Iowa Driver's Permit Test 2026: From Age 14, $6 Permit

Key facts

At a glance

What's tested: Iowa traffic laws and highway signs, from the Iowa Driver's License Manual
Questions and pass mark: Not published. The DOT's practice test uses 25 questions and 80%
Where: A DOT service center or county treasurer's office. Under 18, also at home or school

How it works

How the Iowa driver's permit test works: one knowledge test and a vision screening

The knowledge test checks that you can read and understand Iowa traffic laws and the highway signs that regulate, warn and direct traffic.
Its questions come from the Iowa Driver's License Manual. The Iowa DOT doesn't publish how many questions the real test has or its passing score. Its own online practice test draws 25 questions and needs 80%.
You take it at any Iowa DOT driver's license service center or county treasurer's office. The DOT recommends an appointment.
If you're under 18, you can also take it at home with a parent as the proctor, or at a school that runs the DOT's Skip the Trip program.
It comes in written and audio form in 20 languages. If you can't read the written test, you can ask for an oral one, and an interpreter can be arranged by appointment for other languages.
You also have a vision screening. Once you pass both, you can get your instruction permit for $6, and it's good for four years.
If you fail, the examiner decides when you can try again. A passing score counts for 180 days.

Topics

What’s on the test

Permits and Iowa's graduated license

Iowa's licensing steps for drivers under 18, from the instruction permit at 14 to a full license at 17, and who can sit beside you while you learn.

Key points (4)

You can get an instruction permit at 14 after passing the knowledge test and a vision screening, with a parent or guardian's written consent.
A supervising adult must hold a valid license and be a parent, guardian or custodian, an immediate family member 21 or older, a driver education instructor, or someone 25 or older with your parent's written permission.
On a permit you can't use a phone or other electronic device while driving, and you can't carry more passengers than there are seat belts.
The intermediate license needs age 16, driver education, 12 months on a permit and 20 supervised hours, two of them at night.

Signs, signals and pavement markings

Chapter 2 of the manual teaches signs by color and shape, then signals, railroad crossings, work zones and the lines on the road.

Key points (4)

In Iowa's manual a round sign means a railroad crossing ahead, and a pennant on the left side of the road marks a no passing zone.
Fluorescent yellow-green signs warn of pedestrians, bicycles and schools. Fluorescent pink signs are for incident management, such as crash cleanup.
A flashing red light means the same as a stop sign. A flashing yellow arrow lets you turn left after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions. You may not pass on the side with the solid yellow line.

Right-of-way, school buses and stopped vehicles

Who goes first at intersections, when you must stop for a school bus, and Iowa's Move Over or Slow Down and Steer It-Clear It laws.

Key points (4)

At an all-way stop the first to arrive goes first. If two cars arrive together, the car on the right goes first.
Pull to the right for an emergency vehicle using a siren or flashing lights, and stay at least 500 feet behind it.
Behind a stopped school bus with its stop arm out, stop no closer than 15 feet. On a road of four lanes or more, traffic meeting the bus from the front doesn't have to stop.
For a stopped vehicle with flashing or hazard lights, change lanes. If you can't do it safely, slow down and be ready to stop.

Seat belts, phones, alcohol and your vehicle

Chapter 3 covers what to check before you drive and the laws on seat belts, child seats, hand-held phones, alcohol and drowsy driving.

Key points (4)

Children under 6 ride in a child restraint system, and everyone under 18 must be buckled in every seat, front and back.
Drivers under 18 with a permit, intermediate license or school license can't talk on the phone unless stopped off the road.
Operating while intoxicated means a BAC of .08 or more. Under 21, a BAC of .02 or more counts as intoxicated.
Refusing a breath test brings an automatic one-year license revocation and a minimum $1,250 fine.

Speed, following distance, turns and passing

Chapter 4 covers braking, Iowa's speed limits when none is posted, how far to signal, and where passing is against the law.

Key points (4)

A new driver should keep at least a three-second following distance, and six or more seconds on slippery roads.
Without a posted limit, it's 20 mph in a business district, 25 mph in a residential or school district and 70 mph on rural interstates. The interstate minimum is 40 mph.
Signal at least 100 feet before a turn where the limit is 45 mph or less, and at least 300 feet where it's faster.
Don't pass within 100 feet of an intersection, a railroad crossing, or a narrow bridge, viaduct or tunnel with a sign posted.

Intersections, interstates, roundabouts and gravel roads

Chapter 5 starts with Iowa's own road designs, such as reduced-conflict intersections, and what's different on rural gravel roads and at night.

