Massachusetts permit test cheat sheet

Massachusetts-specific rules from our question bank, condensed to one line each with the handbook page. Read it the night before; don’t use it instead of practicing.

Study sheet for before your test. Notes aren’t allowed in the DMV test room. See the study sheets to print.

Test format
25 questions
Passing score
18 of 25 correct (72%)
Permit and test fees
$30 total
Minimum age for a permit
16 years
Supervised driving
40 hours
Hold your permit
6 months minimum

Permits & licensing

  • You must be at least 16 to apply for a Class D or Class M learner's permit in Massachusetts. p. 11
  • Permit holders must be accompanied by a licensed driver who sits in the front passenger seat, is at least 21, holds a valid license from Massachusetts or another state, and has at least one year of driving experience. p. 26
  • A permit holder under 18 may not drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is a licensed driver with at least one year of experience. p. 26
  • To get a JOL you must hold a valid learner's permit for at least six consecutive months before the road test, with a clean record over that time. p. 17
  • Teens applying for a JOL must log 40 hours of driving supervised by a parent or guardian, but the RMV accepts 30 hours if the applicant completed a driver skills development program. p. 18
  • Massachusetts driver education includes 30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours of behind-the-wheel training and 6 hours observing other student drivers. p. 18
  • For the first six months after you get a JOL, you may not drive with anyone under 18 in the car other than immediate family members, unless a licensed driver 21 or older with a year of experience sits beside you. p. 18
  • JOL holders may not drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless a parent or legal guardian is with them. p. 18
  • Breaking the JOL passenger or night restriction brings a 60-day suspension for a first offense, 180 days for a second and one year for later offenses. p. 19
  • Each Massachusetts learner's permit exam has 25 multiple-choice questions, and you must get 18 right within the 25-minute time limit. p. 24
  • Using a manual, notes or any electronic device during the exam counts as cheating. p. 24

Laws, points & insurance

  • In Massachusetts, three speeding violations within a 12-month period bring an automatic 30-day suspension. p. 67
  • A Junior Operator loses the license for 90 days on a first speeding conviction and for one year on any later one. p. 67
  • Three surchargeable events in two years mean you must complete the Massachusetts Driver Retraining Course within 90 days, or your license is suspended until you do. p. 67
  • Seven surchargeable events (moving violations and at-fault crashes) within a three-year period bring an automatic 60-day suspension. p. 67
  • The base speeding fine plus surcharge covers the first 10 mph over ($105), and every mph beyond that adds $10. p. 65
  • For a civil infraction such as speeding, you must pay the fine or request a hearing within 20 days. p. 64
  • Massachusetts minimum limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for bodily injury, plus $30,000 for property damage. p. 32