supervisor must be at least 25 and licensed for 5 years. (Delaware Driver Manual, p. 29)
A 12-month program
After six months the permit holder may drive alone from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The permit turns into a full Class D license once 12 months of valid driving authority are complete. (Delaware Driver Manual, p. 30)
No phones at all on a GDL
Delaware bans hand-held phones and texting for every driver, and drivers on the graduated license may not use a phone even hands-free. (Delaware Driver Manual, p. 81)
Signs, signals and road rules
The knowledge exam covers highway signs, signals and pavement markings (shapes, colors and symbols) plus Delaware's rules of the road, laws and safe driving practices. (Delaware Driver Manual, p. 41)
Points start at 8
Delaware counts calculated points over two years: 8 brings an advisory letter, 12 a required driving course, and 14 or more a suspension of 4 months or longer. (Delaware Driver Manual, p. 47)
More answers: Delaware permit test FAQ. Applying for the first time? How to get your Delaware permit.
This guide is a free study aid, not the official test. Rules and fees can change: always check the current Delaware Driver Manual and the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before your test.Page numbers are the ones printed on the handbook pages; tap one to open the official PDF at that page.