What's the Passing Score on the Maryland Permit Test?
You need 22 of 25 questions correct — 88% — to pass Maryland's learner's permit knowledge exam. That's the highest passing score required by any state in the country, with only 3 questions to spare.
Why Maryland's threshold stands out
Most states set their passing score somewhere between 70% and 84%; Maryland's 88% leaves the smallest margin for error of any of them.
Missing just 4 of the 25 questions is enough to fail, so guessing your way through a handful of unfamiliar topics isn't a realistic strategy here the way it might be in a lower-threshold state.
Building in a real safety margin
Given the 88% bar, treat 95%+ as your practice target, not just 88% — a single bad day under time pressure can easily cost you the 3-question buffer you'd otherwise have.
Our practice tests break your score down by topic immediately after each set, so a weak spot doesn't stay hidden inside an otherwise decent overall percentage.
The parts of the test that pull scores down
Maryland's provisional-license restrictions (the 151-day passenger rule, the midnight-5 a.m. curfew, and its exceptions) are detailed and easy to mix up under pressure.
The zero-tolerance BAC threshold (0.02%, not the standard 0.08%) and its hard, non-interlock suspension are also frequently-missed specifics.
Read the explanation on every practice question, correct or not — it's what actually closes these gaps, not just re-answering until you get lucky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the passing score on Maryland's permit test?
22 of 25 questions correct — 88%, the highest passing score of any U.S. state.
How many questions can I get wrong and still pass?
At most 3 of the 25 questions, keeping you at 22 correct (88%).
Why is Maryland's passing score so much higher than other states?
It's set by the Maryland MVA and isn't federally mandated — Maryland simply chose a stricter standard than most states use.
Ready to put this into practice?
Start a free Maryland permit practice testLast reviewed: 2026-07-21