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Mississippi · Permit test

Mississippi learner’s permit and permit test

You can apply at 15, in person at a Driver Service Bureau station run by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS). To get a Mississippi learner’s permit you pass a computerized knowledge exam on the driver’s manual and an eye exam, and you show your birth certificate, Social Security number, two proofs of address and, under 18, a school attendance form. The permit costs $7, lasts two years and lets you drive with a licensed driver 21 or older beside you.

  • 15Youngest age for a learner’s permit
  • $7Learner’s permit fee
  • 2 yearsHow long the permit is valid
  • 12 monthsTime on the permit before a license at 16
Where to studyHow the test works

Updated October 2026 · Written from the Mississippi Driver’s License Manual (revised December 2024)

Key facts

At a glance

Who runs it
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS), Driver Service Bureau
Where you take it
At a Driver Service Bureau driver license station, with your documents
Format
A computerized multiple-choice exam on the driver’s manual, plus an eye exam
Reading help
A headset reads the questions and answers aloud
Driving on the permit
Only with a licensed driver 21 or older in the seat next to you

How it works

How the Mississippi permit test works

  1. You take the knowledge exam in person at a Driver Service Bureau driver license station, along with an eye exam. You need to pass both to get the permit.
  2. The exam is a computerized multiple-choice test on the Mississippi Driver’s License Manual, with a focus on traffic laws, safe-driving rules and license requirements.
  3. Examiners watch the testing room, and you’ll be asked to leave if you’re caught cheating.
  4. Phones, earbuds, smart watches and other electronics must stay out of the testing area.
  5. If the eye exam shows you may need glasses, you get a vision form (DE26) for an eye specialist or optometrist to fill out.

Topics

What’s on the test

01

Permits and licenses

The manual’s first pages explain who may drive in Mississippi, how the learner’s permit works and what you need for a regular Class R license.

Key points (4)
  • You can get a regular learner’s permit at 15. It’s valid for two years.
  • With a permit you drive only with a licensed driver 21 or older sitting in the seat next to you.
  • At 16 you need to have held the permit for one year. A conviction for driving under the influence (DUI) or a moving violation restarts that year.
  • From 17 you can get the permit and the Class R license on the same day.
02

Signs, signals and pavement markings

Pages 25 to 40 of the manual cover the eight sign shapes and colors, traffic lights and the lines painted on the road.

Key points (4)
  • The octagon is only for stop signs, the triangle only for yield signs and the pennant warns of a no passing zone.
  • You may turn right on red after a complete stop unless a sign says no. Slowing down and yielding without a full stop isn’t enough, and it’s illegal.
  • A flashing yellow left arrow means you may turn but must yield to oncoming traffic, the same as a solid green light.
  • At a signal with no working lights, stop completely and go on with caution, following the right-of-way rules.
03

Right-of-way and emergency vehicles

The manual’s intersection pages say who goes first at stop signs, roundabouts and driveways, and what to do for emergency vehicles.

Key points (4)
  • At a four-way stop the first car to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, the car on the right goes first.
  • At a two-way stop, a car going straight across goes before a car turning across its lane.
  • In a roundabout you drive counterclockwise and yield to traffic already in the circle.
  • When an emergency vehicle is parked with its lights on along a four-lane highway, move to the lane away from it, or slow down and be ready to stop.
04

Speed limits, following and passing

The Rules of the Road section gives Mississippi’s speed limits for cars, the car-length rule for following and the places you can’t pass.

Key points (4)
  • The limits are 70 mph on interstates, 65 mph on four-lane highways, 55 mph on two-lane highways and 50 mph on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
  • The minimum speed on interstates and four-lane highways is 40 mph, and the limit in a school zone is 15 mph.
  • Leave at least one car length for every 10 mph of speed, so seven car lengths at 70 mph.
  • Don’t pass on hills or curves, or within 100 feet of a bridge, railroad crossing, crosswalk or intersection.
05

School buses and railroad crossings

Two rules the manual spells out in detail: stopping for a school bus and stopping at railroad crossings.

Key points (4)
  • Stop at least 10 feet from a school bus with red lights flashing or its stop sign out, whichever way you’re going.
  • On a divided highway with four or more lanes, traffic going the other way doesn’t have to stop for the bus.
  • Stop 10 to 50 feet from the outer rail when a gate is down, lights flash, a flagger signals or a train is coming.
  • If your car is stuck on the tracks, get out and move away at a 45-degree angle toward the direction the train is coming from.
06

Turning and parking

Step-by-step diagrams for left and right turns, turning around, parallel parking and parking on a hill, plus the places you can’t park.

Key points (4)
  • Turn on your signal and slow down at least 100 feet before the intersection.
  • When parallel parked, your tires should be within 12 inches of the curb.
  • Facing downhill, turn your wheels to the right. Facing uphill with a curb, turn them to the left.
  • Don’t park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection or 15 feet of the nearest rail of a crossing.
07

Night driving, weather and emergencies

What the manual says about headlights, rain, skids, breakdowns and what to do after a crash.

