Washington · Department of Licensing
Washington’s knowledge test, given by the Department of Licensing or an approved driver training school, has 40 questions, and you need 32 right, or 80%, to pass.
40
questions
32
right to pass
80%
passing score
Checked against the Washington Driver Guide (revised April 2025) on October 25, 2026. How we check facts
Practice test
Pick an answer and check it. Every question comes with the reason behind the right answer and the sentence of an official document it rests on.
To pass here you need 8 of 10, since Washington’s test asks for 80%.
Question 1 of 10 · Regulatory signs
The answer is B: Both ways along the curb from the post.
The arrows on a parking sign show how far the rule reaches. A head at each end means the ban runs both ways along the curb from the post. A single arrow means it runs that way only. Read the sign nearest the space you want, not one a block back.
“When signs with arrows are used to indicate the extent of the restricted zones, the signs should be set at an angle of not less than 30 degrees or more than 45 degrees with the line of traffic flow in order to be visible to approaching traffic.”
Question 2 of 10 · Railroad crossings
The answer is B: Get everyone out and away.
Get out first and take every passenger with you. The car can be replaced. Move well away from the tracks and, if a train is coming, walk toward it, so wreckage flies away from you. Then call the number on the blue sign at the crossing, or 911.
“If a train is approaching and your vehicle is stalled, get out quickly and move away from the tracks. Run toward the approaching train to the side of the tracks and avoid flying debris.”
Question 3 of 10 · Rain, fog and slick roads
The answer is B: The defroster.
Turn on the defroster. The wipers and the washer work on the outside of the glass, so they cannot reach mist on the inside. Opening a window a little helps too. Do not drive until you can see clearly.
“Use the defroster or slightly open your windows to keep them from fogging up.”
Question 4 of 10 · Guide and service signs
The answer is B: blue
Blue is the color for services a driver may need: gas, food, a place to stay, a hospital or a rest area. The symbol on the sign is a picture, so you can read it from far back. Brown is for parks and green is for directions.
“B. Blue—road-user services guidance, tourist information, and evacuation route”
Question 5 of 10 · Emergency vehicles and the Move Over law
The answer is A: Wait and let the whole line pass.
In most states you yield to a funeral procession and stay out of it until the last car has gone by. Cutting in splits the line and leaves the cars behind you with nothing to follow. The cars in it have their headlights and flashers on, which is how you tell it from ordinary traffic.
“If you see a funeral procession on the road, yield to vehicles in the procession.”
Question 6 of 10 · Night driving and headlights
The answer is B: A clean windshield.
A dirty windshield spreads oncoming headlights into glare. Clean the glass inside and out before a night drive, and keep your headlights clean so they light the road fully. Tinted glasses only take away light you need.
“A dirty windshield increases glare from approaching headlights. Make sure your lights and windshield glass are clean for night driving.”
Question 7 of 10 · Pavement markings
The answer is B: Stay in the lane you are in.
The line goes solid where a late lane change is a bad idea, like right before an intersection. Hold your lane through it. Pick the lane you need while the line is still broken.
“A solid white lane line marking should be used on approaches to: A. Intersections to separate a through lane from a mandatory turn lane. B. Intersections to separate contiguous mandatory turn lanes from each other.”
Question 8 of 10 · Licensing, insurance and penalties
The answer is A: A suspended license.
Every conviction for a moving violation goes on your driving record. In most states it also adds points, and the worse the offense, the more points it carries. Collect enough in a set period and the state can suspend your license. Points usually drop off after a few years of clean driving.
“When you are convicted of a traffic violation, while your vehicle was in motion, the Department receives notice and adds points to your driving record.”
Question 9 of 10 · Slow-moving and farm vehicles
The answer is A: ease off the gas.
Ease off as soon as you see it. You are closing on the tractor much faster than it looks, and every second you wait means harder braking later. Slowing early lets you settle in behind it and look for a place to pass. Flashing your lights changes nothing about how fast the gap closes.
“Be patient and slow down.”
Question 10 of 10 · Turns and U-turns
The answer is C: Drive around the block.
Going around the block is the calmest way to turn around. You never cross traffic or block a lane to do it. A U-turn is next, where the road is wide enough and no sign bans it. A three-point turn is the last choice.
“Two-Point Turnabout—In this type of turn, a street, alley, or driveway is used to reverse the direction you are traveling when it is not practical or possible to drive around a block.”
These 10 questions are from the DMV Champ app’s practice set, last updated October 23, 2026. Spot a mistake in a question? Email us.
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You need 32 of the 40 right.
The test has 40 questions, and you need 32 right to pass.
“You must get 32 out of 40 correct answers to pass the test.”
DMV Champ uses the same format for Kentucky, Louisiana and Minnesota.
The youngest you can be is 15.
“If you are enrolling in a driver training course You can apply for your permit as early as 15 years old.”
The guide calls it an instruction permit.
“Before applying for an instruction permit, you need to have a WDL number.”
If you fail, you may have to wait before you can take the test again.
“If you do not pass, there may be a waiting period before you can retest.”
It’s given at approved driver training schools, or by appointment at a driver licensing office.
“There are two ways you can take your driver license exams. Find a driver training school exam location by searching approved driver training school at dol.wa.gov. Schedule an appointment at a driver licensing office in License Express.”
The guide calls it the knowledge exam.
“The Driving Knowledge Exam assesses your understanding of Washington’s rules of the road.”
The test comes in 12 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Korean, Russian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Arabic, Punjabi, Tagalog and Ukrainian.
“The knowledge test is available in 12 languages:”
Check that your driver training school gives the test in the language you need.
“Check with your driver training school to make sure they offer the knowledge test in the language you need.”
It’s a written test with multiple choice questions.
“The knowledge test is a written multiple-choice test.”
Test simulator
DMV Champ teaches every question with its explanation, then checks you with 5 simulated tests of 40 questions, graded against the 32-correct passing score. 35 topics in Washington: the 34 every state tests, plus winter driving, because the Washington handbook teaches it.
Download on the App Store