Louisiana 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 60 Louisiana numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
12 questions a round from the 46 number questions in our Louisiana 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
46 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
In Louisiana, what is the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for a driver who is 21 or older driving a regular car?
0.08 percent
Louisiana's BAC limit is 0.08 for drivers 21 and older, 0.04 for commercial drivers and 0.02 for drivers 20 and younger.
Fines, points & penalties
Under Louisiana law, what is the penalty for a FIRST simple-littering offense?
A $150 fine or 8 hours of community service
Louisiana R.S. 30:2531 sets a first simple-littering penalty of a $150 fine or eight hours of community service, rising to a $900 fine or 20 hours for a second offense.
Speed limits
Unless a different limit is posted, what is the maximum speed on a Louisiana interstate?
70 mph
Louisiana's maximum interstate speed is 70 mph unless another limit is posted.
Every Louisiana number, by topic
Official test facts and Louisiana 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
11 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.08% | Legal BAC limit for adult drivers | legis.la.govQuoteThe operator's blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood. |
| 0.02% | BAC limit for drivers under 21 | legis.la.govQuotewhen the operator's blood alcohol concentration is 0.02 percent or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood, if the operator is under the age of twenty-one. |
| 0.04% | BAC limit in a commercial vehicle | legis.la.govQuotedriving under the influence of alcohol with an alcohol concentration of at least 0.04 percent but under an alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent while operating a commercial motor vehicle. |
| 12 months | Drunk driving (DUI)The license is suspended for 12 months on conviction | legis.la.govQuoteThe department shall suspend the license of any person for a period of twelve months upon receiving |
| $300 to $1,000, 10 days to 6 months | Drunk driving (DUI)If you have already refused twice before, or the crash killed or seriously injured someone, refusing is itself a crime: a fine of $300 to $1,000 and 10 days to 6 months in jail | legis.la.govQuoteAny person who refuses to submit to a chemical test as required by the provisions of this Paragraph shall be fined not less than three hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars and imprisoned for not less than ten days nor more than six months. |
| one-year | Drunk driving (DUI)Refusing a chemical test brings a one-year suspension for a first refusal | legis.la.govQuoteThe operator's blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent or more by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood. |
| 0.08 percent | In Louisiana, what is the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for a driver who is 21 or older driving a regular car?Answer: 0.08 percent | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 128Quote.08 if you are 21 years of age or older |
| 0.02 percent | You are 19. In Louisiana, at what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are you over the legal limit for driving?Answer: 0.02 percent or more | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 128Quote.02 if you are 20 years of age and younger |
| 365 days | You refuse a chemical test after a first DWI arrest in Louisiana. How long will your driving privileges be suspended?Answer: 365 days | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 131QuoteIf you refuse to submit to the test, your driving privileges will be suspended for 365 days on your first offense. |
| 180 days | A 25-year-old Louisiana driver takes the breath test and blows 0.10 percent. How long is the license suspended?Answer: 180 days | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 131Quotetest results show a BAC level of 0.08% to 0.149%, your driving privileges will be suspended for 180 days. |
| Two years, 730 days | An adult Louisiana driver takes the chemical test and the result is 0.16 percent. What suspension follows?Answer: Two years (730 days) | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 131QuoteIf your BAC level is 0.15% or greater, your driving privileges will be suspended for two years (730 day). |
Fines, points & penalties
4 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $250, $100 | Phone useHands-free law: in a school zone or highway construction zone it is a primary offense with a $250 fine (may be cut to $100 plus community service) | legis.la.govQuoteIf a violation of this Section occurs in a school zone or in a highway construction zone it shall be a primary offense and shall be punishable as follows: (a) By a fine of two hundred fifty dollars. |
| $100, $50 | Phone useElsewhere it is a secondary offense with a $100 fine (may be cut to $50 plus community service) | legis.la.govQuoteIf a violation of this Section occurs in a school zone or in a highway construction zone it shall be a primary offense and shall be punishable as follows: (a) By a fine of two hundred fifty dollars. |
| $100, 16 hours | Phone useFirst-year licensee cell-phone ban: $100 fine or 16 hours of community service, or both | legis.la.govQuoteA first offense violation of the provisions of this Section shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars or by sentence of sixteen hours of community service, or both. |
