The passing score of the SAAQ knowledge test is 75% — in each of the three sections, separately. There is no overall average: one section below the threshold fails the attempt, and brings a wait of 28 days.
The full format — 28 questions · 3 sections · 75% each — is explained on the home page. Passing two sections out of three isn’t enough: the third has to be retaken. Here is what that rule changes, concretely, for your preparation.
Why the overall average is misleading
A good total score can hide a weak section. The calculation that counts is never your number of right answers across the whole test: each section is judged alone, and one single section below the threshold fails the attempt — however strong the other two.
That is why quizzes that show one overall score prepare you badly: they measure something the test doesn’t measure. A candidate strong on road rules who neglects the signs can post an excellent average… and end up waiting 28 days.
Three sections, judged one by one
The test covers road rules, road signs and driving behaviours — the Class 5 specialization. The threshold is the same everywhere: 75% within the section. What changes is the material: the signs are recognized, right-of-way is reasoned through, and the rules are learned. Preparation that treats all three the same way almost always leaves one section behind.
How the result is given
The result is given section by section: each one is passed or failed, depending on whether it reaches 75%. There is no overall mark to interpret, and no compensation from one section to another. A section you passed stays passed; a section you failed is the only one to retake, after the wait of 28 days. That verdict — not an overall percentage — is exactly what a good preparation tool has to reproduce.
What the rule changes for your preparation
- Balance. Your weakest section decides the result — not your strength elsewhere. Study time should go where the threshold is furthest away.
- Measure yourself per section, never overall. A global percentage tells you nothing useful about your likely result.
- Take mock tests in the real format, with a verdict given section by section — what a good practice test must reproduce.
Aim for the threshold… with a margin
Don’t book the moment your results brush 75%: booking right at the threshold is booking without a net. Aim above it, with a margin, in each of the three sections. That is exactly what Permis 101’s readiness score measures: calculated per section, across the whole question bank, it tells you when you are genuinely ready to book.
If a section stays below the threshold on test day
The rule is strict: a wait of 28 days, then a retake of only the failed section or sections, at the same threshold. The details are on the page about failing and the one about the retake.
Frequently asked questions
Is the passing score 75% overall?
No — 75% in each section, separately. There is no overall average: a strong total score, even an excellent one, never makes up for a section that stayed below the threshold.
Is passing two sections out of three enough?
No. The failed section brings a wait of 28 days before a retake — of that section only: the sections you passed stay passed.
Where is the format spelled out?
In the 75% rule on the home page — 28 questions · 3 sections · 75% each — with the number of questions and the threshold of each section; the shape of the questions themselves is on the test-questions page.
Is the passing score the same on a retake?
Yes. A retake is played at the same threshold, on the failed section or sections only — and each one is judged on its own again. Retaking the test, section by section has its own page.
What about the passing score of the road test?
The road test is a separate exam, taken after you pass the knowledge test, with its own fee and its own criteria. This page covers the knowledge test only: the SAAQ road test has its own guide — how it works, fees, retakes.
How do you know you’re above the threshold?
By measuring yourself per section, in the real format — never on an overall score. Permis 101’s readiness score is calculated per section, across the whole question bank, and the app tells you when your margin is wide enough to book.
Should I aim for exactly 75%?
No — aim higher. Booking right at the threshold is booking without a net: one misread question on test day is enough to tip a section. The margin is built by practising in the real format, section by section.
Go further
- Failing the test: the 28-day rule
- What a good practice test must reproduce
- The road test: what comes after the knowledge test
- The complete guide to the knowledge test
- The Permis 101 FAQ
Official sources
The facts on this page come from the official pages of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
- Knowledge tests – passenger vehicle (Class 5)
- Competency examination policy PO-PM 05 (PDF, French)
- Fees for knowledge and road tests
Permis 101’s readiness score is calculated the way the test judges: per section. You see your real margin — and the app tells you when to book.
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Permis 101 is an independent app, not affiliated with the SAAQ. For official information and to book your test, go to the SAAQ.