Key points (4)

To cross a rural four-lane road, stop at the stop sign, go into the median when it's safe, stop again and look right before crossing.
In a roundabout, yield to traffic already circling, don't change lanes, and don't drive beside trucks or buses.
At an uncontrolled intersection, the vehicle on the left should yield. These are more common on gravel roads, so slow down, be ready to stop, and don't count on dust clouds to warn you of cross traffic.
October, November and May are the peak months for deer crashes. If you can't stop in time, don't swerve.

Sharing the road, bad weather and emergencies

How to drive around trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and snowplows, how to handle Iowa weather, and what to do if something fails or you crash.

Key points (4)

If you can't see a truck driver in the truck's mirror, the driver can't see you.
To pass a bicyclist, change lanes completely, and don't move back until you see the rider in your rearview mirror.
Snowplows usually travel 25 to 35 mph. Never pass a plow on its shoulder side.
Report a crash with injury, death or more than $1,500 in property damage. If you don't within 72 hours, you lose your driving privileges.

Road signs

Signs and shapes from Chapter 2 of the manual

Chapter 2 of the Iowa manual teaches signs by shape first, and two of its shapes catch people out: a round sign warns of a railroad crossing, and a pennant on the left side of the road marks a no passing zone. It also covers the blue Emergency Notification System sign posted at every railroad crossing, and the orange triangle on vehicles going 35 mph or less.

Octagon: a stop sign, and only a stop sign, has this shape
Triangle: yield the right of way
Circle: a railroad crossing is ahead
Pennant: no passing zone, posted on the left side of the road
Pentagon: a school area or school crossing
Crossbuck: a railroad crossing. A number below it shows how many tracks
Emergency Notification System sign: call this number about a stalled car or broken signal
Wrong way: you've entered a lane of oncoming traffic
Flashing red light: treat it the same as a stop sign
Flashing yellow arrow: yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, then turn left
Slow-moving vehicle: in Iowa, it travels 35 mph or less
Deer crossing: slow down and watch for more than one

Test day

What to bring to get your instruction permit

One document that proves your date of birth, identity and lawful status, such as a U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate
Proof of your Social Security number
Proof that you live in Iowa. For a REAL ID, that's two printed documents with your current name and Iowa home address
Under 18: a parent or guardian to give consent in person, or the signed Parent's/Guardian's Written Consent Form (430018)
Your glasses or contacts, if you wear them, for the vision screening
The $6 permit fee. Cards add a $1.50 processing fee, and county offices may add their own convenience fee

Before you go

Read the Iowa Driver's License Manual. The current English edition is dated July 2026 and has five chapters.
Take the DOT's free practice test as often as you like. Each try gives you 25 new questions, in English or Spanish.
Build your own document list with the DOT's online checklist.
Under 18? Have a parent or guardian come with you or sign form 430018 ahead of time.
Book an appointment at a DOT service center, or call your county treasurer's office to ask how it handles the test.
Taking it at home instead? The parent sends the proctor application first, and approval can take 7 to 14 days.

Iowa DOT: Schedule an appointmentPick Driver's License/ID for an adult appointment. Teens booking a permit, license or ID use the DOT's under-18 scheduler, and county treasurer offices book their own visits.

Study options

Where to study

The Iowa Driver's License Manual is free from the DOT, as one PDF or chapter by chapter, and older translations are posted in 25 languages. The DOT's practice test is free too, with 25 new questions every time you start it. If you want more than that, the apps and courses on this page are compared on price and what you get for free.