Key points (4)
  • Use low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming car or a car you’re following.
  • The first minutes of rain are the slickest, because water loosens dirt and grease on the road.
  • If you skid, turn the wheel in the direction of the skid, and don’t brake suddenly.
  • Report a crash to law enforcement right away if anyone is hurt or killed or damage looks to be over $500.
08

Alcohol, phones, seat belts and sharing the road

Mississippi’s limits on alcohol and phone use, its seat belt and car seat law, and how to share the road with bicycles, trucks and slow vehicles.

Key points (4)
  • You’re under the influence at a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% at 21 or older, or .02% under 21. Refusing a breath test means a 90-day suspension.
  • Writing, sending or reading texts and using social media on a hand-held phone while driving aren’t allowed.
  • Everyone in the car wears a seat belt, front or back. Children under 4 ride in a car seat.
  • Leave at least three feet when you pass a bicycle.

Road signs

Road signs from the Mississippi Driver’s License Manual

Mississippi’s manual teaches the eight sign shapes first: an octagon is only for stop, a triangle only for yield, a pennant warns of a no passing zone and a pentagon marks a school. The set ends with the railroad signs and the orange and red triangle on slow farm and construction vehicles.

  • Red octagon with white border and the word STOP in whiteStop: come to a complete stop, then yield to any traffic close enough to be a hazard
  • Downward-pointing red triangle with white center and the word YIELD in redYield: let other vehicles on the roadway go first
  • Red circle with a white horizontal bar on a white square, reading DO NOT ENTERDo not enter: you may not enter this lane of travel
  • Red rectangle with white border reading WRONG WAYWrong way: you’re facing traffic, so leave the road and turn around as soon as you can
  • White sign reading NO TURN ON REDNo turn on red: wait for the green light before you turn right
  • White sign reading DO NOT PASSDo not pass: crossing into another lane to pass is against the law here
  • Yellow pennant pointing right reading NO PASSING ZONENo passing zone: the pennant shape warns of a no passing zone ahead
  • Fluorescent yellow-green pentagon with two children walkingSchool: the five-sided shape marks school crossings and school zones
  • Yellow diamond with a car and two S-shaped skid marksSlippery when wet: slow down when the road is wet
  • Round yellow sign with a black X and two letters RRailroad crossing ahead: look, listen and slow down, because you may have to stop
  • White X-shaped crossbuck reading RAILROAD CROSSINGCrossbuck: when you must stop, stop 10 to 50 feet from the outer rail
  • Fluorescent orange triangle with a red reflective borderSlow-moving vehicle: it travels 25 mph or less, so pass only when it’s safe

Test day

What to bring for a Mississippi learner’s permit

  • A completed and signed application. If you’re under 17, both parents sign it in front of a notary, or give the reason a parent isn’t signing
  • Your original or certified birth certificate, or another accepted document. Photocopies aren’t accepted
  • Your Social Security card, or official government mail that shows all nine digits
  • Two proofs of your Mississippi home address, with no P.O. boxes. Under 21, your parent’s or guardian’s documents count
  • A school attendance form less than 30 days old if you’re 15 to 17, or a marriage license if you’re married
  • Money for the $7 fee in cash or by debit or credit card. Personal checks aren’t accepted

Before you go

  1. Read the Mississippi Driver’s License Manual. It’s free to download, and stations sell printed copies.
  2. Book an appointment through DPS’s Skip the Line system. The Driver Service Bureau highly recommends one.
  3. Ask your school for the attendance form no more than 30 days before you go. Home-schooled students use the same form, which has a box for home instruction programs, and the manual says a parent signs it.
  4. Get the application signed and notarized ahead of time if you’re under 17.
  5. Leave your phone and smart watch in the car or at home, since they aren’t allowed where you test.
Mississippi DPS: Skip the Line appointmentsDriver license stations are open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Gulfport airport office handles only Mississippi duplicates and renewals, by appointment, so choose another station for the exam.

Study options

Where to study

The Mississippi Driver’s License Manual is the source for the exam. DPS says the state doesn’t have a study app, and its site has no practice test, so the free manual comes first. DPS’s Model Mentor Guide helps the adult who teaches you to drive, and apps, websites and certified driver’s education instructors add more practice.