| $150, 8 hours | Under Louisiana law, what is the penalty for a FIRST simple-littering offense?Answer: A $150 fine or 8 hours of community service | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 19Quotepenalties for simple littering range from a first offense of a $150 fine or eight hours of community service to a $900 fine or 20 hours of community service for a second offense. |
Speed limits
7 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 55 mph | Speed limits: Rural highways55 mph on highways unless a lower limit is posted | legis.la.govQuoteNo person shall operate a vehicle on any highway of this state in excess of fifty-five miles per hour, unless a lower maximum speed is posted on the highway |
| 65 mph | Speed limits: Rural highways65 mph on multi-lane divided highways with partial or no access control | legis.la.govQuoteNo person shall operate a vehicle on any multi-lane divided highway of this state which has partial or no control of access in excess of sixty-five miles per hour. |
| 70 mph | Speed limits: Interstates70 mph on interstate and controlled-access highways, unless DOTD sets a higher limit in a posted speed zone | legis.la.govQuoteNo person shall operate a vehicle on any interstate or controlled access highway of this state in excess of seventy miles per hour. |
| 70 mph | Unless a different limit is posted, what is the maximum speed on a Louisiana interstate?Answer: 70 mph | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 105QuoteRemember that the maximum speed allowed is 70 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. |
| 25 mph | A farm vehicle ahead shows an orange-and-red triangle on its rear. What does this emblem tell you?Answer: It travels at less than 25 mph | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 110QuoteA fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle displayed on the rear of vehicles drawn by animals, farm equipment or construction equipment means the vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph. |
| 45 mph | Your low-beam headlights let you see about 150 to 200 feet ahead. About what is the fastest speed that still lets you stop within that distance?Answer: About 45 mph | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 80QuoteYour lower beam headlights will let you see clearly about 150 to 200 feet ahead. Driving at a speed that allows you to stop within this distance is about 45 mph. |
| 10 mph | Your right wheels drop off the pavement onto a shoulder that is much lower than the road. What should you do?Answer: Slow to about 10 mph, check traffic, then turn sharply back on | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 121QuoteSlow to a very slow speed (10 mph) |
Distances & following gaps
16 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 30 feet | School busesTraffic from any direction meeting or overtaking a stopped school bus with its visual signals on must stop at least 30 feet away and stay stopped until the bus resumes motion or the signals are turned off | legis.la.govQuotemeeting or overtaking from any direction any school bus that has stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children shall stop the vehicle not less than thirty feet from the school bus |
| 100 feet | Under Louisiana law, how far before a turn must you begin signaling?Answer: At least 100 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 97QuoteA right or left turn signal must be given continuously for not less than 100 feet before making the turn. |
| 200 feet | You enter a shared center left-turn lane to turn into a business. What is the farthest Louisiana law lets you travel in that lane?Answer: 200 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 96QuoteLouisiana law prohibits traveling in this lane for more than 200 feet. |
| 500 feet | You want to turn around on a hill. Under Louisiana rules, you may not do so if approaching drivers cannot see your vehicle within what distance?Answer: 500 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 95QuoteDo not attempt to turn around while on a hill or in a curve where your vehicle cannot be seen by other drivers approaching from either direction within 500 feet. |
| 100 feet | When passing on a two-lane Louisiana road, you must finish the pass before coming within what distance of an oncoming vehicle?Answer: 100 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 76QuoteYou must complete a passing maneuver before coming within 100 feet of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. |
| one hundred feet | A slow car is ahead of you on a two-lane road as you approach a railroad crossing. When is passing illegal in Louisiana?Answer: When you are within one hundred feet of the crossing | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 76Quoteyou are within one hundred feet of an intersection or a railroad crossing. |
| 3 seconds | The Louisiana driver's guide recommends a basic following distance of at least how many seconds in normal conditions?Answer: 3 seconds | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 70QuoteIf it takes less than three (3) seconds for your car to pass the checkpoint, you are following too closely. |
| 4 seconds | It is raining and the pavement is wet. What following distance does the handbook say to use?Answer: At least 4 seconds | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 71QuoteIncrease the following rule (above) to four (4) seconds during bad weather or when driving on wet pavement. |
