Maryland MVA Handbook 2025

In Maryland, all drivers, regardless of age, must obtain a learner’s permit before applying for a provisional driver’s license. One crucial requirement for a learner’s permit is to pass two official tests: a vision test and an official knowledge (permit) test on driving theory. You must take the permit test at a MVA office, not online. Regardless of age, all new drivers must also complete a driver’s education course before taking the driving skills (road) test for a provisional license. You can enroll in the course even before you obtain a learner’s permit, but you will be limited to the classroom portion of the course (no driving) until you obtain a permit.

If you’re under 18, you must also provide signed consent from a parent or guardian. If you’re under 16, you must also provide proof that you are enrolled in, or have graduated from, high school or the equivalent (e.g., GED).

The official knowledge (permit) test includes questions on traffic signs and signals, Maryland traffic laws, safe driving practices, and sharing the road with other road users. All questions on the knowledge test are based on information in the official Maryland MVA driver’s 2025 handbook (Maryland MVA Handbook (MD Driver's Manual) 2025). The MVA currently publishes versions of this manual in 16 languages, of which we currently offer two for your convenience: English and Spanish. These versions of the manual can be easily downloaded from this webpage in PDF format.

You should study this manual, but consider doing even more to be sure of passing this test. Our permit test preparation program goes beyond the official driver’s handbook by providing a graduated series of practice tests accompanied by our AI assistant. It can give you hints and explanations and answer your questions to help you learn.

We have also created an audiobook of the English version of the official driver’s manual. It’s formatted as a downloadable series of twelve MP3 files, one for each section of the handbook: driving tests requirements, licensing requirements, basic driving, and so on. The longest section is Section 5: Safe Driving Habits, whose running time is 15 minutes and 9 seconds. The total running time of this audiobook is approximately 1 hour, 38 minutes, and 29 seconds, so you may be able to get through the whole thing in a day or so.

In addition to the official handbook, we also offer our own permit test study guide (available elsewhere on this website) to help you get ready for the day of your Maryland knowledge test. It covers how to be at your best before and during the test, what documents to take with you, and frequently missed test questions.