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
Official and free
Mississippi Driver’s License ManualOfficial · PDF and printThe Department of Public Safety’s manual for the car knowledge exam. The cover says “Revised December 2024”, and DPS posted it in February 2025. It has no sample test, and DPS says the state doesn’t have a study app.
Free PDF, $3 printedThe whole manual, including the Class D section
Manual (PDF) ↗All DPS manuals ↗
Model Mentor GuideOfficial · PDF for parentsDPS’s guide, revised October 2025, adapted from a model by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). It fits the 50 hours of practice that a parent, teacher or guardian swears to on the Waiver of Road Testing Affidavit.
FreeStep-by-step driving sessions for the adult who supervises a permit holder
Mentor Guide (PDF) ↗
CDL and motorcycle manualsOfficial · PDFThe car manual doesn’t cover these tests. DPS’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) manual is the March 2025 version, and the motorcycle manual is the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s 17th edition.
FreeBoth manuals. The CDL manual has review questions after each part
CDL manual (PDF) ↗Motorcycle manual (PDF) ↗
Apps and websites
DMV-Permit-Test.comWebsiteEach question has a short explanation, and there’s a Spanish section. The site describes the real exam as 30 questions with 24 right to pass; that’s its own figure, since DPS doesn’t publish a count or pass mark.
Free tests, optional Premium20 Mississippi car practice tests, plus motorcycle and CDL tests
Mississippi practice tests ↗
ZutobiWeb and app · all statesSays it has 600+ Mississippi questions in short lessons with videos, written to follow the Mississippi Driver’s Manual. The app has 4.7 stars from about 239,000 App Store ratings.
Free to try, then Zutobi PLUS (App Store prices from $4.99)A free start on the Mississippi course
Mississippi permit course ↗App Store ↗
DMV GenieApp · all statesCar, motorcycle and CDL practice in one app; pick Mississippi when you start. Some plans renew weekly, so check the price first. It has 4.8 stars from about 184,000 App Store ratings.
Free to download, Premium in the app (App Store prices from $9.99)Practice tests and quizzes. The exam simulator and cheat sheets need Premium
App Store ↗
In person
DPS certified driver’s education instructorsCourse · instructors around the stateDPS lists each certified instructor with a phone number, an email address and the towns or counties they cover, and you contact the one you choose. Their courses count for a hardship license now and for the driver’s ed rule that starts July 1, 2027.
Set by each instructorNot listed
Instructor list ↗
Public school driver educationCourse · high schoolsFrom the 2026-2027 school year, every Mississippi school district with a high school must offer driver education: at least 24 classroom hours and 6 hours behind the wheel, for students 14 and older in grades 9 to 12. Ask your school for its schedule.
Set by each school districtNot listed
Senate Bill 2695 (2024) ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

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FAQ

Common questions

Can I take the Mississippi permit test online?

No. DPS says all knowledge exams must be taken in person at a driver license station. What you can do online is book the visit through Skip the Line, renew a license or ID, order a duplicate, change your address and buy your driving record.

How many questions are on the Mississippi permit test, and what’s a passing score?

DPS doesn’t publish either number, and the manual doesn’t give them. State law (Mississippi Code § 63-1-33) says the test has at least 10 questions on safe driving and checks that you can read road signs and know school bus safety. Counts and pass marks on apps and websites are their own claims, not DPS figures.

Do I need driver’s ed to get a Mississippi learner’s permit?

State law (§ 63-1-9) answers by age. Before July 1, 2027 you don’t, unless you want a hardship license, which already needs a certified course; the drivers ed page explains which courses count. From July 1, 2027, if you’re under 18 you can still get your learner’s permit before you take the course. At 18 or older with no license before, the law’s wording covers the learner’s permit too, so plan to finish the course first. DPS’s own notice mentions only the license.

I’m 17 or older. Do I still have to hold the permit for a year?

No. From 17 you can take the knowledge and eye exams and get your learner’s permit and Class R license on the same day, and you don’t need the Waiver of Road Testing Affidavit. Under 18 you still bring a school attendance form, a high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) certificate. From July 1, 2027, you’ll also need a certified driver’s ed course first if you’ve never had a license.

What happens if I fail the Mississippi permit test?

DPS doesn’t publish a waiting period after a failed knowledge exam, so ask the station when you can test again. The one wait it does set is for cheating or bringing a banned device: the test is canceled and you can’t test for 6 months. You can appeal in writing within 30 days to driversed@dps.ms.gov.

Can I take the test in Spanish or another language?

DPS doesn’t list the exam’s languages. It does let you bring an interpreter: your interpreter fills in the Mississippi Interpreter Oath and signs it in front of a notary, and you bring the signed form and the interpreter to the exam. The interpreter swears to translate accurately and may not give answers or hints, or explain what a question means.

Is anything changing for Mississippi permits and licenses?

Yes. From July 1, 2027, anyone getting a first Mississippi driver’s license, adults included, must have finished a Driver Education and Training Program certified by the State Board of Education or DPS. That comes from Senate Bill 2695 (2024), which keeps the learner’s permit open to under-18s who haven’t taken the course yet. Laws passed in 2026 changed other parts of the license law from July 1, 2026, such as a marking on non-citizens’ licenses, but not the permit or the knowledge exam, and two bills to require a road test died in committee.

Sources: Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau · Mississippi Legislature and 9 more. Checked October 2026.

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

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