Rhode Island

Division of
Motor Vehicles

Modified Driver
Skills Testing
A guide to non-commercial
operator’s license road test preparation

July 2020
Preparation Guide Modified Testing
In accordance with Rhode Island General Law, prior to issuance of a first
license, residents are required to pass a skills test aka “road test” in or-
• Modified Testing der to demonstrate that they have acquired the skills necessary to be
deemed a safe driver. These tests are normally proctored by means of a
motor vehicle operator examiner (MVOE) accompanying an applicant in a
• Closed Course Testing
vehicle and directing them through a predefined route and set of maneu-
vers.
• Scheduling / Rescheduling
With the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic in mid-March of 2020, be-
ing confined in a vehicle, for an extended period, with numerous individ-
• Vehicle Requirements uals presents health concerns for the applicants and examiners.

The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, Road Test Office has devel-
• Arrival at the Testing Location oped this modified testing process based on the following key pillars:

•Customer and employee safety;

•Restoration of services to citizens in the safest manner possible
• Pre-test Vehicle Inspection

Closed Course Testing

• Preparing for Your Skills Test Beginning in June of 2020 DMV examiners will be proctoring non-
commercial skills tests on a closed course and from outside the vehicle.
This testing process will consist of four segments that have been pre-
• Basic Vehicle Control Skills Test
scribed for applicants to demonstrate that they possess the basic core
skills to be deemed a safe driver.
• Scoring
The following pages contain information intended to help prepare for
these tests as well as how to be prepared for the day of the test. Please
• Test Exercises take the time to review these requirements.

Scheduling / Rescheduling
• First License Issuance
Beginning in June of 2020 DMV will be scheduling at two closed course loca-
tions, first at Providence and later in the month Cranston. Priority shall be
given to any customers that have had appointments cancelled due to the
COVID-19 Pandemic.
DMV will be contacting all applicants that have been cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic to assist with rescheduling.
Any tests scheduled at branch locations (Middletown, Wakefield, or Woon-
socket) may be rescheduled to one of these two closed course locations.

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 Modified Driver Skills Testing
Vehicle Requirements
The vehicle to be used must have a valid RHODE ISLAND Upon arrival at the scheduled testing location at your
registration. The only exceptions are as follows: scheduled time:
• If the vehicle is registered to a military person or a fami- • Remain in your vehicle; you will be directed by
ly member of a military person stationed in RI. (valid mili-
tary ID is required) signage to a waiting lane where you can wait
safely in your vehicle. The examiner will give you
• A driving school with a valid out-of-state registration,
must have current special RI Financial Responsibility In- further instructions from a safe distance outside
surance Certificate (GU-1338) on file with RI DMV. the vehicle when it is your turn.
The Road Test Examiner will conduct an inspection of • Place your permit on the dashboard in front of
the following items prior to allowing the vehicle to be the driver so as to be visible from outside the ve-
used for testing: hicle
• Each applicant may be accompanied by ONE ad-
• Valid RI registration/plates
ditional person
• Valid RI Inspection Sticker*
• A supervising driver or driver mentor shall remain
• Directional Lights
seated in the passengers front seat during the
• Headlights
closed course skills testing but shall not be al-
• Brake Lights
lowed to give directions. Any coaching or inter-
• Hazard Lights vention by the passenger shall result in an auto-
• Tires matic failure.
• Windows (must roll down)
• Sunscreen Tinting We highly recommend that you use a vehicle that you are
• Aftermarket Window Tinting familiar with and have had an opportunity to practice in.
*Vehicles less than 2 years old and under 24,000 miles are exempt We also recommend that you test the required equipment
Vehicle Prohibitions and items in advance of your test date. This will avoid any
• No cameras or recording devices will be allowed situation that may prevent testing.
during the test Pre-test Vehicle Inspection
• Due to the lack of modern safety features, NO
You must be completely familiar with all vehicle controls.
tests will be permitted in antique vehicles
• No rental vehicles are allowed for the road tests The examiner will perform a visual inspection of the vehi-
• No pets allowed in the vehicle cle and ask you to activate several components in order
to demonstrate your familiarity with the controls of the
Arrival at the Testing Location vehicle. These shall include but not be limited to:
Your Modified Driver Skills Testing appointment will be
• Starting the Engine
scheduled at one of two locations: • Headlights (low and high beams)
PROVIDENCE CRANSTON • L and R turn signals* (front / rear)
325 Melrose St 600 New London Ave. • Windshield Wipers
Providence RI 02907 Cranston RI 02920 • Horn
• Hazard Lights
Check your appointment receipt for your scheduled Each directive you are not able to follow will count as an
location. error.

