Pass mark
What is the pass mark for the NSW driver knowledge test?
Quick answer
What is the pass mark for the NSW DKT?
You need two passes in one sitting. The general knowledge section has 15 questions and you must get at least 12 right. The road safety section has 30 questions and you must get at least 29 right. A strong score in one section cannot make up for the other, so you can drop three general knowledge questions but only one road safety question.
- General knowledge12 of 15Up to three wrong answers allowed
- Road safety29 of 30Only one wrong answer allowed
- Total questions45Both sections must be passed
The two sections side by side
| General knowledge | Road safety | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 15 | 30 |
| Needed to pass | 12 | 29 |
| Wrong answers you can afford | 3 | 1 |
| Broadly covers | Road rules, licence conditions and penalties | Safe driving, speed, alcohol, hazards and traffic signs |
Why the road safety bar is so high
The road safety section is where most people come unstuck. Twenty nine out of thirty leaves room for a single mistake, so a vague memory of a speed limit or a give way rule is enough to fail an otherwise good test.
The general knowledge section is gentler, but it still asks for 80 percent. Treat both as tests you need to know cold, not tests you can guess your way through.
How to practise for a near perfect score
- 1
Learn the rule, not the answer
Read why each answer is right. Questions in the real test are drawn from a large bank, so memorising one wording will not carry you.
- 2
Drill the road safety topics first
Give way, speed, alcohol and hazard questions decide the result. Work through them until you rarely miss one.
- 3
Keep a list of your misses
Every question you get wrong is a rule you have not locked in. Go back to those before anything new.
- 4
Sit full mock exams
Practise in the 15 and 30 format and judge yourself by the strict marks, not by your overall percentage.
Practise against the same bar
The NSW Learner app's mock exam uses this format: 15 general knowledge questions with 12 to pass and 30 road safety questions with 29 to pass. NSW Learner is independent and not affiliated with Transport for NSW or Service NSW.
Where these numbers come from
Transport for NSW's Road User Handbook sets out this split and pass mark for the car test, and the matching motorcycle knowledge test page uses the same marks today. The current DKT pages do not repeat the figures, so check with Service NSW if you are unsure.
Common questions
- Can a high general knowledge score make up for road safety?
- No. Each section is marked against its own pass mark, so you need 12 of 15 and 29 of 30 at the same sitting.
- Is the pass mark a percentage?
- Not exactly. It works out to 80 percent for general knowledge and about 97 percent for road safety, which is why road safety needs the most study.
- What happens if I miss the pass mark?
- You can try again. On the DKT online you wait 12 hours before another attempt, and for the in-person test you pay the fee and sit it again, on the same day if a booking is free.
- Does the DKT online use the same pass mark?
- Service NSW does not publish the question count or pass mark for the DKT online final test. It is a separate course and test, so focus on knowing every rule rather than on a number.
Sources
- Transport for NSW, Road User Handbook (2022 edition) checked 20 Oct 2026
States the car DKT as 45 questions, 12 of 15 general knowledge and 29 of 30 road safety to pass (as recorded in our content audit). - nsw.gov.au, Rider Knowledge Test checked 20 Oct 2026
The matching motorcycle knowledge test: 45 questions, at least 12 of 15 general knowledge and 29 of 30 road safety. - nsw.gov.au, Driver Knowledge Test checked 20 Oct 2026
Describes the online and in-person DKT; does not restate the question count or pass mark. - Service NSW, DKT online common questions checked 20 Oct 2026
After a failed online attempt you can retry after 12 hours; results show the correct answers. - Service NSW, book a DKT in-person checked 20 Oct 2026
If you fail the in-person test you can sit it again the same day if another booking is available.
NSW Learner is an independent study site, not affiliated with Transport for NSW or Service NSW. Fees and rules can change, so confirm with Service NSW before you go.
Your L plate turns green when you would pass
NSW Learner is the practice app behind this site. Short lessons for every topic, drills that bring back what you got wrong, and a mock exam in the test's layout. It reads your recent scores and tells you honestly when you are ready.
- Free one full mock exam, and the speed limits and traffic signs and signals topics with their lessons, drills and 179 questions
- Pro all nineteen topics, all 1,177 questions and unlimited mock exams, one-time purchase, no subscription, no ads
- Private no account, works offline, your progress stays on your phone
Independent study app. Not affiliated with Transport for NSW or Service NSW.