What Happens If I Fail the TLC Driver Exam?

You can take it again. PSI lets you retake the TLC Driver License Exam as many times as you need until your application expires. You must wait 24 hours between attempts and pay $49 each time (as of October 12, 2026). The real limit is time: TLC says to pass at least 3 days before your 90-day application expires. If you don't, the application is denied and you start over.

The retake rules

From PSI's candidate bulletin and TLC's Driver Education page:

• No limit on attempts while your application is open. Your application's expiration date is shown in TLC UP.
• 24-hour wait before the next attempt.
• $49 for every attempt, paid to PSI by card when you book.
• Same exam format: 80 multiple-choice questions on a computer, 56 correct (70%) to pass, up to 2 hours. PSI gives you a Geographia five-borough street atlas, a Manhattan address key, a blank sheet and a pencil or pen; calculators are not allowed, and there are no breaks.

Use the report of weak topics

PSI emails results 48 hours after the exam. If you did not pass, it sends a summary report listing the topic areas you need to study more — PSI gives geography as an example. Don't simply rebook for the next day: spend your 24-hour wait on those topics.

Free study help from TLC's Driver Education page:

• Study guide and practice exams in Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian and Urdu.
• Exam tutorial videos in the same seven languages, so the computer screens aren't new on exam day.
• The exam covers both the 3-day course and WAV training. TLC suggests finishing WAV training before the exam for a better score.

You can choose the exam language each time you book. See TLC in your language and what is on the TLC exam.

Watch the deadline: 3 days before expiry

Your application lasts 90 days from filing (rule 80-08(d)(1)). TLC's Driver Education page says: "Take and pass your exam by no later than three (3) days before your application expires." With a 24-hour wait between attempts, every failed attempt costs at least a day, and you may not find an open slot right away. If you fail late in your 90 days, rebook immediately and consider a different test site. Find all 12 centers in our course and exam location finder, and count your exact dates with the 90-day planner.

Cancel, reschedule or miss an appointment

Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in. If severe weather or an emergency closes the test center, PSI reschedules you at no charge; call (833) 892-5440 to check.

If your application expires before you pass

TLC denies the application. You can file a new application right away, but you pay the $252 application fee again, and the other fees too if they need redoing. TLC's course transfer policy (effective October 1, 2024) helps: if you reapply within six months after completing the 3-day course, you don't retake it; the same applies to WAV training. That policy doesn't cover anyone who was disqualified from the exam.

Don't get disqualified

Failing is fixable; disqualification is not. PSI's rules say a prohibited item in the exam room — a phone, smart watch, notes — invalidates your test, and copying or sharing exam content can lead to disqualification. TLC rule 80-08(c)(1)(v) lets TLC refuse new applications for three years from the date of the exam you were disqualified from. See TLC application bans.

Need accommodations?

PSI offers a screen reader to every candidate on request (ask before you book) and ADA accommodations with documentation from a medical authority or learning institution. Don't book until PSI confirms by email.

Related

• Course and school options: TLC driver education course.
• If your TLC license later lapses, see what happens if my TLC license expires.
• Background-check problems with apps are separate from the exam: background check failed for Uber.
• Changed your mind about driving? Cancel or surrender a TLC license.
• After licensing, your car must pass inspections too: TLC vehicle inspection.