What's the Passing Score on South Dakota's Permit Test?

South Dakota settles on the same 80% threshold used by its motorcycle and CDL knowledge tests, so the percentage itself isn't the twist — the twist is that 25 questions leaves less room per mistake than a longer exam would at the same percentage.

Missing 6 questions already fails a 25-question test at 80%, a tight margin worth remembering going in.

Aim to consistently clear 90% or better in practice rather than treating 80% 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.

South Dakota's Restricted Minor's Permit specifics — the exact curfew window, how the passenger rule changes after 6 months, and the difference between the 275-day and 180-day permit hold — 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.