New Jersey MVC Permit Practice Test 24

  • Questions50
  • Correct to pass40
  • Passing score80%
  • Minimum age16 years

Minimum age: 16 years with an approved behind-the-wheel driver training course, 17 years for an examination permit

50 questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why; you need 40 correct answers to pass.

  1. 1. Many signs use a symbol instead of words. The main advantage is that a symbol

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    Answer C: can be read from farther away and by more people

    A symbol is recognized at greater distance than a line of text and does not depend on the reader knowing English.

  2. 2. You are driving down a parking aisle and reach the main lane that runs along the front of the store. What is the usual rule?

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    Answer C: The main through lane has the right of way over the vehicles leaving the aisles

    In a parking lot the wide lane that runs across the ends of the aisles works like a through road, and drivers leaving an aisle yield to it.

  3. 3. A yellow diamond showing arrows arranged in a circle warns of

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    Answer B: a circular intersection such as a roundabout ahead

    The circular intersection warning sign announces a roundabout or traffic circle so drivers can slow down and prepare to yield to traffic already circulating.

  4. 4. A small plaque mounted under this sign shows a numeral such as 2 or 3. What does that numeral report?

    Two white crossed boards forming an X, with black lettering along each board
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    Answer A: How many sets of tracks the crossing carries

    The plaque states the number of tracks at that location, which is a warning that a second train may be running on another track behind the first.

  5. 5. You are inside a tunnel with no shoulder when an ambulance comes up behind you with lights and siren. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Keep going at a safe speed and pull over once you are clear of the tunnel

    Stopping in a tunnel or on a narrow bridge blocks the only lane, so continue at a safe speed to the first place where you can pull clear.

  6. 6. How can a New Jersey driver cut a point total just by driving safely?

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    Answer D: Up to three points are subtracted for each year without a violation or suspension

    The MVC subtracts up to three points for each violation free and suspension free year, although the total never drops below zero.

  7. 7. The signal ahead turns yellow while you are approaching it. What does the yellow light mean?

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    Answer C: The red is coming; stop if you can do so safely

    A steady yellow warns that the red is next. Stop if you can do so safely; enter the intersection only when stopping would be dangerous.

  8. 8. What is wrong with steering through a turn using the palm of one hand on the wheel?

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    Answer D: You have less control and cannot correct quickly if something goes wrong

    One-handed palming gives poor leverage and slow response. Use hand-to-hand or hand-over-hand steering with both hands so you can react instantly.

  9. 9. A flashing red arrow is displayed for your turning lane. What does it require?

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    Answer D: Stopping, then turning when the way is clear

    A flashing red arrow is treated like a stop sign for that movement: come to a full stop, then turn when it is safe and no one has to be cut off.

  10. 10. You are about to leave a roundabout when a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk on your exit. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Yield to the pedestrian and wait for the crosswalk to clear

    Roundabout crosswalks sit on the entries and exits, and drivers must yield to pedestrians using them.

  11. 11. A sign with a blue background and a white legend and border tells road users about

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    Answer A: services such as fuel, food, lodging, hospitals and rest areas

    Blue is the background of the general service series, which points travelers toward the services available along or near the route.

  12. 12. What is the driver expected to do after passing this sign?

    A yellow diamond showing a small eight sided shape above a black arrow pointing at it
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    Answer A: Begin slowing so that a complete stop can be made at the intersection ahead

    It is used where the control at the intersection stays hidden until late, so braking should begin here rather than at the stop line.

  13. 13. A notification appears on your smart watch while you are driving. What should you do?

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    Answer B: Treat it as you would a phone and leave it

    A watch screen demands the same eyes and the same attention as a phone, and a wrist is no safer a place to read a message than a dashboard.

  14. 14. Why is following distance measured in seconds rather than in car lengths?

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    Answer A: Because a time gap automatically grows with speed, while a fixed number of car lengths does not

    A gap counted in seconds keeps the same margin of reaction time at any speed, whereas a fixed number of car lengths becomes far too small as speed rises.

  15. 15. You are entering an angle parking space on your right. What should you do?

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    Answer C: Stay a little left of the space, then turn in between the lines

    Keeping a little left of the space gives the front wheels the room to turn in cleanly and leaves your car centered between the lines.

  16. 16. The center line beside your lane is solid yellow while the opposite side has a broken yellow line. What does this mean?

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    Answer D: You may not pass, but traffic in the other direction may

    A solid yellow line on your side of the center marks a no-passing zone for your direction only, while the broken line grants the opposing direction a passing zone.

  17. 17. A driver passes this sign on an entrance ramp while merging onto a freeway. Who has priority?

