Texas Administrative Code
Title 37 - PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS
Part 1 - TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Chapter 15 - DRIVER LICENSE RULES
Subchapter C - EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS
Section 15.56 - Road Test

Universal Citation: 37 TX Admin Code § 15.56

Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025

(a) The department administers a road test to determine an applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of a motor vehicle; such applicant must meet a predetermined score. The road test will be given in English or Spanish only and will consist of three separate standalone examinations, designated as the on-street test, the backing test, and parallel parking test, and will include the following maneuvers:

(1) start;

(2) quick smooth stop;

(3) backing;

(4) upshifting;

(5) downshifting;

(6) lane change;

(7) merge;

(8) use of lanes;

(9) right-of-way;

(10) posture;

(11) approach to corner;

(12) traffic signals;

(13) traffic signs;

(14) left turns;

(15) right turns; and

(16) parallel parking (if applicable).

(b) Rejection standards for road test are:

(1) accident. Any contact with another vehicle, object, or pedestrian which applicant could have prevented, regardless of who was responsible, resulting in any damage or injury;

(2) dangerous action:
(A) accident is prevented only by defensive driving on the part of another or dodging by a pedestrian;

(B) any loss of control creating a hazard;

(C) driver stalls vehicle in middle of busy intersection so as to obstruct traffic;

(D) drives one or more wheels over the curb or onto the sidewalk;

(E) accident prevented only by warning given by the examining officer; or

(F) runs over parking standards on the parallel parking test.

(3) violation of law. Unless otherwise stipulated in scoring standards, a driver is disqualified for:
(A) any act for which the driver might be arrested; or

(B) any act which might make the driver liable for damages in case of accident.

(4) deductions. As soon as any of the following conditions occur, the applicant is disqualified:
(A) various or repeated minor mistakes totaling more than 20 points deducted on the off-street road test score for motorcycles or more than 30 points deducted on the on-street test for any vehicle including a motorcycle;

(B) various or repeated minor mistakes totaling more than 5 points deducted on the backing test; or

(C) various or repeated minor mistakes totaling more than 7 points deducted on the parallel parking test for any vehicle.

(5) lack of cooperation or refusal to perform:
(A) refusal to try any maneuver in good faith;

(B) repeated failure to follow instructions;

(C) offer a bribe or gratuity;

(D) argument concerning scoring, not just a discussion of scoring; or

(E) refusal to wear a seat belt when required and has no physician's statement for waiver or refusal to comply with a continuing, necessary restriction (e.g., "corrective lenses").

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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