Driving Tests

Washington Permit Test: Questions, Passing Score and Where to Take It

informational·how to guide·Published July 22, 2026

How many questions are on the Washington permit test and what score passes?

The Washington knowledge test, often called the permit test, is a written multiple-choice test with 40 questions. You need 32 correct answers to pass (80%). You take it in person at an approved driver training school or testing location, and the fee varies by location. A passing score is good for 2 years, and you must pass it before the drive test.

Where this guide gets its facts

The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) sets the test rules. This guide uses the DOL page on whether you need to take a test, the DOL page on getting your learner permit and the law on testing, RCW 46.20.120. It also uses the Washington Driver Guide (2025 edition), the DOL page for drivers 18 and older, RCW 46.20.055 (instruction permit) and RCW 46.20.1191 (driver training). All facts are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Washington State Department of Licensing (dol.wa.gov) before you drive.

Washington knowledge test vs drive test

Washington knowledge test vs drive test
Point	Knowledge test	Drive test
What it checks	Your understanding of driving rules, road signs and safe driving	Whether you can drive safely while you apply the traffic laws
Format	40 written multiple-choice questions	Behind the wheel, with an examiner
To pass	32 of 40 correct (80%)	At least 80 of 100 points
A pass is good for	2 years	1 year
Order	First	Only after you pass the knowledge test
Fee	Varies by location	Varies by location

Who has to take the Washington knowledge test?

You take the knowledge test and the drive test if you have no driver license, or if your license from another state has expired. If you are 18 or older and have a valid license from another U.S. state (with a driving record dated within the last 30 days), D.C., a U.S. territory, British Columbia (Class 5 only), Germany or South Korea, you take no tests. The Washington Driver Guide calls the knowledge test the Driving Knowledge Exam. When you pass it, you can book the Washington drive test.

When can you take the Washington knowledge test?

You are 15 or older and enrolled in an approved driver training course

You can apply for a permit as soon as you turn 15, and DOL can waive the written test for your permit. You still pass the knowledge test before your license, and your driver training school enters your exam scores. The earliest age for a license is 16.

You are 15½ or older and not in a driver training course

Pass the knowledge test, and then you get your permit. You cannot get a license until you turn 18. The practice question about a teen who is 15 years and 8 months old with no course checks this rule.

You are 18 or older

Today you can pass the knowledge test and the drive test with no permit and no driver training course. From January 1, 2027, a first-time applicant aged 18 must also complete a driver training course. The rule adds one age year each January 1, up to applicants under 22 from 2030, unless DOL pauses or delays it by rule.

Where do you take the Washington permit test?

You take it in person. Driver training schools licensed by DOL and school districts with a traffic safety education program may give the knowledge test. Use the DOL search for a driving school or testing location on dol.wa.gov to find one near you and see its services. Some driver licensing offices also give the test by appointment, which you book in License Express. If you are under 18, start with an approved driver training school or testing location.

Can you take the Washington permit test online?

No. You take the knowledge test in person at an approved testing location. You can practice online: DOL has an online practice test in English and Spanish, and a 5-question practice test on its driver guides page. Our free Washington practice questions are online too, in English only. They are practice questions, not real test questions, and none of these practice tests replaces the real test.

How to get ready for the Washington knowledge test

1
Get your WDL number
Create a License Express account and pre-apply to get a Washington driver license (WDL) number. You need it before you apply for a permit, and you give it to your driver training school when you enroll.
2
Study the Washington Driver Guide
The guide explains the rules of the road, the road signs and the safe driving habits that the knowledge test checks.
3
Take practice tests
Use the DOL practice tests and our free Washington practice questions to find the topics that you still miss.
4
Book at a testing location
Choose an approved driver training school or testing location. Ask about the fee and the language you need.
5
Pass the test and get your permit
Pass the knowledge test in person, apply for your permit and pay the permit fee of $35 (U.S. dollars, as of 2026). If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must give permission online. The guide to the Washington instruction permit explains the rules for practice driving.

Which languages is the Washington knowledge test in?

The knowledge test is available in 12 languages: English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Arabic, Punjabi, Tagalog and Ukrainian. Before you book, ask your driver training school if it offers the test in the language you need. The Washington Driver Guide comes in 17 languages, including some that the test list does not have, such as Somali and Hindi.

What happens if you fail the Washington knowledge test?

If you do not pass, there may be a waiting period before you can retest. Ask your testing location how long the wait is and what a new test costs, because the fee varies by location. Use the time to study the Washington Driver Guide again and practice the topics you missed.

Key takeaways

The Washington knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need 32 correct (80%) to pass.
Take it in person at an approved driver training school or testing location. Only the practice tests are online.
A pass is good for 2 years, and you must pass it before the drive test.
In a driver training course, DOL can waive the test for your permit at 15, but you pass it before your license.
Next step: practice on the free Washington personal driver practice test.

Washington permit test: common questions

What is on the Washington permit test?

It checks your understanding of Washington's driving rules, road signs and other information that you need to drive safely. The Washington Driver Guide has this material. Our free practice questions cover topics such as signs, right of way, sharing the road, work zones and bad weather. They are practice questions, not real test questions.

Can I take the permit test at the DOL office?

Sometimes. You can book an exam appointment at a driver licensing office in License Express. In a region where driver training schools and school districts do the testing, the law only requires DOL to test applicants 18 and older by appointment in at least one licensing office. Teens should ask a driver training school first.

How much does the Washington knowledge test cost?

The fee varies by location. Ask your driver training school or testing location for the exact amount before you book, and ask what a retest costs. The test fee is separate from the permit fee of $35 (U.S. dollars, as of 2026) that you pay when you apply for your permit.

Do I need to take the knowledge test if I am in driver training?

Maybe not for your permit. The law lets DOL waive the written test for an applicant who is enrolled in a driver training course. You still must pass the knowledge test, and then the drive test, before you get a license. This practice question on the order of the exams tests the rule.

Can I take the permit test in Spanish or Punjabi?

Yes. Spanish and Punjabi are both among the 12 languages of the Washington knowledge test. Ask your driver training school or testing location before you book, because you need a location that offers your language. The DOL online practice test is also in Spanish.

What do I do after I pass the knowledge test?

Without a driver training course, you now apply for your permit. With the permit, you practice with a licensed driver who has at least 5 years of driving experience, and you may not use a phone unless you call 911. If you are under 18, you can get your license at 18.