    A downward pointing white triangle with a wide red border
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    Answer B: The traffic already traveling on the freeway

    The sign places the duty on the entering driver, who must adjust speed and fit into a gap without forcing through traffic to brake or swerve.

  18. 18. Your car has side curtain airbags. What should you avoid doing?

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    Answer B: Resting your head against the window or the door pillar

    A side airbag deploys from the pillar or roof rail, so a head leaning against that area is directly in its path.

  19. 19. A sign on a long downgrade points to a runaway vehicle ramp. What is that ramp for?

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    Answer C: Trucks that have lost braking ability on the grade

    A runaway ramp is an escape lane of loose material that stops a heavy vehicle whose brakes have overheated or failed, so it must always be left clear.

  20. 20. A pedestrian using a white cane or walking with a guide dog starts to cross the street ahead of you. What must you do?

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    Answer A: Yield and stay stopped until the person has finished crossing

    A white cane or guide dog identifies a pedestrian who may not be able to see your vehicle, so you must yield and wait rather than maneuver around the person. The horn can confuse the pedestrian or the dog.

  21. 21. You are on a one-way street with two marked lanes. May you pass a slower vehicle on the right?

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    Answer A: Yes, using the right lane, provided that the move is safe and signaled

    On a roadway with two or more marked lanes in your direction, moving into the free lane and going by is a normal lane change rather than an unlawful pass.

  22. 22. What minimum property damage liability coverage must a New Jersey standard auto policy carry?

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    Answer C: $25,000

    The property damage minimum stayed at $25,000 when the bodily injury limits rose on 1 January 2026.

  23. 23. How long do New Jersey knowledge test and vision screening results stay valid?

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    Answer C: Two years

    MVC test results remain valid for two years, so an applicant who delays the road test beyond that must be tested again.

  24. 24. On a two-way street, where and how should you park at the curb?

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    Answer C: On the right side, facing the way traffic moves

    On a two-way street you must park on the right, headed in the direction of travel; parking facing traffic is prohibited.

  25. 25. Children are playing close to the edge of a residential street. What is the right speed choice?

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    Answer D: Well below the limit, slow enough to stop for a sudden dash

    Children can step out without warning, so the safe speed is the one that lets you stop within the distance you can see to be clear.

  26. 26. What extra penalty does New Jersey add when a parent or guardian is convicted of intoxicated driving with a passenger under 18?

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    Answer B: A disorderly persons offense, up to six months of suspension and five days of community service

    Carrying a minor passenger makes the driver guilty of a disorderly persons offense, adds up to six months of suspension and up to five days of community service.

  27. 27. You have finished parallel parking at the curb. How should the vehicle sit?

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    Answer A: Close to the curb, so that it does not stick out into the traffic lane

    A parked vehicle must sit close enough to the curb that it does not intrude into the path of passing traffic; the exact maximum distance is set by each state.

  28. 28. You are behind three slow vehicles on a two-lane road and the way ahead looks clear. What is the sound decision?

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    Answer D: Pass one vehicle at a time, if the road allows it

    Passing several vehicles in one move keeps you in the oncoming lane far too long and leaves nowhere to go if a vehicle appears.

  29. 29. What habit prevents the hood from flying up while you are driving?

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    Answer D: Press the hood down at the front and check that the latch has caught

    Most hoods fly up because they were left on the safety catch, so check that the main latch is fully closed after any work under the hood.

  30. 30. A regulatory sign reads TURN ON HEADLIGHTS NEXT 15 MILES. What does it require?

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    Answer C: Low beam headlights on for that stretch, day or night

    Such a section is signed where a road is hard to see along, and the requirement is to run headlights, not just daytime running lamps, through the whole stretch even in bright daylight.

  31. 31. The green left-turn arrow ends and a steady red ball comes on for your lane, at an intersection where no turn on red is allowed. What must you do?

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    Answer D: Stop and wait, because no turn is allowed while the red ball is lit

    Once a red indication faces your lane and no turn on red is permitted there, the turn is over; only a vehicle already inside the intersection completes its movement.

  32. 32. What MVC surcharge applies after a New Jersey conviction for refusing a breath test?

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    Answer D: $1,000 a year for three years

    Refusal carries the same surcharge as a first or second intoxicated driving conviction, 1,000 dollars a year for three years, on top of any court penalties.

  33. 33. How should you handle a prescription or over the counter medicine before driving?

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    Answer D: Read the label and ask a pharmacist or doctor whether it affects driving

    Many common medicines, including allergy and cold remedies, cause drowsiness or slowed reactions, and the label or a pharmacist can tell you whether driving is safe.

  34. 34. What must a driver be ready for beyond this sign?

