South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS)
South Dakota Permit Test (2026)
Study for the official DPS Knowledge Test with free practice tests written from the state's own rules — plus the verified facts below: how many questions, the passing score, and what it costs.
South Dakota permit test: quick facts
- Questions on the exam
- Check your state's official site
- Passing score
- 80%
- Minimum permit age
- 14
- Fee
- Instruction permit: $38; restricted minor's permit: $38; driver license and renewal: $38; duplicate or replacement license: $20. Card and online payments add an administrative fee of $2.00 or 2.95%, whichever is greater.
- If you fail
- An applicant who fails a test may not retest before the next working day, and each fee paid covers three testing opportunities within a six-month period. Certain serious drive-test infractions, such as a crash or excessive speeding, require a 30-day wait before another road test.
- Online testing
- In person only
- Languages
- DPS publishes the Driver's License Manual and the driver license application in English and Spanish; no language list is published for the in-person knowledge test itself.
How it works
Step 1
Take Practice Test 1 like the real thing — no notes, one question at a time.
Step 2
Read every explanation, especially for questions you missed. That's where the learning happens.
Step 3
Repeat with Test 2 and the road signs test until you pass comfortably every time.
Free South Dakota practice tests
South Dakota Practice Test 1
30 questions — signs, rules, and state law
South Dakota Practice Test 2
30 fresh questions, no repeats from Test 1
South Dakota Road Signs Test
25 questions on signs, shapes, and signals
New-driver rules in South Dakota
South Dakota issues an instruction permit at age 14 to applicants who pass the vision and knowledge tests, and that permit must be held 275 days — or 180 days with an approved driver education course — while logging 50 hours of adult-supervised driving that includes 10 hours after dark and 10 in inclement weather. A restricted minor's permit then allows solo driving from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. a parent or legal guardian must sit beside the driver unless the trip is a direct route to or from school, church, work, or farm duties, and non-household passengers are barred for the first six months. A full operator's license requires age 16, at least six months on the restricted permit, and no traffic convictions in the previous six months.
Verified 2026-08-18 · Source: DPS
South Dakota permit test FAQ
What score do you need to pass the South Dakota permit test?
You must score at least 80% to pass the South Dakota Knowledge Test, according to the DPS.
How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in South Dakota?
You can apply for a learner's permit in South Dakota at 14, according to the DPS (verified 2026-08-18).
How much does the South Dakota permit cost?
Instruction permit: $38; restricted minor's permit: $38; driver license and renewal: $38; duplicate or replacement license: $20. Card and online payments add an administrative fee of $2.00 or 2.95%, whichever is greater. — as listed by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS), verified 2026-08-18. Always confirm current fees on the official site.
What happens if you fail the South Dakota permit test?
An applicant who fails a test may not retest before the next working day, and each fee paid covers three testing opportunities within a six-month period. Certain serious drive-test infractions, such as a crash or excessive speeding, require a 30-day wait before another road test. (per the DPS, verified 2026-08-18).
Can you take the South Dakota permit test online?
No. The South Dakota Knowledge Test is administered in person through the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS), not online.
What languages is the South Dakota permit test offered in?
DPS publishes the Driver's License Manual and the driver license application in English and Spanish; no language list is published for the in-person knowledge test itself. (per the DPS, verified 2026-08-18).
Who runs the permit test in South Dakota?
Driver licensing in South Dakota is handled by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS). The official site is https://www.sd.gov/dps.
Where can I read the official South Dakota driver handbook?
The official South Dakota driver handbook is published by the DPS at https://www.sd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=d8e0b08e47bd0390a497127ba26d4348. It is the source our practice questions are grounded in.