Skip to main content

What Happens If I Fail the Texas DPS Exam

If you fail the Texas DPS exam, review the course material and retake it. You have 3 attempts total. If you do not pass within 3 attempts, you must repurchase the course.

Updated today

If you do not pass the Texas DPS Highway Sign and Traffic Law Examination, your score is shown immediately along with the topics where you missed questions. You can review the relevant course content and retake the exam. You have 3 attempts total. If you do not pass within 3 attempts, you must repurchase the course to try again.

What You See After a Failed Attempt

Immediately after submitting, you will see:

  • Your score out of 30

  • Whether you passed or did not pass

  • The topic areas where you answered incorrectly, so you know what to review before your next attempt

How to Retake

After reviewing the material, return to the exam and retake it. The retake draws from the same official DPS question set; the specific questions and order may vary between attempts.

The 3-Attempt Limit

You have a maximum of 3 attempts to pass the DPS exam. This applies to all students. If you do not pass within 3 attempts:

  • No ADEE-1317 certificate is issued

  • You must repurchase the course to receive 3 new attempts

  • Your previous lesson progress does not carry over — the new enrollment starts fresh

Preparing for a Retake

Before retaking, go back and review the lessons that correspond to the topics where you missed questions. The course content is built around the Texas Driver Handbook — reviewing the relevant lessons is the most direct way to prepare. Road signs, right-of-way rules, and traffic laws are heavily represented on the exam.

Your Lesson Progress Is Not Affected by a Failed Attempt

Failing the DPS exam does not affect your completed lessons, quiz results, or course progress. Everything you completed before the exam remains intact while you still have remaining attempts.

Quick Facts

Detail

Information

Score shown after failing

Yes — immediately

Topics to review shown

Yes

Retakes available

Yes — up to 3 total attempts

Attempt limit

3 attempts maximum

After 3 failed attempts

Must repurchase the course

Course progress affected by failure

No — while attempts remain

Certificate issued

Only after passing

Frequently Asked Questions

How many attempts do I have to pass the DPS exam? You have 3 attempts. If you do not pass within 3 attempts, you must repurchase the course to receive new attempts.

What happens if I use all 3 attempts without passing? You must repurchase the course. Your previous enrollment closes and a new enrollment begins fresh. Your prior lesson progress does not carry over to the new enrollment.

Do I have to wait before retaking after a failure? There is no mandatory waiting period between attempts. Review the relevant course content before retaking.

Will the same questions appear on my retake? The exam draws from the official DPS question set. You may see some of the same questions and some different ones between attempts.

What if I keep missing the same type of question? Go back and re-read the lesson covering that topic. The Texas Driver Handbook is the source for all exam content. If a topic is giving you trouble, reviewing the relevant course lesson is the most direct way to prepare.

Does the number of attempts appear on my ADEE-1317 certificate? No. Your certificate confirms you passed the exam — the number of attempts is not reflected on the certificate.

Did this answer your question?