π What to Bring
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Proof of identity and date of birth
A document such as a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or permanent resident card
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Proof of Colorado residence address
A document showing your current Colorado residence address
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Social Security Number
Provide your SSN, or proof you are not eligible for one
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Affidavit of Liability (under 18)
Minors need form DR 2460 signed by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult who accepts liability
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Glasses or contact lenses
Bring them if you need them β a basic vision exam (20/40 standard) is given at the office
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Permit and testing fees
The online test costs $6.50 per attempt; the state DMV permit fee of $11.50 can be paid in office or online
π How to Schedule
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Study the handbook and practice
Read the Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337) and take the practice quiz on the DMV's Driver Education page. The test covers road signs, driving rules, safety rules, and legal items.
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Take the knowledge test
Take it online anytime with @Home Driving Knowledge Tests (a computer with a front-facing camera; 60 minutes, up to twice per day, in English or Spanish), or in a State driver license office, or at an approved driving school.
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Make a DMV appointment for your permit
After passing, schedule an appointment at a State driver license office to be issued your instruction permit. Bring your documents; a vision exam is done on-site.
π‘ Test Day Tips
- β’The Colorado driving knowledge test has 25 questions; you must answer 20 correctly (80%) to pass.
- β’You may apply for an instruction permit at age 15. Minors must hold the permit for 12 months and log 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night) before getting a license at 16.
- β’When driving with an instruction permit, a person 21 or older with a valid Colorado license must be in the front passenger seat.
- β’Graduated licensing: for the first 6 months with a license, drivers under 18 may not carry passengers under 21, and for the first year may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. (with limited exceptions).
- β’Signal continuously for 100 feet before turning or changing lanes in urban areas, and for 200 feet on 4-lane highways. When passing a bicyclist, leave at least 3 feet of clearance.
π Driver Handbook
All practice questions are based on the chapters below. Click any chapter to read it on the official DMV website.
Getting a Driver License
Minor Drivers
How You Can Lose Your License
Seat Belt Laws
Driving Under the Influence
Before You Drive
Basic Driving
Traffic Controls
Traffic Signals
Traffic Signs
Pavement Markings
Lane Controls
Right-of-Way
Speed
Turning
Parking
Freeway Driving
Changing Lanes
Passing
Hills and Curves
Night Driving
Weather
Snow and Ice
Seasonal Driving
Mountain Driving
Rural Driving
Construction Zones
Safe Driving Tips
Sharing the Road
Railroad Crossing
Light Rail
Bicyclists
Motorcycles
Pedestrians
Careless/Reckless Driving
Tips to Avoid Becoming an Aggressive Driver
Emergencies
Vehicle Emergencies
Crash Tips
π― Practice by Topic
Getting a Driver License
Covers who must hold a Colorado driver license, residency rules, the written knowledge test, instruction permit requirements, and how the drive test is conducted and scored.
Minor Drivers
Explains Colorado's graduated licensing rules for drivers under 18, including the Affidavit of Liability, the 12-month permit period, the 50-hour driving log, and passenger and curfew restrictions.
How You Can Lose Your License
Lists the actions that can cost you your Colorado driving privilege, such as accumulating points, impaired driving, refusing chemical tests, leaving a crash scene, or driving without proof of insurance.
Seat Belt Laws
Covers Colorado's seat belt requirements and exemptions, plus the child restraint rules that specify rear-facing seats, forward-facing seats, and booster seats by age and weight.
Driving Under the Influence
Explains Colorado's DUI and DWAI offenses, BAC limits and penalties, marijuana and drug impairment, the Express Consent Law, and ignition interlock requirements after a test refusal.
Before You Drive
Covers driver readiness before a trip β vision, the earphone ban, fatigue, emotions and distractions β plus vehicle checks of brakes, lights, tires, exhaust, windshield, mirrors and head rests.
Basic Driving
Teaches the fundamentals of operating a vehicle β starting, moving and stopping, proper steering hand positions, and safe backing techniques including shoulder checks and rear-view cameras.
Traffic Controls
Introduces the three types of traffic controls β signals, signs and pavement markings β and the duty to obey directions from law enforcement, highway personnel and school crossing guards.
Traffic Signals
Explains the meaning of steady and flashing red, yellow and green lights and arrows, turns on red, malfunctioning signals treated as four-way stops, and HAWK pedestrian crossing signals.
Traffic Signs
Covers how sign shapes and colors convey meaning β regulatory, warning, work zone, guide, service and route signs β plus railroad ENS signs, bicycle-related signs and disabled parking penalties in Colorado.
Pavement Markings
Explains yellow and white line markings and when passing or lane changes are allowed, plus green bike lane paint, sharrows, marked and unmarked crosswalks, and conflict zones.
Lane Controls
Covers special-use lanes in Colorado β bike, transit, HOV and reversible lanes β plus two-way left-turn lanes, roundabout rules including yielding to large vehicles, and diverging diamond interchanges.
Right-of-Way
Explains who must yield in Colorado β to pedestrians and bicyclists, at four-way stops and uncontrolled intersections, when turning left or merging, and to emergency vehicles, snow plows, school buses and transit buses.
