Idaho Driving Test Pass Rates: 1 in 3 Fail the Written Test, 9 in 10 Pass the Road Test (Official State Data)

Idaho keeps records for two separate driver tests: the written knowledge test taken for a permit or license, and the road (skills) test taken behind the wheel.

The official numbers for those two tests look very different. Almost every road-test attempt ends in a pass. The written test fails about one in three attempts, and it has done so every year since 2019.

Data source: Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Class D knowledge and skills test records. Figures cover 2019 to 2025 and count test attempts, not individual people. Idaho’s failure records before 2019 are not consistent with later years, so they are left out of the year-by-year comparison.

Idaho Pass Rates: What the Official Data Shows

Idaho’s two tests produce two very different sets of numbers. Here is each one, year by year.

What is the pass rate for the Idaho written (permit) test?

From 2019 to 2025, 65.7% of Idaho written-test attempts passed and 34.3% failed. In plain terms, about one in three attempts ended in a failure. The rate has been steady, sitting between 32.3% and 35.6% in every one of those seven years.

What is the pass rate for the Idaho road (skills) test?

Across the same years, 94.8% of road-test attempts passed and 5.2% failed, or roughly one in twenty. The pass rate has held in the mid-90s every year. The share of attempts that ended in a failure was lower in 2019 to 2021 (about 4% to 4.5%) and higher in 2022 to 2025 (about 5.5% to 6.3%).

What the Idaho Written Test Involves

The numbers above show the outcomes. Here is how the written test itself is set up, according to the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Driver’s Manual.

The written knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions, and a test-taker must answer at least 34 correctly to pass. That is an 85% passing score. Most states set the bar at 80%, so Idaho’s is one of the highest in the country, and only six questions can be missed. Idaho uses computer adaptive testing, so once a candidate reaches 34 correct, the test ends, and they pass.

Every question is drawn from the Idaho Driver’s Manual and covers road signs, right-of-way, speed limits, safe driving, and the state’s graduated licensing rules. A test-taker who does not pass waits three days before taking it again.

More Than 9 in 10 Pass the Road Test, and Failures Have Risen Since 2021

Almost every road-test attempt in Idaho ends in a pass. The number that did not pass has grown over time. Road-test failures rose from about 1,500 in 2019 to about 2,200 in 2025, an increase of roughly 47%, with the highest count of nearly 2,400 recorded in 2023. Over the same period, the share of attempts ending in a failure moved up from around 4% to around 5.5%. The data records the change but does not give a reason for it.

What Idaho Examiners Check on the Road Test

On the road test, you can make up to 15 minor errors and still pass. A single major error, such as a collision or a serious traffic violation, is an automatic fail, which matches the small “auto fail” category recorded in the state data. Examiners watch maneuvers that include intersections, lane changes with proper head checks, parking and backing, controlled stops, and driving across different settings from residential streets to higher-speed roads.

Teens vs Adults: How the Fail Rates Differ

Because the Idaho data separates under-18 test-takers from those 18 and older, we can see where each group’s numbers land. The pattern flips between the two tests.

On the written test, from 2019 to 2025, 38.0% of under-18 attempts failed, against 33.0% for adults. On the road test, the order reverses: 4.6% of under-18 attempts failed, against 6.3% for adults.

What Is the Best App to Prepare for the Idaho Driving Test?

Zutobi condenses the full Idaho Driver’s Manual into short sections and pairs each topic with Idaho-specific practice questions that mirror the real written exam. Every practice question comes with an explanation, so you learn the reasoning behind the answer, and it uses videos and a game-style format to keep study sessions moving.

There is a free Idaho permit practice test to start with, plus a complete Idaho course.

For the road test, Zutobi includes a Parent-Teen Training Guide created by a certified driving instructor, along with expert-led videos and practice simulations that walk through the maneuvers examiners check. Together, they cover both tests Idaho drivers have to pass.

FAQ: Idaho Driving and Permit Tests

What is the pass rate for the Idaho written (permit) test?

Across 2019 to 2025, about 65.7% of Idaho written-test attempts passed and 34.3% failed, so roughly one in three ended in a fail. In 2025 the fail rate was 34.9%. The figures come from Idaho Transportation Department records and count attempts, not individual people.

What is the pass rate for the Idaho road (skills) test?

About 94.8% of road-test attempts passed from 2019 to 2025, or more than 9 in 10. In 2025 the pass rate was 94.5%.

How many questions are on the Idaho permit test, and what score do I need?

The Idaho written knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions. You must answer at least 34 correctly, an 85% passing score, and you can miss only six. That is one of the highest passing scores in the country. If you do not pass, you wait three days before taking it again.

Do teenagers or adults fail more often in Idaho?

It depends on the test. On the written test, from 2019 to 2025, 38.0% of under-18 attempts failed against 33.0% for adults. On the road test, adults failed more often at 6.3%, against 4.6% for under-18s. The data shows the gap but not the cause.

What happens if I fail an Idaho driving test?

You can retake it after a three-day wait, and a retest fee applies. Use the time to study the manual and practice.

What is the best app to prepare for the Idaho driving test?

Zutobi is built for both Idaho tests. It condenses the Idaho Driver’s Manual into short sections and pairs it with Idaho-specific practice questions that mirror the real written exam, each with an explanation. For the road test, it adds a parent-teen training guide built by a certified instructor and expert-led maneuver videos. There is a free Idaho practice test to start with.