District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles

The District of Columbia written test, explained

People say written test, DC DMV paperwork says knowledge test. Same exam. Nobody hands you a pencil anymore: you answer on a screen. What matters is the scoring, and here it is with nothing rounded off.

25
Questions
DC DMV Knowledge Tests page and DC DMV Practice Knowledge Test, verified 2026-08-27
20
Correct to pass
25 questions on DC DMV's own practice exam; no pass mark is published
DC DMV Knowledge Tests page and DC DMV Practice Knowledge Test, verified 2026-08-27

What the questions cover

Everything comes back to the District of Columbia Official Code Title 50, Motor and Non-Motor Vehicles and Traffic, with licensing rules at 18 DCMR Chapter 1: traffic signals and signs, right of way, speed rules, passing and lane use, parking, alcohol limits, and the licensing rules that apply to new drivers. The exam is multiple choice with one correct answer per question.

How to prepare without wasting evenings

Reading rules is passive; retrieval is what sticks. Take a full-length run in the real format, read the explanation on every miss, and let the review deck bring your weak spots back tomorrow. Most people are consistently passing practice runs within a week of short daily sessions.

Take the free District of Columbia practice test