What is Passing Probability?
Passing Probability estimates your chances of passing the official knowledge test based on the activity in your account. The maximum probability is 100 percent, meaning we consider you fully prepared and ready to pass.
Where can I find it?
You can see the Passing Probability widget on your state page on the right:
You can also view the full breakdown on the Passing Probability page:
How does Passing Probability work?
To prepare for the official knowledge test, you should do all of the following for the type of test you’ll be taking:
Study the official operator’s manual for your state. If there are parts of the manual that you don’t understand, ask your state DMV for clarification.
Successfully pass all the practice tests for your state. Keep retaking any test you fail until you pass it.
Work on missed questions regularly until your Challenge Bank stays empty.
Study the Cheat Sheets.
Pass the Exam Simulator at least three times.
The Passing Probability algorithm performs calculations in real-time based on the activity in your account. Then it combines these with various heuristics to estimate your odds of passing. Passing Probability not only indicates that you have something left to do but also makes suggestions on just what you need to do to improve your odds.
Is there really no way I can fail if my Passing Probability is 100 percent?
If your Passing Probability is 100 percent, you’re as prepared for the official knowledge test as we can help you be! Of course, there are things that Passing Probability cannot account for, such as your emotional and physical state on the day of the knowledge test or the nature of the testing environment.
Remember that without constant practice, your newfound knowledge of driving may fade, and your test-taking skills may become rusty. Once your Passing Probability reaches 100 percent, take the official knowledge test as soon as possible. You’ll do great!
How to handle the DMV multiple-choice test
Remember that there shouldn't be any trick questions on the DMV test. The correct answer is likely to be only what the official manual or your driving instructor recommends, even if you can think of a more ingenious solution.
Remember how much time you can afford to spend on each question. For example, if you have 40 minutes to answer 20 questions, you can afford to spend an average of only two minutes per question. If you still haven't figured out the correct answer after that amount of time has elapsed, don't get hung up on the question. You can just take your best guess and move on to the next question.
For each question, read all the choices and look for the best answer. Don't rush to pick the first plausible choice you find. There may be more than one plausible choice, but the correct answer is the best answer.
Be alert for keywords that can invert the sense of the question, such as "NOT" or "EXCEPT." If you fail to spot those, you might interpret the question backwards.
Watch for "All of the Above" choices. If "All of the Above" is true, then all the other choices are also true! If you don't notice the "All of the Above" choice, you might rush to select one of the other choices even though "All of the Above" might be the best answer. (And similarly for "None of the Above.")
If you're not sure of the correct answer, use the process of elimination to eliminate choices that you know are wrong. Eliminate two wrong choices, and your chance of guessing correctly will rise from one in four to one in two.
If the last choice is "All of the above," and you can identify at least one other choice that is wrong, then you can instantly reject "All of the above" as well. (And similarly for "None of the above.")
If you still don't know the answer, don't get rattled or panicky. You don't have to get a perfect score to pass the test. Please take your best guess and move on to the next question.
If you do know the correct answer, select that answer. And then take a deep breath and double-check that you indeed selected that particular answer before you move on to the next question. (When a person is under pressure, he or she may accidentally select the wrong choice even though he or she knows which choice is right.)
Read each question twice. Your eyes and mind often work at different speeds. By reading the question quickly, you might pick the wrong answer and possibly find yourself waiting to retake the exam. Do yourself a favor: No matter how simple the questions seem, be sure to read each one at least twice.