Washington DMV Practice Test

Washington study guide

Key facts from the official Washington DOL handbook, organized the way the test asks about them. Each one links to its source section.

Traffic laws & licensing

• Washington's driver guide says you can apply for your instruction permit as early as age 15.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license
• The guide says you can take the knowledge exam after you turn 15½.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license
• A Washington instruction permit is valid for 1 year and can be renewed for a fee.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license
• Your knowledge exam score is only valid for 2 years.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license
• Applicants aged 16 or 17 must have had their instruction permit for at least 6 months.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license
• Teen applicants must complete at least 40 hours of day driving and 10 hours of night driving with a licensed driver.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license
• In the first phase, intermediate drivers may carry no passengers under age 20 except immediate family members.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license — Intermediate driver license
• Intermediate drivers may not drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or licensed driver at least age 25.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license — Intermediate driver license
• In the second phase, intermediate drivers may carry no more than 3 passengers under age 20, except immediate family members.Permits & Licensing · 1.8: Getting a personal driver license — Intermediate driver license
• If your license is 8 or more years expired, you'll need to retake the skills and knowledge test.Permits & Licensing · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• Washington requires at least $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of 1 person in a collision.Permits & Licensing · 2.3: Insurance required
• Washington requires at least $10,000 for injury to or destruction of the property of others in any 1 collision.Permits & Licensing · 2.3: Insurance required
• The Washington knowledge test is multiple choice; you must get 32 out of 40 correct to pass.Permits & Licensing · Knowledge test

Safe driving

• For drivers 21 and older, a BAC of .08% or higher is considered a DUI.Alcohol & Drugs · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• Drivers under 21 face the same potential consequences at a BAC of 0.02%.Alcohol & Drugs · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• Having more than 5 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood is considered a DUI for drivers 21 and older.Alcohol & Drugs · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• Drivers under 21 face consequences for anything more than 0 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood.Alcohol & Drugs · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• Under the Implied Consent Law, everyone who drives in Washington agrees to be tested if an officer suspects they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Alcohol & Drugs · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• Refusing to be tested can cost you your driving privilege for 90 to 730 days, or until you reach 21, whichever is longer.Alcohol & Drugs · 1.15: Maintaining your license
• The guide says tire tread shouldn't be less than 2/32 of an inch.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.5: Vehicle maintenance
• Washington law says headlights must be on from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.5: Vehicle maintenance
• Switch back to regular headlights when you are 500 feet in front of an oncoming vehicle.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.5: Vehicle maintenance
• Use regular headlights when you are within 300 feet behind another vehicle.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.5: Vehicle maintenance
• Brake lights are red and must be clearly visible from 100 feet away.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.5: Vehicle maintenance
• The guide says to signal 100 feet before you make your move.Safe Driving Habits · 2.5: Vehicle maintenance
• Children up to age 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.6: Occupant protection
• Children ages 2 to 4 must ride in a car seat with a rear- or forward-facing harness.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.6: Occupant protection
• Children 4 and older ride in a car or booster seat until the lap and shoulder belts fit properly, typically between ages 8 and 12.Seat Belts, Lights & Equipment · 2.6: Occupant protection
• An ABS does not shorten your stopping distance, but it allows you to keep better steering control.Safe Driving Habits · 2.8: Braking
• If you can't see their mirrors, the driver can't see you.Sharing the Road · 2.13: Other vehicles' blind zones
• The guide states there is no safe amount of cannabis for driving.Alcohol & Drugs · 3.1: Impaired driving
• If you're tired, pull off the road and take a 20-minute nap.Safe Driving Habits · 3.1: Impaired driving
• You cannot hold any electronic device while driving in Washington.Safe Driving Habits · 3.4: Avoiding distracted driving
• The guide states that road rage is a criminal offense.Safe Driving Habits · 3.1: Impaired driving
• Pedestrians and bicyclists have the right-of-way at crosswalks and intersections.Sharing the Road · 4.1: Sharing with people
• It's unlawful to interfere with a service animal, and you should not honk.Sharing the Road · 4.1: Sharing with people
• Fines are doubled for anyone who passes a stopped school bus.Sharing the Road · 4.2: Sharing with school buses
• On school buses, red means stop and yellow means caution or slow down.Sharing the Road · 4.2: Sharing with school buses
• Yield to any transit vehicle that has signaled and is pulling back onto the roadway.Sharing the Road · 4.3: Sharing with transit buses
• A loaded truck traveling at 55 mph needs about 450 feet to come to a complete stop.Sharing the Road · 4.4: Sharing with large vehicles
• Make sure you can clearly see both of the truck's headlights in your rearview mirror before merging in front of it.Sharing the Road · 4.4: Sharing with large vehicles
• Never move into the same lane alongside a motorcyclist, even if the lane is wide.Sharing the Road · 4.5: Sharing with motorcycles
• Leave at least 3 feet of space when passing a bicyclist.Sharing the Road · 4.6: Sharing with bicyclists
• It can take up to a mile for a train to come to a full stop.Sharing the Road · 4.7: Sharing the road with trains
• Stop between 15 and 50 feet away from the nearest rail.Sharing the Road · 4.7: Sharing the road with trains
• Trains always have the right-of-way.Sharing the Road · 4.7: Sharing the road with trains
• Slow-moving vehicles display a triangle sign or emblem on the back.Sharing the Road · 4.8: Sharing with agricultural vehicles

Common mistakes

• Holding your phone at a red light. Washington's rule is that you cannot hold any electronic device while driving.3.4: Avoiding distracted driving
• Stopping too close to the tracks. When you stop for a train, stay between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail.4.7: Sharing the road with trains
• Assuming ABS shortens stopping distance. It helps you steer while braking — it does not make you stop sooner.2.8: Braking

Test types

Washington permit test FAQ