So you don't have any form of license before taking the Permit Test then?
Here in the UK at the age of 17 you can apply for a Provisional Driving License, and all you do is send off your info and a valid photo, and the application fee, and it gets sent back.
Then I can drive a number of vehicles (Your basic car and moped, also a tractor, lawn-mower or similar vehicle), so long as I have a passenger in the car who has a full license.
With the Provisional then I can start to take lessons, and apply for the full license and complete the two exams.
As far as I can tell, you also don't have to have logged any number of hours before taking the exams. You could go in with zero experience (although that would be stupid and a waste of your money). But I suppose that's fair, because you can drive a vehicle without any form of license, so long as you are on private property.
I've got a provisional license, but I only got one because it's an easy form of official ID, so I can purchase alcohol.
I've never had any lessons or attempted to drive any vehicles.