Colorado permit test numbers to know
Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 54 Colorado numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
12 questions a round from the 42 number questions in our Colorado bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.
Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.
Numbers flashcards
42 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.
See 3 of the cards
Alcohol & drugs
At what blood alcohol concentration can a driver 21 or older be convicted of DUI per se in Colorado?
0.08% or higher
Under C.R.S. 42-4-1301(2)(a), a driver commits DUI per se with a BAC of 0.08 or more at the time of driving or within two hours after. The handbook says 'greater than 0.08%', but the statute includes exactly 0.08.
Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles website
Fines, points & penalties
If you are convicted of reckless driving in Colorado, how many points can be assessed against your record?
Up to 8 points
Reckless driving means driving in a way that puts people or property in danger, whether you meant to or not. A conviction under Colorado's reckless driving statute can add up to eight points to your driving record.
Speed limits
You see a reflective orange triangle on the back of a vehicle. What does it tell you?
The vehicle is designed to travel slower than 25 mph
A reflective orange triangle is a slow-moving vehicle marker, meaning the vehicle is designed for speeds under 25 mph.
Every Colorado number, by topic
Official test facts and Colorado laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.
Alcohol & drugs
9 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.08% | Legal BAC limit for adult drivers | olls.infoQuoteA person who drives a motor vehicle or vehicle when the person's BAC is 0.08 or more at the time of driving or within two hours after driving commits DUI per se. |
| 0.02% | BAC limit for drivers under 21 | olls.infoQuoteIt is a class A traffic infraction for any person under twenty-one years of age to drive a motor vehicle or vehicle when the person's BAC, as shown by analysis of the person's breath, is at least 0.02 but not more than 0.05 |
| 0.04% | BAC limit in a commercial vehicle | olls.infoQuotewhen the person's BAC was 0.04 or more at the time of driving or at any time thereafter |
| one-year | Drunk driving (DUI)Refusing a chemical test brings a one-year license revocation for a first refusal | olls.infoQuoteIt is a class A traffic infraction for any person under twenty-one years of age to drive a motor vehicle or vehicle when the person's BAC, as shown by analysis of the person's breath, is at least 0.02 but not more than 0.05 |
| 0.08% | At what blood alcohol concentration can a driver 21 or older be convicted of DUI per se in Colorado?Answer: 0.08% or higher | Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles websiteQuoteA person who drives a motor vehicle or vehicle when the person's BAC is 0.08 or more at the time of driving or within two hours after driving commits DUI per se. |
| 0.02% | A driver under 21 is tested after a traffic stop. Above what BAC can their license be revoked in Colorado?Answer: 0.02% | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 6Quotebased on a BAC over .08 or over .02 if the driver is under 21, or over .04 for a CDL driver |
| 8 points | Under Colorado's penalty table for drivers 21 and older, how many points toward suspension does a first DWAI carry?Answer: 8 points | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 7Quote0.05% 8 $200-$500 2-180 days 24-48 hours |
| one year, two years | What happens if you refuse a chemical test when a Colorado officer suspects you of impaired driving?Answer: Your license is revoked for one year and you need an ignition interlock for two years | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 8Quoteyour driver license will be revoked for one year and you will be required to install an ignition interlock device on any motor vehicle you drive for two years |
| 24 hours | During 'Accident Alert Status' in Colorado, you have a minor crash with no injuries, no alcohol or drugs, and both cars drivable. What must you do?Answer: Exchange information and file a report with law enforcement within 24 hours | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 29QuoteYou must file an accident report with law enforcement within 24 hours. |
Fines, points & penalties
6 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $75 | Phone useFines start at $75 | olls.infoQuoteA fine of seventy-five dollars and a surcharge of ten dollars for the first offense within the immediately preceding twenty-four months |
| 25 mph, under 45, 20 mph | Move Over lawPresumed safe: 25 mph or less if the limit is under 45, or 20 mph under the limit if it is 45 or more | olls.infoQuoteIf the speed limit is less than forty-five miles per hour, twenty-five miles per hour or less; or (B) If the speed limit is forty-five miles per hour or more, twenty miles per hour less than the speed limit. |
| 25 mph, 45 mph, 20 mph | Move Over lawIf you cannot, slow down: to 25 mph or less where the limit is under 45 mph, or to 20 mph below the limit where it is 45 mph or more | olls.infoQuoteIf the speed limit is less than forty-five miles per hour, twenty-five miles per hour or less; or (B) If the speed limit is forty-five miles per hour or more, twenty miles per hour less than the speed limit. |
| $25,000, $50,000, $15,000 | InsuranceColorado requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injury or death, and $15,000 for property damage | olls.infoQuoteof twenty-five thousand dollars to any one person in any one accident and fifty thousand dollars to all persons in any one accident and for property damage arising out of the use of the motor vehicle to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of fifteen thousand dollars in any one accident. |
| 8 points | If you are convicted of reckless driving in Colorado, how many points can be assessed against your record?Answer: Up to 8 points | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 28Quoteif convicted, up to eight points can be assessed against your driving record |
| $350 to $5,000 | What is the possible fine for parking in a designated disabled parking space without a placard or plate in Colorado?Answer: $350 to $5,000 | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 12Quoteyou could be charged with a misdemeanor, and if convicted, subject to a $350-$5,000 fine |
Speed limits
