Texas DMV Cheat Sheet

A condensed study guide for the Texas DPS written knowledge test — test logistics, plus the Texas-specific rules most likely to differ from what you already know. This isn't a substitute for theofficial Texas driver's manual, or for practicing the real questions.

30Questions

70%To Pass

$16Fee

3Attempts

Test length varies: 30 questions on the standard Class C knowledge exam; you must score 70% or better to pass.
Fee: For a minor's learner license with driver education ($15 + $1 admin fee). An adult's original Class C license is $32 plus the $1 fee, valid 8 years.
Documents required:
- Proof of identity
- A Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form, if under 18
- Evidence of financial responsibility (insurance), or a statement that you don't own a vehicle requiring it
- Proof of a completed driver education course, if under 25
If you don't pass: Your application is held for 90 days after a failed knowledge or driving exam. After 90 days, or after 3 failed exams — whichever comes first — you must submit a new application and fee.
Online testing: Applications and testing must be done in person at a driver license office or authorized testing facility — Texas has no online knowledge-test alternative.

Texas-Specific Rules

Minor & Provisional Licensing

Learner license (GDL Phase One): minimum age 15.
A learner license must generally be held at least 6 months before a minor is eligible for a provisional license (Phase Two).
Provisional license (GDL Phase Two): issued to drivers ages 16 to 18.
Phase Two's passenger and nighttime restrictions last until the driver's 18th birthday — not a fixed one-year period.
During Phase Two, no more than one passenger under 21 who isn't a family member may generally ride along.
The supervising licensed driver for learner-license practice must be at least 21 years old.
A standard non-commercial license for an 18+ applicant is valid 8 years and costs $32.
Provisional applicants must complete the Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) program.
The Texas DPS written knowledge test requires 70% correct to pass.
Licenses issued to anyone under 21 are marked "UNDER 21."

DUI Laws & Penalties

Standard adult (21+) BAC threshold: 0.08%, charged as DWI.
Zero-tolerance threshold for drivers under 21: any detectable amount of alcohol, charged as DUI — a distinct offense from adult DWI.
Texas uses DWI for adults at or above the legal limit, and DUI specifically for the minors' zero-tolerance offense.
An open alcohol container in the passenger area is illegal regardless of who's drinking.
Reinstating a license suspended under Administrative License Revocation (ALR) requires a $125 fee.

Speed, Right-of-Way & Legal Rules

Urban district default speed: 30 mph.
Alley default speed: 15 mph.
Beach or adjacent county road (if declared by the county): 15 mph.
Numbered highway outside an urban district: 70 mph for passenger cars — including those towing a trailer, which share the same limit, not a separate lower cap.
Unnumbered highway outside an urban district: 60 mph.
School bus (passed commercial inspection) on a numbered highway: 60 mph.
School bus (not inspected, or on an unnumbered highway): 50 mph.
Some limited-access highways and toll roads post up to 85 mph, among the highest in the nation.
The "basic speed law": never drive faster than is safe for current conditions, regardless of the posted limit.
DPS issues driver licenses and learner permits; the separate TxDMV agency handles vehicle registration and titling.
A crash causing injury, death, or at least $1,000 in property damage must be reported in writing to TxDOT within 10 days.

Parking Rules & Technique

No parking within 30 feet of the approach to a stop sign, yield sign, or flashing signal.
No parking within 30 feet of a curb opposite the end of a safety zone.
Parallel parking: stay within about 18 inches of the curb.

Emergency Vehicles, School Buses & Work Zones

Move Over/Slow Down law: slow to 20 mph below the posted limit, or change out of the lane closest to a stopped emergency, tow, utility, or TxDOT vehicle.
The Move Over law covers EMS, police, fire, tow, utility, and TxDOT vehicles with activated lights.
Stop for a school bus with alternately flashing red lights from either direction, unless separated by a physical median.
You may proceed only once the bus resumes motion, its driver signals you on, or the red lights stop flashing.
Exception: no stop required if the bus is in a loading zone on a controlled-access highway where pedestrians can't cross.
First conviction for failing to yield to a stopped school bus: $500 to $1,250 fine.
Second or later conviction within 5 years: $1,000-$2,000 fine, plus possible license suspension up to six months.

Defensive Driving

The driver and all passengers, regardless of age, must wear a seatbelt in any seat equipped with one.
A child must be in a child safety seat until age 8, or 4'9" tall, whichever comes first.
First seatbelt violation fine: $25 to $50.
A seatbelt citation can be issued to any passenger at least 15 years old.
Texting while driving is banned statewide for all drivers.
Drivers under 18 are banned from any wireless device, including hands-free, at all times — not just a post-licensing probationary period.
Handheld phone use is banned for all drivers inside an active school crossing zone.

