Ohio Temps Test: Take It Online at 15 1/2 and Get Your TIPIC

If you grew up outside Ohio, the vocabulary alone can be confusing. Teens here don't get a "learner's permit," they get their temps. The card is a TIPIC. And you buy it not at the BMV exam station but at a deputy registrar. This guide translates all of it and walks you through the Ohio temps test from your first practice quiz to the day the card is in your wallet.

What "temps" means in Ohio

"Temps" is short for the Temporary Instruction Permit Identification Card (TIPIC), the official name for Ohio's learner's permit. It lets you drive with a qualified supervisor in the passenger seat while you build experience for your probationary license.

Three places, three jobs:

Ohio temps test format: 40 questions, 75%

The Ohio BMV says the knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions about motor vehicle laws and traffic signs, and you must answer 75 percent correctly to pass. That's 30 right answers, so you can miss up to 10.

The BMV recommends studying the Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws and trying the sample test on its site. Questions cover:

• Traffic signs, signals and pavement markings
• Right-of-way and turning rules
• Speed limits and following distance
• Alcohol, drugs and Ohio's OVI laws
• Rules for teen drivers, including curfews

Taking it online vs at an exam station

Ohio is one of the states that lets applicants take the knowledge test through BMV Online Services. A few rules apply:

• Identity is verified electronically. You'll enter your legal name, date of birth and Social Security number.
• A proctor is required for younger applicants. If you're under 19, a supervising adult who passes identity verification must proctor the test.
• Attempts are limited online. The BMV limits online testing to two attempts in six months, with at least 24 hours between tries. In-person testing has no attempt cap, but you can only test once per day.
• Some people must test in person, including applicants with certain medical flags, suspensions or active out-of-state licenses.

If you'd rather skip the screen, the in-person test at a Driver Examination Station works the same way. For how Ohio compares with other at-home testing states, see can you take the permit test online.

Buying your TIPIC at a deputy registrar

Passing the test doesn't put a card in your hand. Next:

1. Go to a deputy registrar license agency within 60 days of passing.
2. Complete the vision screening there if you took the knowledge test online.
3. Bring your documents: proof of full legal name and date of birth, Social Security number, and Ohio residency. A parent or guardian signs for applicants under 18.
4. Pay the fee and walk out with your temps.

Document rules change, so use the checklist on the Ohio BMV teen driver page before you go.

Driving rules while you have your temps

The BMV sets supervision rules by age:

• Under 16: a parent, guardian or licensed driving instructor must be in the front passenger seat.
• 16 and older: any licensed driver 21 or older may supervise, except from midnight to 6 a.m., when the supervisor must be a parent, guardian, custodian or a licensed adult named on a notarized BMV form.

You must carry the TIPIC whenever you drive.

Driver's ed: 24 hours plus 8 behind the wheel

Ohio teens under 18 must finish driver training before the road test. The standard structure is 24 hours of classroom or online instruction plus 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed instructor. Online classroom time is capped per day, so you can't finish all 24 hours in a weekend.

Since September 30, 2025, Ohio also requires driver training for new drivers under 21, not just teens. If you're 18, 19 or 20 and haven't started, budget for the course before scheduling your road test. For the bigger picture, read do you need driver's ed to get a permit.

50 hours and the affidavit

Before the road test, teens must:

• Hold the TIPIC for at least six months
• Complete 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night
• Have a parent or guardian sign a statement certifying those hours

Track hours as you go rather than reconstructing them the night before. Our guide to supervised driving hours by state has logging tips that work for any state.

How to pass on your first try

The Ohio temps test isn't tricky, but 40 questions is long enough for fatigue to creep in. A simple plan:

• Read the Digest in short sessions over a week.
• Take a timed practice test daily and review every miss.
• Spend a full session on signs, since they're easy points.
• Learn Ohio's teen-specific rules (curfews, passenger limits), which often appear on the exam.

Our free Ohio practice tests mirror the Digest's topics, and you'll find manual links on the Ohio permit test page.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take the Ohio temps test online?

Yes. Ohio offers the knowledge test through BMV Online Services, and applicants under 19 need a verified supervising adult as proctor. You'll complete the vision screening at a deputy registrar when you buy your TIPIC.

How many questions are on the Ohio temps test?

The test has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need 75% (30 correct) to pass.

What do I need to bring to get my temps in Ohio?

Bring proof of your legal name and date of birth, your Social Security number and Ohio residency, plus a parent or guardian if you're under 18. Check the BMV's current document list before you go.