Hawaii Permit Practice Test 7

4.9 out of 5 (37 votes)
80% Passing score
20 Questions
4 Mistakes allowed
This Hawaii drivers permit practice test is number seven in the series, which means you are past the “let’s see what a Stop sign means” stage and into the part where Hawaii’s licensing rules start showing up with paperwork, timing requirements, and a few oddly specific details that suddenly matter. The test gives you 20 questions, and you will want at least 16 correct answers to pass. That sounds tidy enough. Then the real licensing process wanders in wearing slippers and carrying a stack of forms. For teen drivers, Hawaii starts the learner’s instructional permit at 15 years and 6 months. Before getting it, you need the required documents, a vision test, the written knowledge test, and the usual fee-paying moment. Once you have the permit, you need to carry it while driving and sit beside a licensed driver who is at least 21 and licensed for the same type of vehicle. Between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., that supervising driver needs to be a parent or guardian. Everyone has to wear a seat belt, children have to be properly restrained, and no, “just going around the corner” does not magically soften the rule. Hawaii’s Graduated Driver Licensing program has three steps: learner’s permit, provisional license, and full driver license. To move from permit to provisional license, a teen generally needs to be at least 16, hold the permit for at least 180 days, complete a State-certified driver education course, have the classroom and behind-the-wheel certificates, and pass the road test. The provisional license still comes with strings attached, including passenger limits for riders under 18 and nighttime driving restrictions. It is freedom, sort of. Freedom with a curfew and paperwork. Adult first-time applicants get a more direct version of the process, though not exactly a free pass. They still need identity and residency documents, the application, vision screening, the Class 3 written test, an instruction permit, practice with a licensed driver age 21 or older, and the road test. What they do not have is the teen GDL package: no 180-day teen holding period, no teen driver education certificate requirement, and no provisional-license passenger or late-night restrictions. Use this Hawaii DMV practice test to catch the details before they catch you. The questions are updated for 2026 and cover rules you may actually need on island roads, from insurance requirements and seat belts to Honolulu traffic, sudden rain, narrow highways, cyclists, and the licensing steps that are easy to skim until they are suddenly your problem. Take the Hawaii permit test practice more than once if you need to. A passing score is nice; walking into the Hawaii drivers license test without that small, suspicious feeling that you missed something is better.
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Sample Hawaii Permit Test Questions

Question 1

If a stuck accelerator requires you to switch off the ignition while moving, what must you avoid?

  1. A Turning the key far enough to engage the steering-wheel lock
  2. B Using additional effort to steer the vehicle
  3. C Applying the brakes after stopping the engine
  4. D Moving toward a safe place off the roadway

Correct answer: A – Turning the key far enough to engage the steering-wheel lock

For a stuck accelerator, the Hawaii manual instructs a driver to turn the ignition only far enough to stop the engine without engaging the steering-wheel locking mechanism. Engaging that lock could prevent normal steering. Be aware that power steering and power brakes may also require greater physical effort after the engine stops.

Source: Hawaii Driver’s Manual — Ch. XI, “Accelerator Stuck Open”

Question 2

At an octagonal red STOP sign, which action is required?

When you see this sign, you must:
  1. A Stop at the proper location and yield before proceeding
  2. B Reduce speed and continue if the road appears clear
  3. C Wait for a green signal before moving
  4. D Stop only when cross traffic is visible

Correct answer: A – Stop at the proper location and yield before proceeding

In Hawaii, stop at the marked stop line. If there is no line, stop before entering the near crosswalk; if neither exists, stop where you can see approaching traffic before entering the intersection. After stopping, yield as required and proceed only when the movement can be made safely.

Source: HRS § 291C-63 – Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection, Hawaii Driver’s Manual — Ch. VI, “Regulatory Signs”

Question 3

A school bus has stopped with its red signals flashing on the opposite roadway of a divided highway. Must you stop?

If a school bus stops to unload children on a divided highway with a dividing barrier, vehicles traveling in the opposite direction are:
  1. A Yes, until the bus turns off its signals
  2. B Yes, but only for a complete stop before continuing
  3. C Yes, on the shoulder beside the divider
  4. D No, because the bus is on a different roadway

Correct answer: D – No, because the bus is on a different roadway

Hawaii’s school-bus stopping rule does not apply when your vehicle and the school bus are on different roadways. The manual describes a divided highway as two roadways separated by land or another space not intended for vehicle travel. Drivers approaching the bus on its roadway must still obey the flashing red signals.

Source: HRS § 291C-95 – Overtaking and passing school bus, Hawaii Driver’s Manual — Ch. XII, “Stopping for a School Bus”

Question 4

When is using your vehicle’s horn appropriate?

  1. A Whenever you approach a bicyclist
  2. B When an audible warning is needed because of an immediate hazard
  3. C When you want slower traffic to speed up
  4. D When another driver makes a mistake

Correct answer: B – When an audible warning is needed because of an immediate hazard

A vehicle horn is intended to provide an audible warning. The Hawaii manual directs drivers to honk when warning an oncoming vehicle that has entered their lane and when a pedestrian warning is necessary. It should not be used merely to hurry other road users or express anger.

Source: Hawaii Driver’s Manual — Ch. IV, “Horn”; Ch. XI, “Oncoming Vehicle in Your Lane”

Question 5

Before entering the oncoming lane to pass on a two-lane highway, what must be true?

  1. A You can exceed the posted speed limit to complete the pass
  2. B There is enough clear roadway to pass and return safely without interfering with oncoming traffic
  3. C A solid yellow line appears in your lane

Correct answer: B – There is enough clear roadway to pass and return safely without interfering with oncoming traffic

Hawaii law requires a driver passing on the left to maintain a safe distance and remain safely clear before returning right. The driver may not move left when approaching a hill or curve if the view is obstructed within a distance that creates a hazard. Solid yellow markings and posted no-passing zones also restrict passing.

Source: HRS § 291C-43 – Overtaking a vehicle or bicycle on the left, HRS § 291C-45 – Limitations on overtaking on the left, Hawaii Driver’s Manual — Ch. V, “No Passing Rules”

Question 6

If your vehicle provides a lap-and-shoulder seat belt, how should it be used?

  1. A Use only the lap portion at low speeds
  2. B Wear both portions as the belt was designed to be worn
  3. C Place the shoulder portion behind your back
  4. D Use only the shoulder portion in city traffic

Correct answer: B – Wear both portions as the belt was designed to be worn

Hawaii law requires an available seat belt assembly to be worn as it was designed and intended to be worn. A lap-and-shoulder assembly should therefore be used with both portions properly positioned. The driver’s manual explains that these restraints help protect occupants from ejection and from striking the vehicle’s interior during a crash.

Source: HRS § 291-11.6 – Mandatory use of seat belts, when, penalty, Hawaii Driver’s Manual — Ch. X, “Seat Belts”

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