Washington permit test: 40 questions, 32 to pass

Drivoku is not connected to the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). Every fact below links to the DOL page it comes from, checked on November 3, 2026.

The Washington permit test at a glance

Washington learner permit and knowledge test
Minimum age	15 with an approved driver training course; 15½ without one (DOL)
Number of questions	40 (DOL)
Passing score	32 of 40
Where	A driver training school or testing location, booked with them
Test fee	Set by the testing location
Permit fee	$35 (DOL)
Valid for	One year, renewable twice

How many questions are on the Washington permit test?

Forty. You must get 32 right to pass, so you can miss 8 (DOL: do I need to take a test?). You schedule the test with a training and testing location, which also sets its own fee; ask the school whether it offers the test in your language. If you do not pass, there may be a waiting period before you can try again. The DOL has a free online practice test in English and Spanish.

Getting a permit at 15 or at 15½

The DOL describes two routes (get your learner permit):

With driver training (from 15): enroll in an approved driver training course and apply no earlier than 10 days before it starts. The DOL’s steps for this route do not list a separate knowledge test before the permit.
Without driver training (from 15½): pass the knowledge test in person at an approved testing location first. On this route you cannot get a license until you turn 18, and the DOL says that from January 1, 2027, first-time applicants who are 18 will also need driver education.

What to bring

If you are under 18, a parent or guardian, who gives permission for your permit online, and documents that show how you are related, such as a birth certificate, adoption records or school records. If you do not live with a parent or guardian, another responsible adult over 21 may be able to give permission.
Proof of identity, if you want a photo on your permit (book an appointment at a licensing office for that).
The $35 permit fee.

The full list is on the DOL’s learner permit page.

Rules for teen drivers in Washington

Washington, like every state, uses graduated driver licensing. From the DOL page on the license at 16 and 17:

Before the license: finish driver training, hold your permit for at least six months, and drive at least 50 hours with supervision, 40 in daylight and 10 at night. No traffic violations in the last six months. Since November 1, 2026, first-time applicants under 25 also pass a free online work zone and first responder safety course (learner permit page).
Intermediate license, first six months: no passengers under 20 except immediate family.
Next six months: at most three passengers under 20 who are not family.
Nights: no driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless a driver aged 25 or older is with you (farm work is an exception).
Phones: no wireless devices while driving, even hands-free, except to report an emergency. The passenger and night limits end after one year of safe driving, and the license becomes a regular license at 18.

What Drivoku covers for Washington

Our free permit practice test and the questions below cover road rules and signs that apply in every state, with signs from the national sign manual. They do not cover Washington’s own laws and numbers; the DOL’s driver guide has those.

Practice five questions every state shares

Five shared road rules

Answer one question at a time. You see the answer and the reason after each one. Nothing you pick is saved or sent anywhere.

Question 1 of 5

Night and bad weather

Heavy snow is reducing visibility while you drive. You need your headlights to see and be seen. Which lighting choice is appropriate?
- Low-beam headlights Right
- High beams for the strongest possible light
- Parking lights without the headlights
- Daytime running lights without other lighting
The right answer is A: Low-beam headlights

WhyUse low-beam headlights when snow reduces visibility so you can see and other drivers can see you.

Source: California Driver Handbook (California DMV): Signals, Horns, and Headlights: Using Your Headlights, Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 9: Some Special Driving Situations, Headlights, Florida Driver License Handbook (FLHSMV): Low Visibility; Night Driving

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Emergencies

You slept very little, drank coffee, and now begin drifting out of your lane. A designated rest area is just ahead. What is the safest response?
- Pull into the rest area and stop to rest Right
- Keep driving because the coffee will prevent sleep
- Open the windows and continue until your destination
- Turn the music louder and increase your driving speed
The right answer is A: Pull into the rest area and stop to rest

WhyCoffee alone may not prevent microsleeps; stop in a safe place when sleepiness affects your driving.

Source: NHTSA: Drowsy Driving, Short-Term Interventions

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Sharing the road

A motorcycle is traveling ahead in your lane. There appears to be enough room for your car beside it. How should you treat the motorcycle's lane space?
- Share its lane whenever your car can fit beside it
- Allow the motorcycle full use of its lane Right
- Move beside it after sounding a brief horn warning
- Use its unused lane space when traffic is moving slowly
The right answer is B: Allow the motorcycle full use of its lane

WhyA motorcycle is entitled to full use of a lane; a car must not crowd into that space.

Source: UVC § 11-1303(a) Operating motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic (model law)

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Alcohol and drugs

What happens when you mix alcohol with another drug before you drive?
- They cancel each other's effects
- Only the alcohol matters
- There is no added risk
- The effects can get stronger Right
The right answer is D: The effects can get stronger

WhyMixing alcohol with other drugs can amplify the impairing effects of each, making driving more dangerous.

Source: NHTSA: Drug-Impaired Driving, Many Substances Can Impair Driving

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Intersections and turns

You plan to turn onto a one-way street. Its permitted traffic direction runs from your left to your right. There are no other turn restrictions. Which turn follows that street's legal direction?
- A left turn across the near side of the street
- Either turn if the destination street is empty
- A left turn followed by an immediate lane change
- A right turn Right
The right answer is D: A right turn

WhyEnter a one-way street only in its designated direction of travel.

Source: UVC § 11-308(b) One-way roadways and rotary traffic islands (model law)

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Your topics

SignsKnow it
Learner and provisional licensesOn the way
Right-of-wayStamped

Each topic's level is free in the app. Pro lets you practice every topic as much as you want.

In the app, questions you miss come back until you get them right. 5 questions a day are free.

45 free questions on this website and 379 in the app, checked against the MUTCD, the Uniform Vehicle Code and Texas law, with the reason for every answer. About the app

Out now on iPhone and Android.

Keep going with the 25-question permit practice test and the road signs quiz. Other states: permit test by state.

Common questions

How many questions can you miss on the Washington permit test?

Eight. You need 32 of 40 right.

Where do you take the Washington knowledge test?

At a driver training school or testing location, booked with them. The fee varies by location.

Can you get a permit at 15 in Washington?

Yes, if you are enrolled in an approved driver training course. Without one you must be 15½ and pass the knowledge test first.

How much is a learner permit in Washington?

The DOL lists a $35 permit fee. The knowledge test fee is set by the testing location.

Sources

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The Washington permit test, explained