Washington State Department of Licensing
Washington permit test: 40 questions, a pass lasts two years
Original Washington questions with the law cited under every answer, scored the way DOL scores it.
- Exam Simulator40 questions, pass with 32, scored the way DOL scores it
- Practice Test 120 questions, a broad first pass across signs, right of way, rules and safety
- Road Signs Full197 questions, every sign, signal and pavement marking question
- Laws and Limits12 questions drawn from the RCW
Work through them in order.
WA Practice Test 1
WA Practice Test 2
WA Practice Test 3
WA Practice Test 4
WA Practice Test 5
WA Full Marathon
WA Road Signs Mini
WA Road Signs Full
WA Right of Way
WA Complex Situations
Washington Laws and Limits
WA Alcohol, Phones and Safety
WA Rules of the Road
Washington Exam Simulator
Every question you miss saves to a review deck on this device. See how the review deck works.
Know the format before you book.
Washington's Department of Licensing sets the knowledge test at 40 questions and requires 32 correct, the common 80 percent bar, but it attaches an uncommon shelf life to the result: a passing score stays valid for 2 years if you do not use it right away, so an applicant who clears the written stage early is not made to sit it twice. The DOL is deliberately vague where other agencies are exact. It says only that there may be a waiting period before you can retest, without publishing its length, and the test fee is set by the testing location rather than by the state, so what a second attempt costs depends on where you sat the first. The instruction permit comes at 15 for anyone enrolled in an approved driver training course and 15 and a half without one, though the license itself cannot be issued before 18 unless that training is finished. Washington also bars every driver under 18 from using any wireless device at the wheel, hands free included.
Format verified against Washington State Department of Licensing on 2026-08-27. Check the official page before you book, because states do change their rules.
Source: Washington State Department of Licensing, verified 2026-08-27
What the process looks like.
The knowledge test is written from the Revised Code of Washington. Our questions teach those same rules and cite the section behind each answer, so what you learn holds up on test day and on the road afterwards.
Washington allows the instruction permit at 15 for applicants enrolled in an approved driver training course, or 15 and a half without one, but the driver license itself cannot be issued before 18 without finishing that training.
Permit holders must hold the instruction permit at least 6 months and complete 40 hours of daylight driving plus 10 hours at night with someone who has held a license for at least 3 years.
New drivers under 18, whether on a permit or an intermediate license, cannot use any wireless device while driving, hands-free devices included, and may only use one to report an emergency.
An intermediate license bars passengers under 20 who are not immediate family for the first 6 months, allows up to 3 of them for the next 6 months, and bars driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless a licensed driver 25 or older is in the car.
If you do not pass, there may be a waiting period before you can retest, and you pay the test fee again. The fee is set by the testing location, so it varies.
Washington permit test questions, answered.
How many questions are on the Washington DOL knowledge test?
The test has 40 questions. Verified against the Washington State Department of Licensing on 27 August 2026.
What's the passing score on Washington's knowledge test?
You need 32 of 40 correct, which is 80%, and a passing score stays valid for 2 years if you don't use it right away.
What happens if you fail the Washington knowledge test?
The DOL notes there may be a waiting period before you can retest, though the length varies, and you will need to pay the test fee again, which itself varies by testing location.
How old do you have to be to get a Washington instruction permit?
You can apply at 15 if you're enrolled in an approved driver training course, or 15 and a half if you're not.