What's the Passing Score on Montana's Permit Test?
27 of 33 questions correct — 82% — passes Montana's permit test.
A slightly higher bar than most
Montana's 82% threshold sits a notch above the 80% figure many other states use, which leaves a touch less room for mistakes across the 33-question test.
Missing 7 questions already fails the test at that threshold, so treat every topic area as worth real preparation rather than skimming the ones you feel confident about.
A cushion worth building before test day
Aim to consistently clear 90% or better in practice rather than treating 82% as a target to just barely reach, since real testing conditions tend to shave a few points off whatever you're hitting in relaxed home practice.
Checking your results broken down by topic, not just as one overall percentage, catches a specific weak spot an aggregate score would otherwise hide until it costs you on the real attempt.
Where first-time test takers tend to lose points
Montana's First-Year Restricted License specifics — the curfew hours, and how the passenger limit changes after the first 6 months — are an easy place to blur details together under pressure.
Reviewing the explanation after every practice question, not just the right answer, is the fastest way to close these gaps before test day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions can I miss on Montana's permit test?
Up to 6 and still pass with 27 correct (82%); a 7th miss fails the 33-question test.
Is 82% a hard passing score to reach?
It requires solid preparation across all topic areas rather than just the ones you already feel confident about. Use a practice test's topic breakdown to find and fix weak spots before test day.
Does the passing score differ for the motorcycle or CDL test?
Yes — Montana uses 80% for both the motorcycle and CDL knowledge tests, slightly lower than the 82% used for the permit test.
Ready to put this into practice?
Start a free Montana permit practice testLast reviewed: 2026-07-24