What's on the test
The questions come from the South Dakota Driver License Manual. They cover these areas; each links to free practice questions on it:
- Signals, signs & markingsRight-of-way, lights and arrows, sign shapes and colors, railroads, lane lines.
- Turns, parking & passingTurns, U-turns, roundabouts, school buses, parking, lanes and passing.
- Sharing the roadEmergency vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, farm machinery.
- Space, night & winter drivingScanning, following distance, headlights, deer, work zones and winter roads.
- Alcohol, fitness & emergenciesVision, fatigue, distractions, alcohol and drugs, vehicle failures and crashes.
- Licenses, your vehicle & basicsPermits and licenses, points, insurance, vehicle checks, seat belts, basics.
A study plan in five steps
Read the South Dakota Driver License Manual
Everything on the test is in it. Read it chapter by chapter, slowly, and come back to the parts you find hard:
- Stopping and Moving Over for Emergency Vehicles
- Licenses, Permits and License Tests
- Renewal, Losing Your License, Insurance and Points
- Be in Shape to Drive
- Before You Drive
- Basic Driving
- Rules of the Road: Right-of-Way, Signals, Signs and Markings
- Turns, Intersections, Roundabouts, School Buses and Parking
- Changing Lanes, Interstate Driving, Passing and Enforcement Stops
- Safe Driving Tips
- Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes
- Sharing the Road
- Special Driving Situations
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: 25 questions, 20 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
Instruction permit at 14
South Dakota teens can get an Instruction Permit from age 14 by passing the vision and knowledge tests, with a parent or guardian's consent on the application. (South Dakota Driver License Manual, p. 8)
275 days on the permit
Teens hold the Instruction Permit for 275 days before moving up, or 180 days after passing an approved Department of Education driver education course. (South Dakota Driver License Manual, p. 8)
50 supervised hours
Before upgrading, teens log 50 hours of adult-supervised driving, including 10 hours in bad weather and 10 hours after dark. (South Dakota Driver License Manual, p. 8)
Restricted Minor's Permit
With a parent's permission, holders may drive alone from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For the first six months only immediate family or household members may ride along. (South Dakota Driver License Manual, p. 8)
No phones on a permit
Instruction and Restricted Minor's Permit holders may not use any wireless device while driving, and texting at the wheel is illegal for everyone. (South Dakota Driver License Manual, p. 8)
80% to pass
The knowledge test covers South Dakota's rules of the road and safe driving practices, and you need a score of at least 80% to pass it. (South Dakota DPS: Driver License Testing Information)
More answers: South Dakota permit test FAQ. Applying for the first time? How to get your South Dakota permit.
This guide is a free study aid, not the official test. Rules and fees can change: always check the current South Dakota Driver License Manual and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS), Driver Licensing Program before your test.Page numbers are the ones printed on the handbook pages; tap one to open the official PDF at that page.