North Dakota DMV Exam FAQ 2026
How do I get my first driver's license in North Dakota?
You apply through the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division. Teens begin by getting an instruction permit, which can be issued at age 14, then complete driver education, log the required supervised practice driving, and pass the knowledge and road tests to earn a Class D license. The general minimum age for a full, unrestricted license is 16, though a 15-year-old who passes the required tests can receive a restricted Class D license. Everyone must present proof of identity and date of birth, proof of a Social Security number, and two documents proving a physical North Dakota residence address.
What is the minimum age to get a learner's permit in North Dakota?
An instruction permit may be issued at age 14. Applicants who are 14 or 15 must hold the instruction permit for at least 12 months, or no less than six months, before completing the license process, and must complete a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving during that time. When driving on the permit, a validly licensed person at least 18 years old must be seated beside the permit holder, unless the vehicle has only a front seat. Operating outside the terms of an instruction permit is a two-point violation on your driving record.
What is the graduated licensing path for drivers under 18 in North Dakota?
The path starts with an instruction permit at age 14, held for at least 12 months (or no less than six months) while completing a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving. A 15-year-old who passes the required tests is issued a restricted Class D license: during a restricted-license session the driver may operate only a vehicle belonging to a parent, sibling, aunt, or uncle. The full, unrestricted Class D license is available at age 16. Driver education requires a minimum of 30 hours of classroom instruction plus a minimum of 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training through an approved program, and completing an approved course can waive the Class D road test.
How does an adult over 18 get a North Dakota license?
Adults follow the same core steps but without the graduated-licensing holding periods and supervised-hour requirements that apply to 14- and 15-year-olds. You must present proof of identity and date of birth, proof of your Social Security number, and two documents proving a physical North Dakota residence address, then pass the vision screening and the Class D knowledge test. You take the road test unless it is waived by completing an approved driver education course. North Dakota issues the Class D noncommercial license for passenger vehicle operators; commercial classes A, B, and C are separate.
What are the rules for driving on a North Dakota instruction permit?
While driving on an instruction permit, a supervising driver who is validly licensed and at least 18 years old must be seated beside the permit holder, unless the vehicle has only a front seat. Applicants who are 14 or 15 must hold the permit for at least 12 months, or no less than six months, and complete a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving, which is documented in the manual's supervised driving log. The supervising driver signs to certify that the practice was completed at the road-test appointment. Operating outside the terms of the permit adds two points to your driving record.
What documents do I need to bring to the North Dakota Driver License office?
North Dakota issues REAL ID compliant credentials, so you must present proof of identity and date of birth such as a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Permanent Resident Card, or an Employment Authorization Document — no photocopies and no hospital certificates. You also need proof of your Social Security number and two documents proving your physical North Dakota residence address, such as a current vehicle insurance policy, a homeowner's or renter's insurance policy, or a school transcript issued within six months; P.O. boxes are not accepted. Applicants under 18 need parent or guardian authorization, and the license or permit must be signed by the holder to be valid.
How many questions are on the North Dakota knowledge test and what score do I need to pass?
The Class D knowledge test has 25 multiple-choice questions, and the passing score is 80 percent, meaning you must answer at least 20 of 25 correctly. A maximum of five questions may be missed. You have a 60-minute time limit to complete the exam. Questions are drawn directly from the official NDDOT Noncommercial Driver License Manual and cover road signs, signals, pavement markings, traffic laws, communicating with other drivers, winter and survival driving, parking, distracted driving, driving responsibly, and absolute-sobriety laws and penalties.
Can I take the North Dakota written test online?
Yes. NDDOT's only official online at-home knowledge-testing platform is KnowTo Drive at nd.knowtodrive.com. Each online test attempt costs $10.00 and requires a webcam. Testing is also available in person at Driver License offices by appointment. Non-English-language testing and audio testing are available at the Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, Dickinson, and Williston sites. The exam has 25 multiple-choice questions with an 80 percent passing score and a 60-minute time limit.
In what languages is the North Dakota driver's manual and test available?
NDDOT publishes the Noncommercial Driver License Manual in English, in the 2025-2027 edition marked "Revised 2025," and in Spanish as the "Manual de Licencia de Conducir No Comercial," with a 2023-2025 edition and a 2025-2027 Spanish version noted as forthcoming. A YouTube audio version is also available. No Russian edition is published. For testing, non-English-language and audio options are offered in person at the Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, Dickinson, and Williston sites.
What happens during the North Dakota road test?
The vehicle you bring for the road test must have working headlights with high and low beams, working turn signals, a leak-free exhaust system, seat belts, valid registration, and valid liability insurance. Children, pets other than service or medical-alert animals, passengers, backpacks, and purses are not allowed in the vehicle during testing. The examiner evaluates your control of the vehicle and your ability to follow North Dakota traffic laws safely. Completing an approved driver education course can waive the Class D road test.
