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  • Updated for May 2025
  • Based on official South Dakota Driver's manual

Free South Dakota DMV Permit Practice Test 2025

To obtain your South Dakota DMV driver’s permit, you must pass a vision screening and the written permit knowledge test. (If you’re under 18, you don’t have to pass the knowledge test if you completed an approved driver education course within the past year.) The knowledge test consists of 25 multiple-choice questions covering traffic laws, safe driving practices, driving under the influence, vehicle inspection, emergencies, and sharing the road, as outlined in the state’s South Dakota DMV 2025 Driver’s Manual. To pass, you must score at least 80% (20 out of 25 questions). If you fail the knowledge test, you must wait until the next business day and pay a retest fee for every three attempts. Our practice resources make sure that doesn’t happen.

Our free online South Dakota DMV Permit Practice Test is updated for May 2025. It mimics actual exam conditions and speeds the learning process by providing immediate feedback on any missed questions instead of at the end of the assessment.

The Instruction Permit is the first phase of South Dakota’s Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) program for drivers under 18. You can apply for this as early as age 14, but must drive accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 18 years old. After turning 16 and holding your instruction permit for 180 days, you can apply for a restricted minor’s permit. This permit allows you to drive alone, but only from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM (with some exceptions for school, work, or church events). You must also have completed an approved driver education course and have no traffic convictions for the past six months. You can apply for your full license at age 16, provided you’ve held the restricted minor’s permit for six months and have had no traffic convictions during this period. If you’re over 18, you must obtain an instruction permit and then pass the road test to upgrade to an unrestricted license.

Once you’re ready to apply for the permit, go to the DMV with proof of identity (birth certificate, passport), your Social Security card, two proofs of residence (utility bill, bank statement), and signed consent from a parent or guardian (in person) if you’re under 18. Submit the documents, pass a vision screening, pay the fee, and pass the official written test.

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What you need to know

4.3 out of 5 • 740 votes
6 min to complete
Available in EN, ES, RU
Verified by Steven Litvintchouk, M.S., Chief Educational Researcher, Member of ACES. See our detailed commitment to accuracy and quality in our practice tests.
Ensuring the accuracy and quality of our program is paramount. Learn more about our rigorous standards in our Commitment to Accuracy article.

What to expect on the actual SD DMV exam

25

questions

20

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

14 y/o

minimum age to apply

List of questions (classic view)

  1. Where there are both a solid and a dashed yellow line between opposing lanes of traffic, you may NOT pass
  2. Shared center lanes are reserved for
  3. On multilane roads, the _________ lane is intended to be used for passing slower vehicles.
  4. A driver under the age of 18 must hold a restricted permit for at least _______ before they may apply for a full driver license.
  5. Which of the following rules about turning is FALSE?
  6. If an emergency vehicle displaying flashing red or blue lights or sounding a siren or air horn is approaching, you must
  7. South Dakota law requires you to _________ for a pedestrian carrying a white cane or using a guide dog, whether or not the person is in a crosswalk.
  8. This sign is
  9. To hold the steering wheel, place
  10. When approaching an intersection without signs or signals, you must yield to
  11. When turning a corner, you should turn the steering wheel using
  12. What does this sign indicate?
  13. Which of the following activities can distract you from driving?
  14. To avoid last-minute braking or the need to turn suddenly, you should look at least ________ ahead while driving in the city.
  15. At high speeds, you should start to signal __________ before you turn.
  16. This posted sign is
  17. For better visibility in fog, rain, or snow, use
  18. _________ are areas around trucks or other large vehicles in which other vehicles may disappear into blind spots.
  19. When should you sound a sharp blast on your horn?
  20. What does this sign mean?
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