Montana MVD Permit Test FAQ

You need 27 of 33 correct — roughly 82%. That means you can miss up to 6 questions and still pass.

Your licensing receipt is valid for one year and allows up to three attempts to pass all required tests. If you fail, you can return to a driver exam station and try again. If you do not pass within three attempts in that one-year window, you must re-apply and pay the licensing fee again (Montana Driver Manual, p. 8).

A Non-Commercial Learner Permit (NCLP) can be issued at 14½ if you are enrolled in a state-approved traffic education course, at 15 if you have completed driver education, or at 16 with no driver education. Anyone under 18 must have a parent, guardian, or responsible adult sign a consent form accepting financial responsibility before any licensing tests can begin (p. 2, 7).

Hold the NCLP for 6 consecutive months and log 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night). The First-Year Restricted License then has an 11:00 p.m.–5:00 a.m. curfew (limited exceptions for emergencies, work, school, church, or parent-authorized purposes), allows only 1 unrelated passenger under 18 in the first 6 months and up to 3 in the second 6 months, and requires every occupant to wear a seat belt. First violation: 20–60 hrs community service. Second violation: 6-month license suspension (p. 7, 8).

Montana’s Zero Tolerance per-se BAC limit for drivers under 21 is 0.02%. It is also illegal to buy or consume alcohol unless you are 21 or older. A teen with the first-year restricted license cannot have any alcohol/drug offense in the 6 months before advancing to a full license, and any conviction can extend the GDL restriction period (p. 72).

Montana legal BAC limits: 0.08% (drivers 21+), 0.02% (under 21 — Zero Tolerance), 0.04% (commercial drivers). A first DUI carries a $300–$1,000 fine plus court charges, 1–60 days in jail, and a 6-month license suspension. Refusing a chemical BAC test under Montana’s implied consent law can cost you your driver license, separate from any DUI conviction (p. 72).

Montana speed limits for cars and light trucks: two-lane highways 70 mph day / 65 mph night; interstate 75 or 80 mph as posted; urban interstates inside Billings, Great Falls, and Missoula 65 mph; school zones as low as 15 mph; roundabouts 15 mph or less. Always obey the posted sign — it is the maximum, and fines double in school zones and work zones (p. 28, 29, 38).

In Montana, do not park within: 15 ft of a fire hydrant, 20 ft of a crosswalk or sidewalk at an intersection, 30 ft of a traffic signal, stop sign, or yield sign, 50 ft of a railroad crossing, 20 ft of a fire station driveway on the same side (75 ft on the opposite side). Vehicles must be within 18 inches of the curb or shoulder, and parked vehicles on a roadway at night must display lights visible for 500 feet (p. 44, 45, 46).

First DUI: $300–$1,000 fine plus court charges, 1–60 days in jail, 6-month license suspension. Subsequent convictions and aggravated DUI carry significantly higher fines, longer mandatory jail time, and longer suspensions — and Montana law allows felony charges for repeat offenders or DUIs that cause serious bodily injury or death. To report a suspected drunk driver, call the toll-free Montana line at 1-800-525-5555 (p. 72).

Montana minimum liability coverage is 25/50/10: $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 per accident for two or more people, and $10,000 for property damage. You must carry proof of insurance in the vehicle and present it on demand. Montana’s Insurance Verification System (MTIVS) cross-checks coverage with insurance carriers (p. 47).

Right on red: Allowed in Montana after a complete stop, unless a sign or police officer prohibits it. Yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and traffic in the intersection. Left on red: Allowed in Montana only when turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a complete stop and yielding to all traffic and pedestrians (p. 30).

A standard Montana driver license is valid for 12 years (a REAL ID license is 8 years). You may renew up to 6 months before the expiration date. Eligible customers (U.S. citizens, ages 21–63, valid license, no recent suspension or revocation, prior renewal not online or by mail) can renew online at cars.dojmt.gov; otherwise renewal requires an in-person visit. You must notify the Driver Services Bureau of any change of address within 10 days (p. 9, 10).