For the basic test its 3 tries and if you fail all 3 you have to take a refresher course and then you get 3 more tries. In Michigan you have to pass to work in the state. As for being hard, yes it was hard. The first thing you remember are your A, B and Cs. My test shut off at 76 questions and I cried like a baby afterwards because I was sure I failed. I passed but it was tough.