In short
Department of Motor Vehicles — the state-level agency that runs the US road test.
DMV stands for Department of Motor Vehicles. Each US state runs its own DMV (or equivalent — PennDOT in Pennsylvania, BMV in Indiana, MVA in Maryland, RMV in Massachusetts, DPS in Texas).
The DMV sets and runs road tests, issues driver's licenses, and maintains driving records. Road test syllabuses, fees, and pass standards vary significantly by state.
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