A 3-minute lesson from the Indiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
The knowledge exam is multiple choice. It covers Indiana law, defensive driving, and this manual, and it tests whether you can read regulatory, warning, and traffic signs and signals.
You must take the driver's knowledge exam if you are:
Applying for a learner's permit
A new resident whose out-of-state license is expired, or who has a valid out-of-country license
A new resident under 18 who holds an out-of-state license
An Indiana resident whose license has been expired more than 180 days
Renewing with six or more active points on your Indiana record
Military member, spouse or dependent: license expired over 180 days, back from deployment over 90 days
An out-of-state active-duty member whose license expired beyond the old state's military extension
You can take the driving skills exam with a participating driver training school or with a BMV examiner.
Know the rule
If you hold a permit and complete a participating BMV-licensed school's course (30 hours of theory plus six hours behind the wheel), you may test with the school. A pass stays valid until your permit expires.
Time spent holding a valid permit counts toward the 180-day holding period. A permit expired more than 180 days requires retaking the knowledge exam to renew.
You fail the knowledge exam on a Tuesday afternoon. You can't try again that day. Come back the next business day, Wednesday, and arrive at least 30 minutes before the branch closes.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
How soon before a branch closes must you arrive to take the computer-based knowledge exam that day?
At least 10 minutes before closing
At least one hour before closing
There is no time requirement
At least 30 minutes before closing
Answer: At least 30 minutes before closing
You must arrive at the branch at least 30 minutes before it closes to take the exam that day.
To take the skills exam with a participating driver training school, the course you complete includes how much training?
10 hours theoretical and 2 hours behind-the-wheel
30 hours theoretical and 6 hours behind-the-wheel
50 hours theoretical and 10 hours behind-the-wheel
40 hours theoretical and 8 hours behind-the-wheel
Answer: 30 hours theoretical and 6 hours behind-the-wheel
You may take the skills exam with a participating school after completing its course of 30 hours of theoretical training and six hours of behind-the-wheel training.