Pennsylvania PennDOT · Quick Reference 2026

Pennsylvania PennDOT Test Cheat Sheet

Every key number, rule, and fact from the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95) — on one page. Bookmark it or print it.

🏎️ Speed Limits

Maximum (Pennsylvania statewide)70 mph

Interstate (posted after each interchange)Posted

Other highway (posted ~½-mile intervals)Posted

School zone (flashing or posted time)15 mph 3 PTS

Open-bed pickup with any person in bedMax 35 mph

Slow-moving vehicle (orange triangle)25 mph or less

Work zone — active workersFines doubled

Can't move over for emergency responseSlow to 20 mph below posted

💡 Even within the posted limit, you can still be cited for "driving too fast for conditions" when weather or traffic makes the posted speed unsafe (PUB 95 p. 38).

🅿️ Parking Distances

From fire hydrant15 feet MEMORIZE

From crosswalk at intersection20 feet

From fire station driveway20 feet

From stop sign / yield / flashing signal / traffic control30 feet

From nearest rail at railroad crossing50 feet

From curb (parallel parking)12 inches max

Road Test parallel-park box24 ft × 8 ft

Always prohibitedSidewalk · crosswalk · intersection · bridge / tunnel · RR tracks · limited access highway · in front of a driveway · opposite street work · double parking on the roadway side · between divided-highway roadways

🍺 Alcohol & DUI Laws

BAC limit — drivers 21+0.08

BAC limit — under 210.02 Zero Tolerance

BAC limit — commercial (CDL)0.04

BAC limit — school bus drivers0.02

Refuse chemical test (1st)1-year suspension

Refuse chemical test (subsequent)18-month suspension

Refuse + DUI conviction combinedUp to 3-year suspension

Chemical test refusal fee (1st)$500

Chemical test refusal fee (2nd)$1,000

Chemical test refusal fee (3rd+)$2,000

Under-21 DUI 1st conviction1-year suspension

ARD program maximum suspensionUp to 90 days

⚠️ Implied Consent — by being licensed to drive in Pennsylvania you have already agreed to chemical testing. The 1-year refusal suspension stands even if you are found not guilty of DUI. Under-21, school bus (0.02+), CDL (0.04+), and any crash with injury/death/property damage automatically bump you into the High Rate tier regardless of BAC.

⚖️ DUI Penalties (Adults)

Offense	Fine	Jail	Suspension
General Impairment 1st (.08–.099)	$300	6 mo probation	None
General Impairment 2nd	$300–$2,500	5 days–6 mo	12 mo + 1-yr Interlock
General Impairment 3rd	$500–$5,000	10 days–2 yr	12 mo + 1-yr Interlock
High Rate 1st (.10–.159)	$500–$5,000	2 days–6 mo	12 mo + 1-yr Interlock
High Rate 2nd	$750–$5,000	30 days–6 mo	12 mo + 1-yr Interlock
High Rate 3rd	$1,500–$10,000	90 days–5 yr	18 mo + 1-yr Interlock
Highest Rate 1st (.16+, drugs, refusal)	$1,000–$5,000	3 days–6 mo	12 mo + 1-yr Interlock
Highest Rate 2nd	$1,500 min	90 days–5 yr	18 mo + 1-yr Interlock
Highest Rate 3rd	$2,500 min	1–5 years	18 mo + 1-yr Interlock
Under-21 DUI (any level)	$500–$5,000	2 days–6 mo	1 year full

📏 Key Distances & Rules

Turn signal when driving under 35 mph100 feet before

Turn signal at 35 mph or more300 feet before

Center turn lane signal3–4 seconds

Following distance (dry)4 seconds

Following distance (wet)5–6 seconds

Following a motorcycle / truck / bus4+ seconds

Following on snow / ice10× normal space

Stop at least — from school bus (red lights on)10 feet

Dim high beams — oncomingWithin 500 feet

Dim high beams — followingWithin 300 feet

Headlights required — visibilityLess than 1,000 feet ahead

Bicycle passing clearance4 feet (unique to PA)

Low-beam headlight reachAbout 250 feet

U-turn clearance required (all directions)500 feet

Stay behind emergency vehicle (after it passes)500 feet

Stopping distance at 55 mph (dry)More than 250 feet

Vehicle speed at 65 mph~100 feet per second

💡 The Pennsylvania 4-second rule is the one most drivers get wrong — the manual teaches 4 seconds on dry pavement (not the 2- or 3-second rule used in some states). Increase to 5–6 seconds on wet roads.

🔷 Sign Shapes

Shape	Meaning	Example
Octagon (8 sides)	STOP	Stop sign
Inverted triangle	YIELD	Yield sign
Diamond	WARNING	Curves, merges, hills
Pentagon (5 sides)	SCHOOL	School zone/crossing
Circle	RAILROAD	Advance RR warning
Pennant	NO PASSING	No passing zone (left side)
Vertical rectangle	REGULATORY	Speed limits, rules
Horizontal rectangle	GUIDE	Directions, distances
Crossbuck (X)	RR CROSSING	At the crossing itself

🎨 Sign Colors

Color	Meaning
🔴 Red	Stop, yield, do not enter, prohibition
⬜ White	Regulatory — rules and laws
🟡 Yellow	Warning — hazards ahead
🟢 Green	Guide — directions, distances
🔵 Blue	Services — gas, food, hospital
🟠 Orange	Construction / work zone
🟤 Brown	Parks, recreation, historic
💛 Yellow-Green	Pedestrian, school, bicycle

↗️ Right-of-Way Rules

→At a 4-way stop: first to arrive goes first. If tied, driver on the RIGHT goes first.
→At an uncontrolled intersection: yield to the vehicle on the RIGHT.
→Turning left: always yield to oncoming straight-through traffic.
→Entering from alley, driveway, or private road: stop and yield to ALL traffic.
→At a T-intersection (no signs): the vehicle on the terminating road yields.
→Pedestrians in a crosswalk: ALWAYS yield — marked or unmarked.
→Emergency vehicles with lights/sirens: pull to the RIGHT and stop.
→Entering a roundabout: yield to vehicles already circulating. If an emergency vehicle approaches while you are inside, exit first, then pull over.