10 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 20 mph | Speed limits: Rural highways20 mph on narrow, winding mountain highways and blind curves | olls.infoQuoteTwenty-five miles per hour in any business district |
| 75 mph | Speed limitsNo road may be posted above 75 mph | olls.infoQuoteno person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed in excess of a maximum lawful speed limit of seventy-five miles per hour. |
| 25 mph | You see a reflective orange triangle on the back of a vehicle. What does it tell you?Answer: The vehicle is designed to travel slower than 25 mph | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 12QuoteA reflective orange triangle on the rear of a vehicle means it is designed to travel at speeds slower than 25 miles per hour. |
| 25 mph | Unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit in a Colorado business district?Answer: 25 mph | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 15Quote25 mph in any business district |
| 30 mph | Unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit in a Colorado residence district?Answer: 30 mph | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 15Quote30 mph in any residence district |
| 20 mph | Unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit on narrow, winding mountain highways and blind curves in Colorado?Answer: 20 mph | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 15Quote20 mph on narrow, winding mountain highways and blind curves |
| 40 mph | Unless otherwise posted, what is the speed limit on open mountain highways in Colorado?Answer: 40 mph | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 15Quote40 mph on open mountain highways |
| 65 mph | Unless a different limit is posted, what is the speed limit on a surfaced, four-lane Colorado interstate highway?Answer: 65 mph | Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles websiteQuoteSixty-five miles per hour on surfaced, four-lane highways which are on the interstate system |
| 15 mph | In Colorado, when may a two-wheeled motorcycle pass stopped vehicles in the same lane (lane filtering)?Answer: When the vehicles are stopped and it passes at no more than 15 mph | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 22Quotethere is enough room for the two-wheeled motorcycle to pass safely at a speed no greater than 15 miles per hour. This is called lane filtering. |
| 20 mph | On a highway posted at 65 mph, you approach an emergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder and cannot change lanes. How much should you slow down?Answer: To 20 mph under the posted limit | Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles websiteQuoteIf the speed limit is less than forty-five miles per hour, twenty-five miles per hour or less; or (B) If the speed limit is forty-five miles per hour or more, twenty miles per hour less than the speed limit. |
Distances & following gaps
15 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 20 feet | School busesTraffic from either direction must stop at least 20 feet before the bus when its red signal lights are on and may not proceed until they are off | olls.infoQuoteupon meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus that has stopped, shall stop the vehicle at least twenty feet before reaching the school bus if visual signal lights as specified in subsection (2) of this section have been actuated on the school bus. |
| 3 feet | A solid yellow line and a broken yellow line run side by side, and the solid line is on your side. When may you cross it?Answer: To turn left into a driveway or to pass a bicyclist with 3 feet of space when safe | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 12QuoteYou may cross a solid yellow line for a left turn into an alley, private road or driveway or to pass a bicyclist with a minimum of three feet of space |
| 3 feet | You are behind a bicyclist on a road with double solid yellow lines and no oncoming traffic. What does Colorado law allow?Answer: Crossing the lines to pass with at least 3 feet of space | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 12QuoteDouble solid yellow lines: Neither side can pass, unless to pass a bicyclist with a minimum of three feet of space when the oncoming travel lane is clear. |
| 100 feet | In an urban area, how far before a turn or lane change must you signal continuously in Colorado?Answer: 100 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 15QuoteIn urban areas, you must signal continuously for 100 feet before making a turn or lane change. |
| 200 feet | On a four-lane highway with a 55 mph limit, how far ahead must you signal before turning or changing lanes?Answer: 200 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 15QuoteOn four lane highways where the posted speed limit is faster than 40 mph, you must signal for 200 feet before making a turn or lane change. |
| three-second | Under normal conditions, what following-distance rule does the Colorado handbook recommend?Answer: The three-second rule | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 21QuoteUnder normal conditions, use the three-second rule to gauge how much space you should leave |
| 5 to 8 seconds | How often should you check your rearview mirror while driving?Answer: Every 5 to 8 seconds | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 21QuoteYou must check traffic behind you in your rear view mirror every 5 to 8 seconds. |
| 10 seconds | How far ahead should you look while driving to avoid last-minute braking?Answer: At least 10 seconds ahead | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 21Quoteyou should look down the road at least 10 seconds ahead of your vehicle (city — one block, open road — half a mile) |
| 200 feet | When exiting a freeway, when should you turn on your signal?Answer: 200 feet before the start of the deceleration lane | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 18QuoteActivate your turn signal 200 feet before the beginning of the deceleration lane. |
| 3 feet | In Colorado, how much clearance must you give a bicyclist when passing?Answer: At least 3 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 25Quotemotorists are required to give a minimum of three feet from the outermost part of their vehicle or any attachments |
| 20 feet | A school bus is stopped ahead of you with its red lights flashing. What is the closest you may stop to the bus?Answer: 20 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 14QuoteYou must stop your vehicle at least 20 feet before reaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing |
| 10 feet | At a railroad crossing with no visible stop line, how far from the tracks must you stop while waiting for a train?Answer: At least 10 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 24QuoteIf no line is visible, you must be at least 10 feet from the tracks. Trains overhang the tracks by 3 feet. |
| one mile | About how far does an average freight train traveling 55 mph need to stop?Answer: About one mile | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 24QuoteThe average freight train traveling at 55 mph requires about one mile to stop. |
| 1,000 feet | When does Colorado law require your headlights to be on?Answer: From sunset to sunrise, or if visibility is under 1,000 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 19QuoteColorado law requires you to drive with your headlights on from sunset to sunrise or when visibility is less than 1,000 feet. |
| 500 feet | You are using high beams on a dark road and a car approaches. Before it comes within what distance must you dim your lights?Answer: 500 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 19Quoteyou must dim them before coming within 500 feet of any oncoming vehicle |
Parking
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15 feet | In Colorado, how close to a fire hydrant may you park?Answer: No closer than 15 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 16Quotewithin 15 feet of a fire hydrant |
| 30 feet | In Colorado, you may not park within how many feet of a stop sign or traffic signal?Answer: 30 feet | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 16QuoteWithin 30 feet of a traffic signal, stop sign, railroad crossing or within 15 feet of a fire hydrant |
| 12 inches | When you parallel park, how close to the curb must your vehicle be?Answer: Within 12 inches | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 17Quoteyour vehicle must be within 12 inches of the curb |
Ages, permits & the test
7 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 80% | Passing score | law.cornell.eduQuoteMust require a correct score of 80% or higher to pass ... May provide up to four DR 2252WE or DR 2252SP Driver's License Written Examinations per applicant in total ... An applicant may not take more than two tests per day ... If an applicant misses more than 50% of the questions on a first test attempt, the applicant must wait until the next day to test again |
| 60 minutes | Time limit | dmv.colorado.govQuoteHow long does the @Home Driving Knowledge Test take? Test takers will have 60 minutes to complete the test. |
| $20 | Fee | dmv.colorado.govQuoteInstruction Permit (includes motorcycle) $20.00 |
| 12 months | A 15-year-old gets a Colorado instruction permit. How long must they hold it before applying for a driver license?Answer: 12 months | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 5QuoteColorado law requires minors to have an instruction permit for 12 months before applying for a driver license |
| 50 hours, 10 hours | A Colorado minor is applying for a driver license. What must the signed driving log show?Answer: 50 hours of driving, with 10 hours at night | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 5Quotesubmit a completed and signed driving log showing 50 hours of driving experience (10 of which must have been at night) |
| 6 hours | If you apply for a Colorado license when you are younger than 16 years and 6 months, what extra training is required?Answer: 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with an approved instructor | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 5QuoteIf younger than 16 and 6 months, you must also complete 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with an approved driver education instructor |
| 80 percent | For Colorado's written driver license exam given at certified driving schools, what score is needed to pass?Answer: 80 percent or higher | Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles websiteQuoteMust require a correct score of 80% or higher to pass |
Time limits & deadlines
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| two-hour | On a long trip, how does the handbook suggest you manage fatigue?Answer: Break the drive into two-hour segments and rest if drowsy | Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), page 8QuoteBreak long driving periods into two-hour segments. If you become drowsy, pull off the road and rest. |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| under 18 | Seat beltsEvery child under 18 in any seat (C.R.S. 42-4-236) | olls.infoQuoteOccupants in motor vehicles driven by persons under eighteen years of age shall be properly restrained or wear seat belts as required in sections 42-4-236 and 42-4-237. |
| 40 lb | Seat beltsUnder 2: rear seat if available, rear-facing if under 40 lb | olls.infoQuoteIf the child is less than two years of age, the child shall be properly restrained in a rear seat of the vehicle, if a rear seat is available, and: (A) In a rear-facing child restraint system if the child weighs under forty pounds |
| under 18 | Under Colorado's seat belt law, which people must wear a fastened seat belt?Answer: The driver, front seat passengers and children under 18 | Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles websiteQuoteevery child who is at least nine years of age but less than eighteen years of age who is being transported in this state in a motor vehicle or in a vehicle operated by a child care center shall be properly restrained in a safety belt or child restraint system |
Memory tips
Straight from the handbook:
“Under normal conditions, use the three-second rule to gauge how much space you should leave”
How to study them (our advice, not official rules):
- Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
- Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
- Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.
Questions about the numbers
What numbers do I need to know for the Colorado permit test?
Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 54 of them for Colorado, each with its source.
Why focus on numbers?
A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each one is quoted from the Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337), Colorado statutes or DMV pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.
Is the numbers drill free?
Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.