What Happens If You Fail Your Colorado Permit Test?
Last updated 2026-08-01
You can retake it -- but not immediately, and not indefinitely
Failing Colorado's Driving Knowledge Test doesn't close an applicant's file on the spot. A failed in-person attempt at a driver license office can be retaken as soon as the next business day, and a retest fee applies each time. What it does mean is a short pause: Colorado's handbook itself notes that written tests aren't given within 30 minutes of an office's scheduled closing time, so timing a same-day retake around office hours is worth planning for.
There's a limit to how many times this can happen, though. An applicant generally has 90 days from their original application and up to three total attempts to pass the written test. Failing all three attempts, or letting more than 90 days pass without passing, closes out that application entirely -- at which point the applicant has to start the process over from the beginning rather than simply booking another retest.
The @HOME online option has its own retake fee structure
Applicants who test through the webcam-proctored @HOME platform face a slightly different cost picture on a retake than those testing in person. A first @HOME attempt runs about $6.50 in vendor and processing fees, with no separate state charge added on top. A second online attempt, though, adds an $11.50 state DMV fee to that same $6.50 -- meaning a retake costs noticeably more online than the first attempt did.
By contrast, the first two attempts are free of that vendor fee if taken in person at a state driver license office instead, which is worth weighing for anyone who fails an @HOME attempt and is deciding whether to retry online again or switch to an in-person retest for the second try.
What the test actually covers, so a retake targets the right material
Colorado's Driving Knowledge Test draws from the contents of the Driver Handbook itself, covering road signs, driving under the influence, driving rules, safety rules, and legal items. That's a genuinely broad span rather than a narrow focus on any one category, so a failed attempt is worth treating as a signal to review the handbook as a whole rather than guessing at which single topic tripped things up.
One scheduling detail worth knowing before planning a same-day retake: written tests aren't given within 30 minutes of an office's scheduled closing time. Someone who fails an attempt late in the day may not be able to retest again until the next business day even if they'd otherwise be eligible to try again immediately.
This guide covers the knowledge test -- the driving skills test is a separate, later step
Everything above is about the written Driving Knowledge Test that gates the instruction permit. The driving skills test -- the behind-the-wheel test required later for an actual license -- is a different process entirely, and currently can't be scheduled at a state driver license office at all. It's primarily administered by certified commercial driving schools, though some county-operated offices also offer it, so anyone thinking ahead to that stage should check with a driving school or their county's DMV office rather than expecting to book it the same way as the knowledge test.
That separation matters for planning purposes: failing the knowledge test only affects how soon a permit gets issued, not any driving-skills scheduling, since the skills test doesn't even become relevant until well after the permit stage described in this guide.
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More Colorado Guides
- How Long Is a Colorado Permit Valid?
- Understanding Colorado's Graduated Driver Licensing
- What to Bring to Your Colorado Permit Test Appointment
- Do You Need Driver's Education in Colorado?
Rules and requirements change — always confirm current details with Colorado DMV before your exam. Check the full guides index or the Colorado cheat sheet and FAQ, or take a free Colorado practice test.