Studying road signs for the permit test can be an enormous undertaking, considering how many different road signs could appear on the multiple-choice exam. This page lists every road sign you could be asked to recognize during the Hawaii DMV permit test, to help you prepare for the assessment. In Hawaii, the DMV written test contains 40 questions which cover a mixture of road signs and road rules. You can reasonably expect about one quarter of the permit test questions to be road-sign related. Keep in mind that any one of the common road signs listed here could appear on your test paper, so you will need to be ready for anything!

Learning about road signs is an essential part of your driver’s education. These vital communication tools tell you what you can and cannot do on a given stretch of roadway, warn you about impending hazards and help you navigate your way around the Highway Transportation System. Though they are not technically “road signs”, pavement markings will also be addressed during the road sign questions on the 2024 Hawaii permit test. While they may appear meaningless to the untrained eye, pavement markings tell road users where they can drive, when they must yield the right-of-way and what purpose individual driving lanes can be used for. Using the Hawaii driver’s handbook, the information on this page and the other study resources we provide, you can learn all about pavement markings and road signs for the permit test. When you pass the assessment and can begin driving with your new learner’s permit, the road sign knowledge you have acquired will help you to navigate, stay safe and drive within the boundaries of the law.

Scrolling down this page may leave you feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of road signs and pavement markings you need to learn. Memorizing road signs for the permit test is actually far easier than you think; once you can identify which category a particular sign falls in to, deriving its meaning is relatively straightforward. In Hawaii and all other US states, road signs fall into one of four basic categories: regulatory signs, warning signs, guide signs and work zone signs. Keep in mind that a few road signs from each category will likely be addressed during the Hawaii permit test and the license renewal test.

Regulatory road signs are generally black and white, though some also feature the color red. These signs are designed to enforce the rules of the road in a particular area. The “KEEP RIGHT” sign and the “DO NOT ENTER” sign are two examples of regulatory road signs. As the name suggests, warning signs inform motorists of upcoming hazards that may warrant a change in speed. These signs are usually yellow diamonds, making them easy to recognize from a distance. Work zone signs are a specific type of warning sign, which are typically bright orange in color. Around roadway work zone areas, orange work zone signs warn motorists of potential hazards, workers in the roadway and changes to the usual rules of the road. Blue and green guide signs provide useful information about the present location and upcoming locations along a specific route. Learning how to interpret them will make sure you can find your way around and locate important facilities like gas stations and rest stops. Memorizing these different categories of sign and their meanings is half the battle in studying road signs for the permit test in Hawaii.

Start learning your road signs in preparation for the permit test today. When you need a break from studying, try one of our free Hawaii permit practice test quizzes to see how much you have remembered!

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