Tests in the United States

State tests and national tests

Every state, plus Washington, DC, runs its own motor vehicle agency. Most call it the DMV, but some use another name or sit inside a revenue or public safety department. That agency writes the handbook and gives the permit test, which is why there’s a separate guide for each of the 50 states and DC, plus one for the motorcycle permit.

Becoming a citizen goes through one federal agency, USCIS. You take the naturalization test at your interview with a USCIS officer, and it has an English part and a civics part. Admissions tests are national too: the College Board makes the SAT and ACT Education Corp. makes the ACT, and colleges across the country accept the same scores. The same goes for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT.

Professional licenses: national exam, state license

Most careers that need a license use a national exam, but you apply through your state. Nurses take the NCLEX, which comes from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, then get licensed by their state’s board of nursing. Lawyers apply to sit the bar exam in one jurisdiction, and some states that use the Uniform Bar Exam add a test on their own law before admission.

Doctors (USMLE), accountants (CPA), engineers (FE and PE) and insurance agents work in a similar way. Some trades, like electrician, plumbing and contractor exams, vary more from state to state, so check your state board’s rules before you book.

Questions people ask

FAQ