US driving theory test practice

Georgia DMV Cheat Sheet

A condensed study guide for the Georgia DDS written knowledge test — test logistics, plus the Georgia-specific rules most likely to differ from what you already know. This isn't a substitute for the official Georgia driver's manual, or for practicing the real questions. Looking for the core rules and signs that apply everywhere, not just Georgia? Check the general driving theory cheat sheet instead.

40Questions
75%To Pass
$10.00Fee

Georgia-Specific Rules

Minor & Provisional Licensing

  • Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Section 40-5-1) requires a new resident to obtain a Georgia driver's license or permit within 30 days of becoming a resident.
  • A Class C Instructional Permit (CP) may be issued at age 15 and is valid for up to 2 years.
  • The knowledge test fee for a Class C Instructional Permit is $10.00, paid before every testing attempt, and is non-refundable if any part of the test is failed.
  • A Class D Provisional License may be obtained at age 16, after holding a Class C Instructional Permit for one year and one day.
  • A Class D Provisional License holder may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. -- no exceptions.
  • During the first six months after issuance, a Class D Provisional License holder may only carry immediate family members as passengers.
  • After both six-month restriction periods have passed, a Class D license holder may carry up to three passengers under 21 who are not immediate family members.
  • An approved driver education course for a Class D license at 16 or 17 requires 30 hours of classroom (or equivalent online) instruction plus 6 hours of on-road instruction, and a cumulative total of at least 40 hours of supervised driving including 6 hours at night.
  • Georgia's knowledge exam consists of two separate 20-question tests -- Road Signs and Road Rules -- and an applicant must correctly answer 15 out of 20 questions to pass each one.
  • A Class C/D road test requires a minimum score of 75% to pass.
  • The minimum acceptable vision for a non-commercial license is 20/60 in one eye, with or without corrective lenses, and a horizontal field of vision of at least 140 degrees.
  • A Class D license holder may exchange it for a full Class C license at age 18 for a fee of $32, which covers an 8-year license.

DUI Laws & Penalties

  • A person 21 or older is considered under the influence of alcohol when 0.08 grams or more by weight of alcohol is present in the blood.
  • For a driver under 21, a first DUI conviction with a BAC of 0.08 or greater (or a refused/suppressed test) results in a minimum 12-month license suspension with no limited driving permit available.
  • For a driver under 21, a second DUI conviction results in an 18-month license suspension, with ignition interlock permit eligibility after 120 days.
  • Refusing implied consent chemical testing results in a minimum one-year suspension of Georgia driving privileges, and the refusal may be used as evidence at trial.
  • A driver is declared a Habitual Violator upon a third conviction, within 5 years, of certain serious offenses such as DUI, hit and run, or racing -- resulting in revocation, with a probationary license possible only after serving 2 years of the revocation.
  • A Georgia license will be suspended for any person who accumulates 15 or more points on their driving record within a 24-month period.
  • A licensed Georgia resident may reduce points on their driving record by up to 7 points, once every 5 years, by completing a certified 6-hour driver improvement (defensive driving) course.

Speed, Right-of-Way & Legal Rules

  • Unless otherwise posted, Georgia's default maximum speed limit is 70 mph on a rural interstate.
  • Unless otherwise posted, Georgia's default maximum speed limit is 65 mph on an urban interstate or multi-lane divided highway.
  • Georgia's 'Super Speeder' law assesses a $200 state fee on any driver convicted of driving 75 mph or more on a two-lane road, or 85 mph or more on any road.
  • Passing is prohibited within 100 feet of a railroad crossing, and within 100 feet of a bridge, viaduct, or tunnel.
  • When passing on a two-lane road, a driver must have sufficient time and space to complete the pass and return to the right lane before oncoming traffic comes within 200 feet.
  • When passing a bicyclist, Georgia law requires at least 3 feet of clearance between the vehicle and the bicycle at all times.
  • Drivers who impede the normal flow of traffic by continuing in the passing lane while being overtaken can face fines up to $1,000 and/or 3 points on their driving record.
  • Unless a posted sign prohibits it, a right turn on red is permitted in Georgia after a complete stop and yielding to all traffic and pedestrians.
  • A motorcyclist legally occupies the full width of a lane, and a driver passing a motorcyclist must use an adjacent lane rather than sharing the same lane.
  • It is unlawful in Georgia to increase your speed before you have been passed completely by an overtaking vehicle.

Emergency Vehicles, School Buses & Work Zones

  • Unlawfully passing a stopped school bus can result in a fine of up to $1,000, up to 6 points on the driving record, and a mandatory court appearance.
  • A driver must not follow within 200 feet of a fire apparatus responding to an alarm, and must not park within 500 feet of a stopped fire apparatus responding to a fire alarm.
  • Disobeying a regulatory speed limit in a highway work zone is a high-and-aggravated misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100 to $2,000, up to 12 months imprisonment, or both.
  • Georgia's Move Over Law requires drivers to move over a lane for stopped emergency, sanitation, or utility vehicles if safely possible, or slow below the speed limit; violations can bring a fine of up to $500 for a first offense.
  • Mobile work vehicles performing tasks like paint striping or debris removal often move as slowly as 5 mph and display flashing amber lights; drivers must slow down and yield the right-of-way to them.

Parking Rules & Technique

  • Georgia law permits a vehicle to stop only momentarily, to pick up or drop off passengers, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant -- parking there otherwise is not allowed.
  • The straight-line backing portion of Georgia's road test requires backing the car about 50 feet at a slow speed of no more than 10 mph, turning your head to look behind the vehicle.
  • Backing up is prohibited on Georgia's controlled-access roadways, such as interstates and other limited-access highways.
  • Bike lanes and other bicycle infrastructure in Georgia are for the use of bicycles only -- motorists are prohibited from driving or parking in a bike lane.

Defensive Driving

  • A fully loaded tractor-trailer traveling 55 mph needs about 3 times the distance a passenger car needs to come to a stop.
  • Headlights must be used between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise, and must be dimmed when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 200 feet of a vehicle being followed.
  • Georgia's Hands Free Law (HB 673), in effect since July 1, 2018, prohibits holding or supporting a phone; a first conviction carries 1 point and a fine of up to $50.
  • Georgia has a primary safety belt law requiring every front-seat occupant, and every occupant under 18 regardless of seating position, to wear a seat belt -- officers may stop and cite violators without observing another violation.
  • Every driver transporting a child under eight years of age must properly restrain the child in a child passenger restraining system appropriate for the child's height and weight.
  • On a multi-lane road, a driver stopping for a pedestrian at a crosswalk should stop at least 10 feet before the crosswalk so a driver in the next lane can also see the pedestrian.
Want the core rules and road signs that apply everywhere, not just Georgia?General cheat sheet →

Rules and fees change — always confirm current details with Georgia DDS before your exam. Cheat sheet v1.0, last checked 2026-07-27.