Free Kentucky Permit Practice Test 3 (2026)
Real questions from the official Kentucky driver handbook, each with a plain-English explanation. Free, unlimited retakes, no signup.
Smart Review drills only the questions you get wrong. Full-length mock exams in the real format. Progress saved on every device — and the same account unlocks the mobile app.
Get Smart Review & Mock ExamsWhat this test covers
This draw of 20 questions breaks down like this:
- Traffic Signs & Signals — 5
- Alcohol, Drugs & the Law — 2
- Emergencies & Crashes — 2
- Licensing & Permits — 2
- Right-of-Way & Intersections — 2
- Safe Driving — 2
- Signaling & Communication — 2
- Sharing the Road — 1
- Speed Limits & Speed Management — 1
- Traffic Lanes, Passing & Turning — 1
Heaviest on Traffic Signs & Signals (5 of 20) — that is the section to revise first if you miss several here.
2 are Kentucky-specific questions, drawn from the state handbook rather than general road rules.
Each test on this site draws a different set, so Test 1, 2 and 3 never repeat a question.
Questions on this test
1. A Kentucky driving permit is valid for:
- 5 years
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 3 years
Show answer
Answer: 3 years
The permit is valid for three years and may be renewed.
2. Kentucky permit holders ages 16–20 must hold the permit for a minimum of:
- 30 days
- 180 days
- 90 days
- 1 year
Show answer
Answer: 180 days
You must hold the permit at least 180 days before the intermediate road test.
3. If a friend has been drinking, the responsible choice is to:
- Let them drive slowly
- Give them coffee
- Follow them home
- Take their keys and arrange a safe ride
Show answer
Answer: Take their keys and arrange a safe ride
Don't let an impaired friend drive — arrange a sober ride.
4. Tapping your brakes lightly before slowing can:
- Turn off cruise control only
- Confuse drivers
- Save fuel
- Warn following drivers early that you're about to slow
Show answer
Answer: Warn following drivers early that you're about to slow
A light tap flashes your brake lights to warn drivers behind you early.
5. A blue sign with a wheelchair symbol reserves parking for:
- People with a disabled parking permit
- Delivery trucks
- Buses
- Anyone
Show answer
Answer: People with a disabled parking permit
Blue wheelchair signs reserve parking for permit holders.
6. A bicyclist may legally use the full traffic lane when:
- The lane is too narrow to share safely
- Only on sidewalks
- Only at night
- Never
Show answer
Answer: The lane is too narrow to share safely
When a lane is too narrow to share, a cyclist may take the full lane for safety.
7. A sign of this shape and color indicates:
- A construction or work zone
- A hospital zone
- A scenic route
- A school zone
Show answer
Answer: A construction or work zone
Orange means a construction or maintenance work zone — slow down and watch for workers.
8. Tailgating (following too closely) is dangerous because:
- It improves visibility
- It is required in traffic
- It saves time
- You won't have room to stop if the car ahead brakes suddenly
Show answer
Answer: You won't have room to stop if the car ahead brakes suddenly
Following too closely leaves no room to react — the leading cause of rear-end crashes.
9. The color RED on a sign is used for:
- Construction
- Recreation
- Stop, yield, or prohibition
- Guidance
Show answer
Answer: Stop, yield, or prohibition
Red signals stop, yield, or a prohibited action.
10. What does this sign warn of?
- A rest area
- A dead end
- A crossroad ahead where another road crosses
- A hospital
Show answer
Answer: A crossroad ahead where another road crosses
A cross-road warning shows an intersecting road ahead — watch for entering traffic.
11. The safest response to a rear-tire blowout is to:
- Turn sharply
- Brake hard
- Hold the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, and slow gradually
- Accelerate
Show answer
Answer: Hold the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, and slow gradually
Keep control: firm grip, ease off the gas, and brake gently once stable.
12. If your car goes into deep water, you should try to escape:
- Through the trunk
- By waiting for help inside
- Through a window before the car sinks
- After it fills with water
Show answer
Answer: Through a window before the car sinks
Get out through a window quickly, before water pressure makes doors impossible to open.
13. Besides turning, you must also signal when you:
- Only on highways
- Change lanes or pull away from a curb
- Never otherwise
- Only at night
Show answer
Answer: Change lanes or pull away from a curb
Signal for lane changes, merging, and pulling away from a curb — anytime you change your path.
14. A school-zone sign is what color and shape?
- Orange diamond
- Red octagon
- Blue rectangle
- Fluorescent yellow-green pentagon
Show answer
Answer: Fluorescent yellow-green pentagon
School zones use a fluorescent yellow-green pentagon.
15. A diamond symbol painted in a lane means the lane is:
- A turn-only lane
- A bike lane
- Closed
- A high-occupancy vehicle (carpool) lane with an occupancy requirement
Show answer
Answer: A high-occupancy vehicle (carpool) lane with an occupancy requirement
The diamond marks an HOV lane; enter and exit only at designated points and meet the occupancy rule.
16. Alcohol reaches your brain and affects driving within:
- A day
- Never
- Minutes
- A week
Show answer
Answer: Minutes
Alcohol affects the brain within minutes of drinking.
17. When pulling out from a driveway, alley, or parking lot onto a road, you must:
- Sound your horn and enter
- Stop only if a sign is posted
- Proceed — road traffic must yield to you
- Yield to traffic and pedestrians already on the road/sidewalk
Show answer
Answer: Yield to traffic and pedestrians already on the road/sidewalk
A driver entering from a private drive or alley must yield to vehicles and pedestrians already there.
18. If another driver is aggressive or angry toward you, you should:
- Brake-check them
- Confront them
- Match their speed
- Stay calm, avoid eye contact, and give them room
Show answer
Answer: Stay calm, avoid eye contact, and give them room
Don't engage. Stay calm, let them pass, and get distance from an aggressive driver.
19. Looking well ahead while driving lets you:
- Go faster
- Relax
- Skip mirror checks
- Spot and plan for hazards early
Show answer
Answer: Spot and plan for hazards early
Scanning far ahead gives you time to react to developing hazards.
20. A pedestrian is in a crosswalk as you approach. You must:
- Yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian
- Proceed if you get there first
- Honk so they hurry
- Only stop if a signal tells you to
Show answer
Answer: Yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian
Drivers must always yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in a crosswalk.