Option	Price	Free to use	Links
Official and free
Iowa Driver's License ManualOfficial · PDFForm M1170, dated July 2026, 68 pages in five chapters. The DOT names it as the study guide for the permit test.	Free	The whole manual, as one file or chapter by chapter	Driver's Manual page ↗Complete PDF ↗
Iowa DOT driver's license practice testOfficial · webEach try draws 25 questions at random from the DOT's pool of sample questions, which the DOT says includes questions from the real knowledge test. It counts 80% as a pass. The English version opens with a short video, and there's a Spanish version.	Free	Unlimited tries, 25 questions each	Open the DOT's practice test ↗Spanish version ↗
The Parent's Supervised Driving Program and RoadReadyOfficial · PDF and appA March 2026 guide from the DOT and Safe Roads Alliance for parents teaching a teen, in 13 skills from parking lots to interstates, with Iowa's licensing steps and a log for supervised hours. The guide describes the RoadReady app as free. The DOT warns that RoadReady may round driving time up, so check the hours before sending a parent-taught log.	Free	The whole guide, the driving log and the app	Guide (PDF) ↗RoadReady on the App Store ↗RoadReady on Google Play ↗
Motorcycle, moped and CDL study materialOfficial · PDF and appThe Motorcycle Manual (marked archived), the Moped Operator's Manual and the CDL Manual. For commercial permits, the DOT's official CDL test app has over 600 exam-like questions and is free for Iowans who register.	Free	All three manuals, and the CDL app after registering	Manuals and practice tests ↗Iowa CDL test app (web) ↗
Apps and websites
Driving-Tests.org and DMV GenieWeb and app · all statesOne company runs both. The Iowa section adds road sign, fines and limits, distracted and drunk driving tests, and an exam simulator of 25 random questions. Premium promises 500+ questions. The page shows the DMV Genie app at 4.7 stars with over 1 million downloads.	Free tests, paid Premium (price not shown on the Iowa page)	Iowa permit practice tests 1 to 3 and a diagnostic quick check	Iowa section ↗
ZutobiApp and web · all statesGame-style lessons built around each state's manual. Its Iowa page claims more than 600 Iowa-specific questions and a 4.8 Trustpilot score.	Free to try, then a paid plan (price not shown on its Iowa page)	A free start	Iowa car page ↗
In person
Driver education: school districts and licensed schoolsLocalUnder 18, an approved course is required for the school and intermediate licenses. Every Iowa school district must offer one to resident students, and may charge tuition. The DOT's search page lists licensed private schools.	Set by each district or school	Required course for teens; districts may charge tuition and fees	Find a driver education school ↗
DOT-approved parent-taught coursesOnline and home coursesFor the DOT's parent-taught program: AAA How to Drive, Driver Ed in a Box, Driver Education 101, National Driver Training, NICC High School Driver's Ed and Safe2Drive. The parent adds 30 hours of driving, three at night, and the teen then takes the drive test.	Set by each provider	An approved course, plus a parent-led log of 30 driving hours	Iowa DOT: Parent-taught driver's ed ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

Where to learnDriver's licenseAppointmentsWhat to bringOnline testDriving test

Records and help

Driver's manual DMV locations Driver's ed Driving record En español

Licenses and permits

Instruction permit Intermediate license School permit Motorcycle Moped CDL permit Chauffeur license State ID

FAQ

Common questions

How many questions are on the Iowa driver's permit test, and what do you need to pass?

The Iowa DOT doesn't publish either number, as of October 2026. Iowa's rules say the DOT sets the minimum passing score for each test and can change a test at any time. Its free online practice test uses 25 questions drawn from a larger pool, some of them from the real test, and asks for 80% to pass.

Can I take the Iowa permit test online?

Yes, if you're under 18. A parent or guardian with a valid Iowa license applies to proctor the test, and you take it at home on a computer, not a phone or tablet. Some schools run the test too, through the DOT's Skip the Trip program. Either way, you still visit a DMV or county treasurer's office to get the permit. The online test page has the steps.

How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Iowa?

14. Iowa's version of a learner's permit is the instruction permit, and under 18 you also need a parent or guardian's written consent. Teens can apply for the at-home test from 30 days before their 14th birthday.

How much is the Iowa instruction permit?

$6, and it's good for four years, as of October 2026. The DOT's fee list has no separate charge for the knowledge test. Paying by card adds a $1.50 processing fee, and county offices may charge a convenience fee.

What happens if I fail the Iowa DOT written test?

You can take it again. Iowa's rules leave the timing of a retest to the examiner, so ask at the office when you can come back. Use the time to reread the manual sections you missed and take the DOT's practice test a few more times.

Can I take the Iowa permit test in Spanish?

Yes. The DOT offers the knowledge test with written and audio translations in 20 languages, Spanish among them. Its practice test has a Spanish version too. For a language that isn't on the list, you can ask a driver's license service consultant for an interpreter appointment.

Is the Iowa DOT driver's test the same as the permit test?

No. The permit test is the written knowledge test. The drive test comes later, and the DOT says over 93% of students who complete an approved driver education course don't have to take it. It's required if your instructor asks for it, if you did parent-taught driver's ed, or if you're 18 or older and have never been licensed.

What should I study for the Iowa permit test?

The Iowa Driver's License Manual, dated July 2026. Chapter 2, on signs and rules of the road, is the longest, and chapters 3 to 5 cover safety laws, driving skills and situations such as roundabouts, gravel roads and winter driving. The where-to-learn page sets out a chapter-by-chapter plan.

Sources: Iowa DOT · Iowa Driver's License Manual · Iowa Administrative Code 761, Chapter 604 and 6 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Iowa driver's permit test

At a glance

How the Iowa driver's permit test works: one knowledge test and a vision screening

What’s on the test

Permits and Iowa's graduated license

Signs, signals and pavement markings

Right-of-way, school buses and stopped vehicles

Seat belts, phones, alcohol and your vehicle

Speed, following distance, turns and passing

Intersections, interstates, roundabouts and gravel roads

Sharing the road, bad weather and emergencies

Signs and shapes from Chapter 2 of the manual

What to bring to get your instruction permit

Before you go

Where to study

Everything else, in one place

Common questions

Related exams