Center and lane lines — Maryland Permit Test
Center and lane lines on the Maryland permit test — 5 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.
The rules
Yellow center lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions.
A yellow center line is all that stands between you and traffic coming the other way, which is what makes crossing one serious.
A broken yellow center line means passing is allowed when the way ahead is clear.
A broken line marks where sight distance is long enough for a pass to be completed safely.
A solid yellow line on your side of the center line means you may not pass.
The solid line is on your side because the restriction applies to you; the other direction may be clear to pass.
A double solid yellow line means no passing in either direction; you may cross it only to turn left into a driveway or side road.
Two solid lines mean neither direction may pass, though turning across them into a driveway or side road is still allowed.
White lines separate traffic moving in the same direction: broken white lines may be crossed to change lanes; a solid white line discourages it, and a double solid white line forbids it.
White separates traffic going the same way, so crossing it changes lane rather than direction of travel.
On the test
A double solid yellow center line means...
no passing either way, though you may cross to turn left. Two solid lines mean neither direction may pass, though turning across them into a driveway or side road is still allowed.
How this works
Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.
You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.
Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.
Where these come from
Every rule here is checked against Maryland Driver's Manual, published by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-08-29.
- https://mva.maryland.gov/licenses-ids/prepare-drivers-license-test/knowledge-tests
- https://mva.maryland.gov/your-mva-guide/teens-new-drivers/learners-permit
- https://mva.maryland.gov/drivers/Pages/rookie-driver-general-learners.aspx
- https://mva.maryland.gov/licenses-ids/driver-education-safety/maryland-drivers-manuals
- https://mva.maryland.gov/media/148/download?inline=
- https://mva.maryland.gov/your-mva-guide/drivers-revoked-or-suspended-licenses/driving-under-influence-dui
- https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/transportation/title-21/subtitle-8/section-21-801-1/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/transportation/title-22/subtitle-4/section-22-412-3/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2013/article-gtr/section-21-706
- https://news.maryland.gov/msp/2023/08/24/stop-for-school-buses-what-are-the-laws-in-maryland/
- https://zerodeathsmd.gov/news/maryland-school-bus-laws-and-safety-tips/
- https://legalclarity.org/maryland-inspection-requirements-for-vehicles-what-to-know/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/transportation/title-22/subtitle-2/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/transportation/title-22/subtitle-2/section-22-206