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Written by Andrei Zakhareuski. With over 16 years of expertise, Andrei leads Driving-Tests.org, a top online resource for driver education. His leadership has established vital partnerships with over 2,600 libraries, educational bodies, and state agencies.
 A common mistake people make when they get ready to take their permit test is to not study enough. They think the test won’t be that difficult or that they already have a basic knowledge of the road rules, laws and regulations for their state. Once they get to the DMV though, they realize they were sadly mistaken.
The permit test can be much more complex than people imagine. For that reason, it is a good idea to do everything you can to make getting your permit easy and to be able to pass the test on the first try.

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5 Tips To Prepare Effectively for Your DMV Permit Test

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1. Study, Study, Study

When you want to learn anything new, the first thing you do is read about it. It is a good idea, actually, to read it a few times, if you have the patience. Take the manual for your state and read it in sections. Then, before moving on to the next section, read it again. Learn about road signs and road rules. Find out what the laws are. Don’t think of it as trying to memorize it just long enough to pass the test. Make yourself take it seriously and understand that this is part of being a responsible driver, not to mention a safe driver with good defensive driving skills. So, to pass your test and make sure you are a good driver down the road, study the manual from cover to cover. Take notes, if that is a studying technique that works for you. As you get more comfortable with the information you can also have friends or family members quiz you from the manual. There are other ways to test your knowledge of the road rules and road signs, too.

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2. Practice Permit Tests

Free permit practice tests here on Driving-Tests.org are probably the best way to prepare for your DMV permit test. You can take these tests from the comfort of your own home, any time around the clock. You don’t have to pay for a driver’s license study course when you can take practice tests to advance your learning, for free. If you decide to use another similar site to do a practice test, make sure you find one that includes questions particular to your individual state driving rules!  Driving-tests provides tests for all states. Choose yours! You can also get immediate feedback after each question. This means that for any questions you get wrong, you will know right away and be able to work harder on understanding where you need more studying. DMV permit tests are based on random questions from a bank of hundreds of possible questions. Taking multiple practice tests will help you to get a feel for what to expect at the DMV. In many cases, the DMV driving permit tests are just 20 questions, but that means you can only get a very few wrong. Using permit practice tests can really help you be ready for the real thing!

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3. Other Ways to Prepare

Set yourself up for success by preparing the night before your DMV permit exam. That means studying again, maybe taking more free online practice permit tests, having someone else quiz you and then getting a good night’s rest. The morning of your real permit exam, make sure you have a good breakfast. If you have time you may even want to exercise, jog or take a brisk walk to get your oxygen and blood moving to that brain with all the right test answers waiting to come out. If possible, set up your test to happen early so you don’t have time to be stressed about it. If that isn’t possible, you have two options: stay busy or totally relax. For some people, keeping yourself busy doing things so you don’t have time to think about taking the test is the best approach to take. For others, staying completely calm is the way to prepare for the test on the day of the exam. That could mean yoga or meditation, gardening or reading, but anything that keeps your mind and heart rate calmer.

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4. Surround Yourself with People Who Can Help

This may mean supportive friends, family members and loved ones, or it could also be people with information who can help you do well on your permit test. So, for those who are your nearest and dearest, have them help you study and also quiz you, especially in any areas you may be having problems. It can also be a good idea, though, to have people who you can ask about road rules or about the permit test. Taking the free online practice permit test will give you an idea of what to expect when taking the real DMV permit test, but you can ask other people, too. If you know of anyone who has recently taken the permit test, find out from them what to expect. Or, ask if they have any advice for not getting nervous about the test.

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5. Have a Positive Attitude

Aside from studying and taking practice tests, very little can do as much for you as having the right outlook or attitude. If you really believe in yourself and the effort you have put into learning about the road rules, then you should believe you are ready to tackle taking the DMV permit exam. Act as if you have already aced the test and have your driver’s permit in your hand. See yourself reading the test questions and knowing the answers, without a doubt. And, picture this while imagining you are not nervous about the exam. If you have done your work, you should have no real reason to be nervous. The best thing you can do is use all of these tips to help prepare for your driving permit test. Make sure to take the studying part seriously. Driving is a serious responsibility, and you should want to know as much as you can about being a knowledgeable driver. If you also use those free online permit tests to help increase your readiness to take the DMV exam, you are likely to be not just prepared, but able to ace it.