| 268 feet | According to the handbook, about how far will a car travel before stopping from 50 mph, counting perception, reaction and braking?Answer: At least 268 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 70Quoteuntil you can bring your vehicle to a complete stop. At 50 mph, your vehicle will travel a minimum of 268 feet. |
| 4 seconds | You are merging onto an interstate. How big a gap in traffic should you look for?Answer: About 4 seconds | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 106QuoteWhen you merge into traffic, you need a gap of four seconds. |
| 3 feet | When passing a bicyclist in Louisiana, what is the minimum space you must leave between your car and the bicycle?Answer: 3 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 85QuoteA three-foot distance must be present between the passing automobile and slower traveling bicyclists. |
| five feet | A visually impaired pedestrian is waiting to cross at a crosswalk. How close to the crosswalk should you stop?Answer: No more than five feet from it | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 82QuoteDon't stop your car more than five feet from the crosswalk. The pedestrian uses the sound of your engine as a guide |
| thirty feet | A school bus ahead has stopped with red lights flashing to load children. How far from it must you stop in Louisiana?Answer: At least thirty feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 93QuoteYou must stop at least thirty feet from a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading children. |
| 100 and 500 feet | Louisiana school bus drivers turn on the flashing YELLOW lights at what distance before a bus stop?Answer: Between 100 and 500 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 93QuoteBus drivers will activate the flashing yellow lights of the bus at least 100 feet but no more than 500 feet before the school bus stop. |
| 15 and 50 feet | Lights are flashing at a railroad crossing as a train approaches. Under Louisiana law, where must you stop?Answer: Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 99Quotemust stop within 50 feet but no less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of a railroad crossing |
| 6 inches | How deep does water need to be to reach the bottom of most passenger cars, risking loss of control or stalling?Answer: About 6 inches | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 124Quote6 inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling |
Parking
5 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15 feet | How close to a fire hydrant may you park in Louisiana?Answer: No closer than 15 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 75QuoteWithin 15 feet of a fire hydrant or within 50 feet of a railroad crossing |
| 20 feet | In Louisiana, how close to a crosswalk at an intersection may you park?Answer: No closer than 20 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 75QuoteWithin 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection |
| 75 feet | You want to park across the street from a fire station driveway. How far from the driveway must you be?Answer: At least 75 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 75QuoteWithin 20 feet of a fire station driveway on the same side of the street, or within 75 feet of the driveway on the other side of the street |
| 18 inches | When you parallel park next to a curb in Louisiana, how close must your right wheels be?Answer: Within 18 inches of the curb | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 75QuoteWhen parallel parked, the vehicle’s right wheels must be within 18 inches of the right-hand curb of the street. |
| 50 feet | In Louisiana, how close to a railroad crossing may you park?Answer: No closer than 50 feet | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 75QuoteWithin 15 feet of a fire hydrant or within 50 feet of a railroad crossing |
Ages, permits & the test
11 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Questions on the test | expresslane.dps.louisiana.govQuoteKnowledge – A 40 question test with a minimum score of 80% is required. ... The knowledge and skills tests are administered by the driver education provider. Only those students that obtain their driver education course from a secondary school that does not provide the knowledge or skills test may request OMV to provide the testing. ... $32.25 – the basic license fee $0 - $6.00 service fee may be accessed at certain field offices. |
| 80% | Passing score | expresslane.dps.louisiana.govQuoteKnowledge – A 40 question test with a minimum score of 80% is required. ... The knowledge and skills tests are administered by the driver education provider. Only those students that obtain their driver education course from a secondary school that does not provide the knowledge or skills test may request OMV to provide the testing. ... $32.25 – the basic license fee $0 - $6.00 service fee may be accessed at certain field offices. |
| $32.25 | Fee | expresslane.dps.louisiana.govQuoteKnowledge – A 40 question test with a minimum score of 80% is required. ... The knowledge and skills tests are administered by the driver education provider. Only those students that obtain their driver education course from a secondary school that does not provide the knowledge or skills test may request OMV to provide the testing. ... $32.25 – the basic license fee $0 - $6.00 service fee may be accessed at certain field offices. |