Weather & Road Surface Conditions

If your vehicle stalls in floodwater, get out quickly and move to higher ground.
The handbook's flood guidance: "Turn Around Don't Drown" — never drive into water covering the road.
Nearly half of all flash-flood fatalities nationally are vehicle-related.

Universal Driving Rules

These apply everywhere, not just Texas — a general refresher, secondary to the Texas-specific rules above.

Traffic Signs & Signals

A single broken white or yellow line means you may pass or change lanes when it's safe and won't interfere with traffic.
A red-and-white triangular YIELD sign means slow down and be ready to stop for traffic and pedestrians already in or approaching the intersection.
The standard hand signal for stopping is your left arm and hand extended straight down.
White arrows painted in a lane show which direction that lane must go — for example, straight-only or right-turn-only.

Road Hazards & Construction

A drawbridge is a mechanical bridge that raises or turns to let boat traffic pass, then lowers again for vehicles.
Orange signs and cones on the road mean a work zone is ahead — slow down and be ready for workers, equipment, or a lane shift.

Defensive Driving

Mirrors alone can't cover your blind spots — turn your head and glance over your shoulder before changing lanes.
If a crash is unavoidable, steer toward something that will give way (like bushes) rather than a rigid object like a tree or pole.
Look 10-15 seconds ahead of your vehicle so you can react smoothly instead of making sudden last-second moves.
Large trucks have bigger blind spots than passenger vehicles — give them extra space.

Intersections and Turns

It's illegal to enter an intersection, even on green, unless there's enough space on the other side to get all the way through.
Signal continuously for at least 100 feet before making a turn.
Entering traffic from a stop, you need a gap large enough to accelerate up to the speed of traffic before merging in.
Waiting in an intersection to turn left, keep your wheels straight until you actually turn — angled wheels can push you into oncoming traffic if hit from behind.

Passing

On most two-lane roads, passing means briefly using the oncoming lane — only when you can see it's clear far enough ahead.
When passing a bicyclist, move as far left within your lane (or into the next lane, if legal) as you safely can.
Don't assume a driver you're passing will slow down for you — wait until you can see their whole vehicle in your mirror before pulling back in.
You may pass on the right if the vehicle ahead is waiting to turn left.

Highway & Freeway Driving

Merge onto a freeway at or near the same speed as the traffic already on it, not slower.
The four-second rule: pick a fixed point the car ahead passes, and count at least four seconds before you reach the same point.
If you miss your exit, continue to the next one — never back up or cut across the median.
A U-turn in a residential district is legal if you can complete it safely, with no vehicles approaching close enough to be a hazard.

Pedestrians, Bicyclists & Children

A white cane or guide dog means the pedestrian is blind or low-vision — slow down and be ready to stop, since they may not see you.
Where there's no sidewalk, pedestrians should walk facing traffic, as far to the edge of the road as possible.
Approach bicyclists, in-line skaters, and non-motorized scooters with extreme caution — give them room and slow down as you pass.

Vehicle Emergencies & Highway Maneuvers

If an entrance lane is too short to reach highway speed, stop and wait for a large gap in traffic rather than merging too slow.
If a tire blows out, hold the steering wheel firmly and ease off the gas — don't brake hard.
Use an acceleration lane to reach highway speed before blending with traffic, unless a stop/yield sign or signal says otherwise.

Fog, Glare & Night Driving

To reduce glare from oncoming high beams at night, shift your eyes toward the right edge of your lane instead of looking at the lights.
In fog, use low beam headlights — high beams reflect off the fog and reduce visibility further.

Weather & Road Surface Conditions

If your car starts to skid, steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go.
Driving slower reduces hydroplaning risk by giving your tires more chance to channel water away.
Roads are most slippery in the first 10-15 minutes of a rainstorm, before rain washes oil and grime off the pavement.

Trucks, Motorcycles & Slow-Moving Vehicles

The extra space in front of a large truck is there because trucks need much more distance to stop — don't cut into that gap.
If you see an animal on or near the road, slow down and be ready to yield rather than swerving suddenly.
Leave at least 4 seconds of following distance behind a motorcycle — more than the usual car-following gap.
An orange-and-red triangular emblem on the back of a vehicle marks a slow-moving vehicle, like farm equipment.

Vehicle Handling & Road Conditions

Reduce your speed before and during a turn — taking a turn too fast makes the vehicle harder to control.
On slick roads, take turns more slowly than you would on dry pavement.
Signal early — well before you actually change lanes or pass — so other drivers have time to react.
Turn your headlights on in poor visibility, and as routine about a half hour after sunset and before sunrise.

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Your BAC doesn't depend on what kind of alcohol you drink, your body type, or how well you can "hold your liquor."
Combining drugs — including many over-the-counter or prescription medications — with alcohol multiplies impairment and crash risk.
As alcohol builds up in your bloodstream, it slows your reaction time, judgment, and coordination.
Chemical tests (blood, breath, urine, or saliva) are used to measure blood alcohol content.