Is driver's education required to get a license in North Dakota?
Driver education through an approved program requires a minimum of 30 hours of classroom instruction plus a minimum of 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Completing an approved course can waive the Class D road test. For 14- and 15-year-old applicants, the graduated licensing path also requires a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving, documented in the manual's supervised driving log and certified by the supervising driver at the road-test appointment. These requirements help new drivers build experience before driving unsupervised.
How much does testing and licensing cost in North Dakota?
Each online knowledge test attempt on the KnowTo Drive platform costs $10.00 and requires a webcam. The standard license renewal fee is $15. Speeding in a construction or work zone carries an $80 minimum fee, and speeding elsewhere and other violations carry their own fines and points. Always confirm current fees with the NDDOT Driver License Division, since amounts can change.
How long is a North Dakota driver's license valid and how do I renew it?
A North Dakota driver license is valid for six years for drivers younger than 78, with shorter cycles for older drivers, and it expires at midnight on the licensee's birthday in the year printed on the card. The standard renewal fee is $15. You may renew up to 10 months before expiration and can renew without retesting up to one year past expiration. A vision test is required at renewal, or you may provide a vision certificate no more than six months old from an optometrist.
What is REAL ID and do I need one in North Dakota?
REAL ID is a federal standard that North Dakota driver licenses and ID cards can meet, which is why the required documents are so specific. To be REAL ID compliant you must present proof of identity and date of birth from an approved list, proof of your Social Security number, and two documents proving your physical North Dakota residence address — with no photocopies, no hospital certificates, and no P.O. boxes accepted. Approved identity documents include a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Permanent Resident Card, or an Employment Authorization Document.
What car insurance do I need in North Dakota?
North Dakota requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/25 — $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. Because North Dakota is a no-fault state, drivers must also carry minimum personal injury protection (basic no-fault) of $30,000 per person and uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Driving without liability insurance can result in license suspension, and a conviction for "No Liability Insurance" requires filing proof of liability insurance (an SR-22) with the division for one year.
How does the North Dakota point system work?
North Dakota uses a driver point system in which each violation adds points to your record, typically within 10 days of conviction. When a record reaches 12 or more points, you are notified of the intent to suspend and may request an administrative hearing. Suspension starts at 12 points for a 7-day suspension, and 13 or more points adds 7 more days for each point over 11. You lose one point for every three-month period with no points recorded, and you can subtract three points by completing an approved driver-improvement or defensive-driving course; that course reduction can be used once every 12 months and cannot be combined with electing a course in lieu of points.
What are the speed limits in North Dakota?
Unless otherwise posted, maximum speed limits are 80 mph on rural Interstate highways, 70 mph on paved divided multi-lane highways, and 65 mph on rural paved two-lane highways posted for that speed. The limit is 55 mph on gravel, dirt, or loose-surface roads and on paved two-lane county or township highways with no posted limit, 25 mph in business or residential districts, and 20 mph when approaching or passing certain hazards such as near schools. Speed limits are maximums for ideal conditions, so you must reduce speed for weather, traffic, or road conditions. Speeding in a construction or work zone carries an $80 minimum fee.
What are North Dakota's seat belt and child restraint laws?
North Dakota's seat belt law requires all occupants to wear seat belts in all seating positions. Children under eight years of age must be properly secured in a child restraint such as a car seat or booster, though a seat belt may be substituted for children who are at least 57 inches tall. Children ages eight through seventeen must be secured in a seat belt or child restraint. Children under age 13 should ride in the back seat, children should be at least 40 pounds before moving from a car seat to a booster, and you should never allow children in the cargo area of a pickup or buckle two children into one belt.
What are the BAC limits and DUI penalties in North Dakota?
The adult per-se BAC limit is 0.08 percent, and for drivers under 21 North Dakota enforces an absolute-sobriety, zero-tolerance standard with a limit of 0.02 percent; the federal limit for commercial drivers is 0.04 percent. Administrative license suspension for a first offense at 0.08 percent or more (or 0.02 percent under 21) is 91 days, rising to 180 days for a first offense at 0.18 percent or greater, 365 days for a second offense within seven years, and two years or more for further offenses. A first court conviction carries a $500 fine, a first conviction at 0.16 percent or more carries at least a $750 fine and two days imprisonment, and penalties escalate for repeat offenses within seven years.
What is North Dakota's implied consent law?
Under North Dakota's implied consent law, operating a vehicle in the state constitutes consent to chemical testing of your blood, breath, urine, or saliva. Refusing a chemical test or a roadside preliminary breath test results in license revocation of 180 days to three years. After an alcohol-related suspension, a temporary restricted license may be issued once you have served at least 30 days of the suspension, or 14 days with participation in the 24/7 Sobriety Program. Driving while suspended or revoked after an alcohol violation carries a four-day mandatory minimum jail sentence and up to a $1,000 fine, plus possible plate or registration impoundment.