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 Basic Vehicle Control Skills Test
Preparing for Your Skills Test before entering back into traffic or leaving the exercise
With a qualified supervising driver, practice these exercis- area. You should turn your head to check traffic to the
es in a safe area, such as a parking lot or residential area sides and rear and to check side and rearview mirrors. If
until you can correctly complete them. Try practicing the you are testing in a car that has back-up or side-view cam-
exercises in a variety of vehicles and locations. eras, you will have to check those too. You will be scored
Test Exercises if you do not use traffic checks during the exercises.
Your basic control skills test shall consist of the following Inside 12” of Curb Line – If you are required to complete
exercises: the parallel parking exercise, your vehicle must be com-
• Maneuverability Test pletely in the parking space and both of the vehicle’s tires
• Parallel Parking Test have to be within 12” of the curb line. If your vehicle is
• Three-Point Turnabout not within 12” curb line when you have finished the exer-
• Backing Maneuver
cise, it will be counted as an error.
These exercises are shown on the following pages.
Final Position / Completed Exercise – It is important that
Instructions
you finish each exercise exactly as the examiner has in-
The examiner will give you detailed instruction for com- structed you. If you cannot complete an exercise; or do
pleting the test exercises and you will be given the oppor- not maneuver the vehicle into its final position as de-
tunity to ask questions. scribed by the examiner, points will be added to your
Scoring score.
Reversal – A reversal is when you stop and change direc- Failures
tion to get a better position. You will not receive points If more than 15 points are accumulated, the test will be con-
for the first two reversals. Each additional time you re- sidered a failure.
verse direction it is counted as an error. Stopping without Automatic Failures
changing direction does not count as a reversal. Any of the following violations shall result in the immediate
Encroachments – Touching or crossing over an exercise failure of the test:
boundary line or cone with any part of your vehicle, other • Seat belt violation (driver and/or passenger)
than the vehicle’s mirrors is considered an encroachment. • Stop Sign Violation
Each encroachment will count as an error. • Running over curb or cone with
one or more wheels
Turn Signals – When performing an exercise you must use
• Intervention by passenger (verbal or
the correct turn signal to indicate the direction that you Physical Intervention )
are turning. Each time you fail to use or improperly use • Collision with barrier
your turn signal it will count as an error. If your turn signal • Any dangerous action
cancels automatically make sure to reactivate it when
necessary.
Traffic Check(s) – When performing an exercise it is im-
portant to check traffic prior to entering or exiting a road-
way. You must make sure that it is safe to perform the
exercise and that the roadway is clear in both directions

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 Basic Skills Test Exercises
Maneuverability Test
Step One
• Drive forward into a 9’ by 20’ box formed by four markers. (Measurements are taken from
the center of the markers). Examiner will direct driver to steer to the right of the center
marker.
• Steer straight ahead and stop when the rear bumper of the car is even with the center
Maneuverability Test with
marker and generally parallel Step One
the course.
Step Two
Drive
• Fromforward through
a stopped position a 9’
at the end byone,
of step 20’driver
box formed
must bycenter
back past the four marker,
straighten the car and back into the 9’ by 20’ box formed by four markers, coming to a
markers.
stop with Measurements
the front bumper even withare taken
the two fromandthe
front markers center
generally ofwiththe
parallel the
course.
marker.
Step Three
• From a stopped position at the end of step two, Examiner will direct driver to steer to the
Examiner willmarker,
left of the center direct driver
coming towith
to a stop
generally parallel with the course.
steer to the
the bumper evenright ormarker
with center the left
and

Parallel Parking Test

Step One
• After verbal instruction and when instructed to begin by the examiner, the applicant will
be required to parallel park into a space to the right.
Step Two
• The driver will activate the correct turn signal, back past the cones and back the vehicle
until it is completely within the parking space. The driver should try to bring the vehicle
within 12 inches of the curb and generally parallel with the course.

Three-Point Turnabout
• Signal your intent with your left directional signal or with the four way hazard lights.
• Check for on-coming traffic in both directions.
• Turn the steering wheel fully to the left and slowly drive forward, crossing the street.
• At a point before the left side curb, stop, again check for traffic in all directions.
• Turn the steering wheel fully to the right and begin to back up. When you have reached a
point where the front of the car is in the middle of the street, stop.
• Again check for traffic in all directions, turn the steering wheel to the left and proceed in the
opposite direction.
• Remember to turn off your directional signal or hazard lights.

Backing Maneuver
• Applicants will be asked to back up from a fixed point for approximately 50 feet.
• Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the ability to control the vehicle and maintain a reasonable fixed distance from the curb.
• Back slowly; Your vehicle is more difficult to control when you are back-
ing.
Examiner will be watching for:
• Looking over the right shoulder, while partially turning the body
• Maintaining proper control of the vehicle in a straight line within lane
• Periodically check all mirrors to be sure that no other vehicles, pedestri-
ans, or obstacles are in your path of travel.

Page 5 of 6 - Modified Driver Skills Testing Guide - July 2020

 Post Testing
First License Issuance
Applicants who successfully complete and pass the test may upgrade
their permit to a first license at the scheduled testing location subse-
quent to the test. The following documents will be required when
called to the licensing counter after successfully passing the test.

 Original permit. (photocopies are not acceptable)

TESTING LOCATIONS
 Completed Application for License, Identification Card and Permits (LI-1)
form*
 Identity Document
 Social Security Document
 Proof of Address (2 different documents)
 Payment for first license

Additional requirements for applicants under 18 years of age PROVIDENCE

325 Melrose St
 Affidavit of 50 hours driving experience*
Providence RI 02907
* Documents may be notarized at DMV if all parties signing the form
401-462-5750
are present during first license issuance transaction. If parent/
guardian is not present, documents MUST be notarized prior to ar-
rival.
Rescheduling
Applicants who are unsuccessful in passing the test may schedule their
next test online. A minimum waiting period after a road test failure has
been established to allow adequate time for applicants to acquire the
necessary skills, through additional instruction and practice, in order to
pass the road test and be issued a full license to operate. Tests may be CRANSTON
scheduled and rescheduled at https://www.ri.gov/app/dmv/road_tests/ 600 New London Ave
The Procedure For Scheduling Tests After A Failure Is As Follows Cranston RI 02920
SUBSEQUENT TO THE 1st FAILURE:
401-462-4368
Applicant may return in no less than 30 days
SUBSEQUENT TO A 2nd FAILURE:
Applicant may return in no less than 90 days
SUBSEQUENT TO 3 OR MORE FAILURES:
Applicant may return in no less than 180 days

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