    A yellow diamond showing two black lanes merging into one around a central island
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    Answer C: Vehicles approaching from the opposite direction in the next lane over

    The separation between the two directions runs out, so from that point oncoming vehicles share the same pavement and the driver has to keep right.

  35. 35. You are circulating in a roundabout and a vehicle is waiting to enter ahead of you. What should you do?

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    Answer D: Keep going, because circulating traffic does not stop for entering vehicles

    Stopping in the circle to be polite surprises the drivers behind you and defeats the design; entering traffic is the side that waits.

  36. 36. Where should you be looking as you steer through a turn?

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    Answer C: Toward the point on the new road where you want to end up

    Drivers steer toward what they look at, so looking through the turn to where you want to go keeps the path smooth and accurate.

  37. 37. At highway speed, a large object suddenly appears in your lane and there is open space beside you. Which response is often the most effective?

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    Answer B: Steer around it, since at speed you can often turn quicker than you can stop

    Above roughly 25 mph, stopping distance is long while a lane change takes only a moment. When space is available, a controlled steer around the hazard avoids the impact.

  38. 38. What should you do with the key and your belongings when you leave the vehicle in a public lot?

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    Answer D: Take the key with you, lock up and put valuables out of sight

    Most vehicle thefts are opportunistic: a key left behind or a bag in plain view is the invitation.

  39. 39. On a wet road, how should a driver adjust after passing this sign?

    A yellow diamond showing a small eight sided shape above a black arrow pointing at it
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    Answer B: Start braking earlier, because a slippery surface lengthens the stopping distance

    A wet surface lengthens stopping distance, so the extra warning distance should be spent braking gently and early instead of late and hard.

  40. 40. What fine does New Jersey set for breaking the child passenger safety law?

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    Answer B: $50 to $75

    The child passenger restraint law carries a fine of not less than $50 and not more than $75, plus fees and court costs.

  41. 41. What makes up the total distance needed to bring a vehicle to a stop?

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    Answer A: The distance covered while you perceive the hazard, the distance covered while you react, and the braking distance

    Total stopping distance combines the ground covered while you notice the hazard, the ground covered while you move your foot to the brake, and the ground covered while the brakes slow the vehicle.

  42. 42. A driver reaches this sign and the intersecting roadway is completely clear. What is required?

    A downward pointing white triangle with a wide red border
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    Answer D: Slowing to a speed that allows stopping, then going on without stopping if the way stays clear

    This control asks the driver to slow down and be ready to stop, and a full stop becomes necessary only when traffic or pedestrians would otherwise be interfered with.

  43. 43. A sign at the approach to a bridge reads WEIGHT LIMIT 10 TONS. What does the figure set?

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    Answer B: The heaviest vehicle the bridge may legally carry

    A weight limit sign is a regulation based on what the structure can bear, and it applies to the loaded weight of the whole vehicle.

  44. 44. Where does the restriction that starts at this sign come to an end?

    A yellow sign shaped like a horizontal triangle pointing right, with black lettering
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    Answer D: Where the centerline markings show that overtaking is allowed again

    The sign marks the start of the restricted section, and the centerline markings along the road show how far it runs and where overtaking becomes lawful again.

  45. 45. About how much alcohol can the body eliminate per hour?

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    Answer A: About one standard drink

    The liver removes alcohol at a nearly fixed rate of roughly one standard drink per hour. Drinking faster than that raises the blood alcohol level, and nothing speeds the process.

  46. 46. You are driving forward into a perpendicular space with a large pickup parked on the right of it. How should you take it?

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    Answer D: Stay wide, turn in late and keep clear of the pickup

    Starting the turn later keeps the rear of your car away from the vehicle beside the space, which is exactly what a tight early turn clips.

  47. 47. Why is standing water across a road dangerous even when it looks shallow?

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    Answer B: It can hide a washed out roadbed, a deep hole or a missing cover

    You cannot see the surface under the water, and floods commonly wash the roadbed away or lift covers off drains.

  48. 48. Your headlights suddenly go out while you are driving at night. What should you do?

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    Answer A: Try the dimmer switch and the headlight switch, turn on the hazard lights and pull off the road

    Switching between high and low beams or cycling the light switch sometimes restores the lights. If not, use the hazard and parking lights to get off the road safely.

  49. 49. An arrow panel in a work zone shows four flashing lamps in caution mode instead of an arrow. What does that display mean?

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    Answer A: Warning only, so pass the work area with caution in your current lane

    Caution mode gives a general warning without directing a lane change, so drivers stay alert and pass the activity with care.

  50. 50. An orange background with a black legend on a sign indicates

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    Answer B: a temporary traffic control or work zone situation

    Orange is reserved for temporary traffic control signing, so an orange sign means conditions have been altered for work or another temporary operation.