Maryland · Permit testWhat’s in the Maryland driver manual?
The sections, with the page each starts on:
- Section 1, Driving Tests Requirements, page 7
- Section 2, Licensing Requirements and Process, page 9
- Section 3, Basic Driving, page 13
- Section 4, Signs, Signals and Pavement Markings, page 17
- Section 5, Driving Situations and Conditions, page 27
- Section 6, Dangerous Driving Behaviors, page 33
- Section 7, Sharing the Road, page 37
- Section 8, Crashes and Traffic Stops, page 43
- Section 9, Other Restrictions, Violations and Penalties, page 47
- Section 10, Other Important Information, page 51
The manual in other languages
The MVA’s manuals page lists the Driver’s Manual in these languages:
- Amharic
- Arabic
- Chinese
- English
- Farsi
- French
- Haitian Creole
- Hindi
- Korean
- Nepali
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Tagalog
- Urdu
- Vietnamese
- Yoruba
In November 2026, that page dated the English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Amharic editions October 20, 2026, Haitian Creole October 31, 2025, and the others October 1, 2025. The same page has the Rookie Driver Manual in English and Spanish, and the commercial and motorcycle manuals.
Maryland driving laws in the manual
The manual is written for studying the Maryland Vehicle Law, and it explains the laws in plain words. The laws themselves sit in the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. A few the manual spells out:
- After a full stop at a red light, you may turn right, or turn left from a one-way street onto another one-way street, unless a sign says no
- An open container of alcohol in the passenger area is against the law
- U-turns aren’t legal everywhere, so check before you make one
The Rookie Driver Manual is a different book
The MVA’s second book for new drivers, the Rookie Driver Manual, isn’t for the knowledge test. It’s a practice guide for you and your driving coach once you have the permit, with the practice log and the certification page you bring to the driving test.
Sources: Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration · Maryland General Assembly and 2 more. Checked November 2026.
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration: Maryland Driver’s Manuals ↗
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration: Maryland Driver’s Manual, October 2026 edition (DL-002, PDF) ↗
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration: Knowledge Tests ↗
- Maryland General Assembly: Chapter 539 of 2026 (Senate Bill 68), Driver Skills Examination, Motorcycle Safety Awareness (PDF) ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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