🚌 School Bus Rules

→Stop at least 10 feet from a school bus with red lights flashing and stop arm extended — whether behind, approaching, or at an intersection where the bus is stopped.
→Wait until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and the children have reached a safe place before proceeding.
→Exception (only): you are on the opposite side of a divided highway — concrete/metal barriers, guide rails, or trees/rocks/streams/grass median. Reduce speed and continue with caution.
→Amber (yellow) lights flashing means the bus is preparing to stop — slow down.
→Penalty for violating: 60-day driver's license suspension + 5 points + fine.

🎓 Teen / GDL Laws

Minimum age for Learner Permit16 years

Permit valid1 year

Mandatory hold before Road Test6 months

Behind-the-wheel practice (under 18)65 hours total

Practice — nighttime10 hours minimum

Practice — bad weather5 hours minimum

Road Test attempts per permit3

Under-18 retake wait after failing Road Test7 days

Supervisor age (while on permit)21+ (or parent/guardian/spouse 18+)

Supervisor seatFront seat at all times

Junior Driver curfew11 p.m.–5 a.m.

Junior passengers — first 6 monthsMax 1 non-family under 18

Junior passengers — after 6 mo (clean)Max 3 non-family under 18

Full license age18 (auto) — or 17 w/ clean record + approved driver training

Junior — 6+ points OR 26+ mph overMandatory 90-day suspension

Max passengers on permitCannot exceed seat belts

🛡️ Child Restraint & Safety Belts

Under age 2Rear-facing car seat (until reaches seat max)

Under age 4 (all seats)Federally-approved child safety seat

Ages 4 to under 8Federally-approved booster with lap + shoulder belt

Ages 8 to under 18Seat belt (any seat)

Infant rear-facing + passenger airbagNever in front seat

Seat belt law (§4581)Drivers + front-seat passengers required; under-18 required in any seat; driver under 18 cannot exceed # of belts

🏦 Insurance & Financial Responsibility

Pennsylvania lawMust maintain auto liability insurance on registered vehicle at all times

Lapse of 31+ days3-month registration suspension + 3-month driving privilege suspension

RestorationProof of current insurance + required restoration fees

Proof at traffic stopsInsurance ID card or electronic proof required

📋 License Fees & Administration

Class C license & Learner Permit feesSee DL-180 back for current amounts

Knowledge Test separate feeNone — included in application

Road Test separate fee (PennDOT)None — third-party has market fee

Chemical test refusal restore (1st / 2nd / 3rd)$500 / $1,000 / $2,000

Address / name change noticeWithin 15 days (§1515)

New PA resident — transfer licenseWithin 60 days

Vehicle safety inspectionEvery 12 months

Organ donor1-877-DONOR-PA · add "ORGANDONOR" designation at www.dmv.pa.gov · Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund

🚗 Other Must-Know Rules

→Anti-Texting Law (3/8/2012): Primary summary offense — $50 fine. Texting, emailing, instant messaging, or browsing on an Interactive Wireless Communication Device (IWCD) is banned. GPS and factory-integrated devices are exempt.
→Headlight/Wiper Law (1/28/2007): Headlights required anytime wipers are in continuous or intermittent use due to weather. Daytime running lights are NOT enough — tail lights must also be on. Fine $25 + fees ≈ $100.
→Headlights required: sunset to sunrise · visibility less than 1,000 feet ahead · rain/snow/fog requiring wipers · work zones.
→Hill parking: downhill with or without curb → wheels to the RIGHT (toward the curb). Uphill with a curb → wheels to the LEFT (away from curb). Uphill/downhill without a curb → wheels to the RIGHT. Set parking brake, shift to P (auto) or Reverse/First (manual).
→U-turns: permitted only if they can be made without endangering other traffic; approaching drivers must be at least 500 feet away and see you clearly. Illegal on curves or near the crest of a hill.
→Skidding: do NOT use brakes. Steer in the direction the rear of the vehicle is sliding (rear skids right → wheel right). Be ready for a second skid in the opposite direction.
→Hydroplaning: can begin at 35 mph in just 1/10 inch of water. Ease off the gas, don't brake, keep steering gentle.
→Flooded roadway: 6 inches can lose control; 12 inches floats many cars; 2 feet moves most SUVs/pickups. "Turn Around, Don't Drown" — find another route. Passing flood barriers is illegal (2 points + up to $250/$500 fine).
→Move Over Law: move into a non-adjacent lane near emergency response areas or disabled vehicles. Can't move? Slow to 20 mph below posted. Failure = up to $500 (1st) / $1,000 (2nd) / $2,000 (3rd) + 2 points.
→Point System: PennDOT acts at 6+ points. 1st 6 points = written special point exam. 2nd 6 points = Departmental hearing. 3 points removed for every 12 consecutive months clean. 3 points for exceeding school-zone speed limit. Under-18 drivers with 6+ points or 26+ mph over = mandatory 90-day suspension.
→Snow/ice from vehicle striking another vehicle or pedestrian and causing death or serious bodily injury = fine $200 to $1,000 per offense (Act of 7/10/2006).

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