| 30 hours, 8 hours | Before a 15-year-old can receive a Louisiana learner's permit, how much driver education must be completed?Answer: 30 hours of classroom and 8 hours behind the wheel | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 12QuoteMust complete thirty (30) hours classroom instruction and eight (8) hours behind-the-wheel driving instruction. |
| 180 days | How long must you hold a Louisiana learner's permit before moving up to an intermediate license?Answer: At least 180 days, and you must also be 16 | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 12QuoteMust maintain learner’s license for a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days and cannot advance to intermediate stage until attainment of sixteenth (16th) birthday. |
| 50 hours, at least 15 | To get a Louisiana intermediate license, a parent must sign a statement that you completed how much supervised driving?Answer: 50 hours, including at least 15 at night | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 12Quotehas a minimum of fifty (50) hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience with a licensed parent, guardian, or adult at least twenty-one (21) years of age. At least fifteen (15) of these hours must be night time driving. |
| 80 percent | What score must you reach on the Louisiana knowledge test to pass?Answer: 80 percent | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 13Quoteyou must correctly answer 80 percent of these questions to receive a passing score. |
| 10 days | You move to a new home in Louisiana. How soon must you correct the address on your driver's license?Answer: Within 10 days | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 15QuoteLouisiana law requires you to correct the address on your license within 10 days after a move. |
| 30 days | You have just moved to Louisiana and have a valid license from another state. How long do you have to get a Louisiana license?Answer: 30 days | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 6QuoteNew residents have 30 days from the time residency is established to obtain a Louisiana license. |
| 3 calendar days | A Louisiana officer stops you and you cannot show proof of insurance, so your license plate is seized. How long do you have to bring proof to a Motor Vehicle office?Answer: 3 calendar days, not counting weekends and holidays | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 141QuoteYou will have three (3) calendar days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, to provide the proof at a Motor Vehicle office. |
| 12 years | Under Louisiana law, who may NOT ride in the open bed of a pickup truck on a regular (non-interstate) road?Answer: Anyone under 12 years old | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 101QuoteNo person(s) under the age of twelve years shall be permitted to be a passenger in the open bed of a truck. |
Time limits & deadlines
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $500 | CrashesReport immediately when a crash causes injury, death, or property damage in excess of $500 | legis.la.govQuoteThe driver of a vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury to or death of any person or property damage in excess of five hundred dollars shall |
| two hours | On a long trip, how often does the handbook say a driver should rest?Answer: Every two hours | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 61QuoteA driver should rest every two hours and not drive longer than six or eight hours a day. |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
3 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 26,000 pounds | Seat beltsEveryone in a passenger car, van, SUV or truck of 26,000 pounds or less must be buckled, front seat and back | legis.la.govQuoteeach occupant of a passenger car, van, sports utility vehicle, or truck having a gross weight of twenty-six thousand pounds or less in this state shall have a safety belt properly fastened about his or her body at all times when the vehicle is in forward motion. |
| 2 years | Under Louisiana's child passenger law, how long must a child ride in a rear-facing car seat?Answer: From birth to at least 2 years | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 45QuoteBirth to at least 2 years - rear facing, federally approved car seat |
| 10 inches | What is the minimum distance the handbook says you should keep between yourself and a steering wheel that has an air bag?Answer: At least 10 inches | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 46QuoteSit at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel equipped with an air bag |
Other numbers
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 4 times | If you double your speed from 20 mph to 40 mph, what happens to the impact of a crash and your braking distance?Answer: Both become 4 times greater | Class D & E Driver's Guide, page 70QuoteWhen you double your speed from 20 to 40 mph the impact is 4 times greater. The braking distance is also 4 times longer. |
Memory tips
Straight from the handbook:
“Remember that the maximum speed allowed is 70 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.”
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 Louisiana 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 60 of them for Louisiana, 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 Class D & E Driver's Guide, Louisiana statutes or OMV 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.