Speed
Covers Colorado's statutory speed limits β from 20 mph on winding mountain roads to 65-75 mph on rural interstates β plus minimum speeds and the factors that determine stopping distance.
Turning
Explains signaling requirements (100 feet urban, 200 feet on fast four-lane highways), proper lane positioning for left and right turns, U-turn restrictions, and two- and three-point turnabouts.
Parking
Covers where parking is prohibited in Colorado β crosswalks, hydrants, signals, bike lanes and more β plus parallel parking procedure and which way to turn your wheels when parking on hills.
Freeway Driving
Explains entering the freeway via acceleration ramps and metered ramps, lane discipline and the passing lane, signaling 200 feet before lane changes, and exiting through deceleration lanes.
Changing Lanes
Covers what counts as a lane change, blind spot awareness, and the procedure of signaling at least 3 seconds or 200 feet, checking mirrors and looking over your shoulder before moving over.
Passing
Explains when and where passing is legal in Colorado, the minimum three feet of clearance when passing bicyclists, and the no-passing situations near curves, hills, intersections and school buses.
Hills and Curves
Covers driving where hills and curves hide obstructions β slowing before curves, being ready to stop, and not accelerating until reaching the middle of a curve.
Night Driving
Explains Colorado's headlight requirements from sunset to sunrise or under 1,000 feet of visibility, dimming high beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and 200 feet when following, and handling glare at night.
Weather
Covers driving in rain, fog, wind and dust β slowing down and increasing following distance, avoiding cruise control on wet roads, never driving through flooded roadways, and recovering from hydroplaning.
Snow and Ice
Explains the hazards of snow- and ice-covered Colorado roads, icy bridges and shaded areas, how to regain traction in a skid, and the law against passing working snow plows in tandem formation.
Seasonal Driving
Covers winter driving techniques in Colorado β the limits of 4-wheel drive, chains and snow tires, ABS versus threshold braking in a skid, extra following distance, and keeping windows clear.
Mountain Driving
Explains mountain driving in Colorado β using lower gears to control speed downhill, never passing on crests or blind curves, and that uphill vehicles have the right-of-way over downhill traffic.
Rural Driving
Covers why rural highways are the most dangerous roads β blind curves, hidden intersections, animals, farm vehicles, gravel washboarding β and giving bicyclists extra passing space on rural roads.
Construction Zones
Explains work zone driving β staying alert, obeying reduced speed limits and flagger instructions, doubled fines in Colorado work zones, and avoiding the rear-end collisions that cause most work zone crashes.
Safe Driving Tips
Covers defensive driving habits in Colorado β the hands-free mobile device law, scanning 10 seconds ahead, the three-second following rule, the zipper merge, and how to behave during a traffic stop.
Sharing the Road
Explains sharing the road with trucks and buses β their No Zone blind spots, longer stopping distances, wide right turns, runaway truck ramps β and Colorado's school bus stop rules including the 20-foot rule.
Railroad Crossing
Covers railroad crossing safety in Colorado β never stopping on the tracks, blue ENS emergency signs, judging train speed, the one-mile freight train stopping distance, crossbucks, gates and quiet zones.
Light Rail
Explains sharing Denver-area streets with RTD light rail vehicles β 40-ton cars that cannot stop quickly, never turning in front of an LRV, obeying crossing gates, and staying clear of overhead wires.
Bicyclists
Covers bicyclists' rights as vehicles on Colorado roads, the three-foot passing law, bike lane rules, the 2022 safety stop law, the Dutch Reach door-opening technique, and bicyclist hand signals.
Motorcycles
Explains motorcyclists' right to a full lane, Colorado's lane filtering law limited to 15 mph past stopped traffic, and the common collisions β especially left turns in front of an oncoming rider β and how to prevent them.
Pedestrians
Covers pedestrians as the most vulnerable road users in Colorado β their right-of-way at all intersections and crosswalks, never passing vehicles stopped at a crosswalk, and extra caution near schools, parks and bus stops.
Careless/Reckless Driving
Explains distracted driving and Colorado's mobile device restrictions, the difference between aggressive (willful) and reckless driving, the up-to-eight-point penalty, and reporting aggressive drivers via *CSP.
Tips to Avoid Becoming an Aggressive Driver
Offers tips for staying calm behind the wheel β leaving early, expecting others to make mistakes, not transferring anger into your driving, and letting other drivers merge.
Emergencies
Covers the three crash-avoidance options β stopping, turning or speeding up β quick-stop technique with and without ABS, and handling animal encounters, since about 90% of deer and elk crashes occur between dusk and dawn.
Vehicle Emergencies
Explains how to respond to vehicle failures on the road β brake failure, tire blowouts, engine power loss, headlight failure, and a jammed gas pedal.
Crash Tips
Covers a Colorado driver's duties after a crash β stopping, rendering aid, exchanging information and showing proof of insurance β plus Accident Alert Status, the Move It and Move Over laws, and Good Samaritan protections.
π Official Resources
Colorado DMV β
Official Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles website
Driver Handbook (PDF, DR 2337) β
The complete official Colorado Driver Handbook
@Home Driving Knowledge Tests β
Take the driving knowledge test online, anytime
DMV Appointment Scheduling β
Schedule your driver license office appointment