A SAAQ knowledge test retake is booked like a first attempt, after a minimum wait of 28 days, and covers only the section or sections you failed — the sections you passed stay passed.
You book it with the SAAQ, at the same $13.50 fee. The good news: a retake can be prepared better than a first attempt — this time, you know exactly what to work on.
After a fail: the steps to take
- Let the wait run. At least 28 days separate the fail from the retake — it’s mandatory, so you may as well make it preparation time.
- Book again. The retake isn’t automatic: you book a new appointment with the SAAQ, online or through its phone service, for a date after the wait. Each attempt costs $13.50. Check the current fee when you book.
- Redo only the failed section. The sections you passed stay passed: you are not starting over from zero, and the retake covers only what was missing.
- Study with the official guides. The test’s material comes from the Driver’s Handbook and Driving a Passenger Vehicle, published by the SAAQ — target the failed section’s chapters, then practise in the real format.
- Show up with the required documents. On the day, at the service centre you chose, with the documents the SAAQ asks for — for a driving-school candidate, the learner’s licence — and the fee for the attempt.
On the day of the retake
Nothing new in the procedure: the same service centre, the same test on a computer, only the material the SAAQ provides — plus a dictionary without illustrations — allowed. The difference is the scope — you only answer the questions of the section or sections you are retaking — and the verdict, given as the first time section by section, at 75% within the section. A retaken section that passes closes the knowledge test — and the road test, a separate exam with its own booking, becomes the next step towards the licence.
Preparing a retake is different
A first attempt is prepared in breadth; a retake is prepared in depth. You know which section fell short — that section, and almost only that section, is what needs the work:
- Target the failed section. Redoing all the material dilutes the effort exactly where it shouldn’t be diluted.
- Understand every mistake. What made you fail the first time doesn’t get fixed by rereading: you need explanations, not just scores.
- Measure yourself against the real format before going back. Mock tests faithful to the test, with a verdict per section, until you clear the threshold with room to spare.
Permis 101 has a path built for the retake: you tell it which section or sections you’re redoing, and the app concentrates your preparation there — with a readiness score calculated per section that tells you when to book.
A retake is not a restart
Thousands of candidates go through this every year. The per-section retake is designed so that you keep what you’ve already earned: what’s passed is passed, and four weeks of targeted work on one section is a very different — and much shorter — preparation than the first attempt’s.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to redo the sections I passed?
No. The sections you passed stay passed — the retake covers only the section or sections you failed.
How do I book the retake?
Like a first attempt: by appointment with the SAAQ, online or through its phone service, for a date after the 28 days wait. The full walkthrough is on the booking page.
How much does the retake cost?
$13.50, paid to the SAAQ — the same fee as any attempt. Check the current fee when you book.
Can I retake before the 28 days are up?
No — the wait is mandatory, without exception. The 28-day rule is explained in detail on its own page, with ideas for turning the wait into preparation.
Does the retake have the same format as the first attempt?
Same place, same procedure, same threshold: 75% within the section, judged on its own. What changes is the scope: you only take the section or sections you failed. The passing score doesn’t move.
What should I study for the retake?
The failed section’s material, in the SAAQ’s official guides — the Driver’s Handbook and Driving a Passenger Vehicle — then draws in the real format on that section. The question styles spare you surprises on test day.
How do I avoid failing twice?
By preparing the retake differently from the first attempt: targeted work on the failed section, every mistake understood rather than reread, and mock tests in the real format until you clear the threshold with room to spare.
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
- Driver’s Handbook
Tell the app which section you’re retaking: Permis 101 concentrates your practice there, and measures your margin — section by section.
Free to start · $19.99 CAD once · No subscription
Permis 101 is an independent app, not affiliated with the SAAQ. For official information and to book your test, go to the SAAQ.