Washington's permit knowledge test is 40 questions, and you need 32 correct (about 80%) to pass.
Pick an answer on each question to see whether you got it right, with an explanation.
This is a short sample — DriveDrill has 200+ Washington questions
and full-length mock exams in the app.
Q1. You are on a divided highway with a median and a school bus stops on the other side. In most states you:
A Must stop and sound your horn
B Must stop only during school hours
C Do not have to stop, but should still watch for children
D Must always stop
A physical median or barrier usually removes the requirement for traffic on the far side. A painted line is not a median, and rules vary, so learn your state's version.
Q2. Blood alcohol concentration depends on:
A Only how much you drank
B Only how tired you are
C Only what you ate
D How much you drank, over how long, your body weight and other factors
Two people drinking the same amount can end up at very different levels, so nobody can judge their own BAC reliably.
Q3. You must never pass another vehicle when:
A There is a broken yellow line on your side
B The vehicle ahead is under the speed limit
C You are approaching a hill, curve or intersection where your view is blocked
D You are on a four-lane road
You need to see far enough ahead to complete the pass and return safely. Hills, curves, intersections and railroad crossings take that view away.
Q4. In Washington, if an adult in the front seat is not wearing a seat belt:
A An officer may stop you for the seat belt violation alone
B Only the driver can be ticketed, never a passenger
C Seat belts are recommended but not required for adults
D An officer may ticket you only after stopping you for something else
This is a primary enforcement state: no other violation is needed. The belt is also the single most effective thing in the car for surviving a crash.
Q5. In Washington, once you are in a shared center left-turn lane, you should not travel farther than:
A 1,000 feet
B 300 feet
C 50 feet
D 100 feet
Washington's guide says drivers shouldn't travel farther than 300 feet in a shared center turn lane, since the lane is only for entering or leaving traffic, not for passing.
Q6. On a long downgrade you should:
A Coast in neutral
B Ride the brakes steadily all the way down
C Shift to a lower gear and use the brakes in short applications
D Switch off the engine
Continuous braking overheats the brakes and they fade. Let the engine hold the vehicle back and brake in short firm applications.
Q7. Driving after using marijuana is:
A Only a problem for new drivers
B Legal where marijuana is legal
C Safe if you feel normal
D Illegal, and it impairs reaction time and judgment
Legal to possess does not mean legal to drive on. Impaired driving laws cover cannabis the same way they cover alcohol.
Q8. In Washington, leaving a child under age 12 unattended in a parked vehicle is a crime:
A Only if the vehicle is unlocked
B Only if the engine is running
C Only if the temperature is above 80 degrees
D Even if the engine is off
Washington makes it a crime to leave a child under 12 unattended in a parked vehicle at all, and separately a crime to leave a child under 16 unattended with the motor running.
Q9. In Washington, during the restricted period, a young driver may carry:
A no passengers at all
B no more than one passenger younger than 21
C no more than one passenger
D no passengers younger than 20 for the first six months, then three
Crash risk for a teen driver climbs sharply with each additional teen passenger, which is what this rule is built around.
Q10. A left turn on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street is:
A Allowed without stopping
B Never allowed
C Allowed only for buses and taxis
D Allowed in many states after stopping, unless a sign prohibits it
Most states permit this turn after a complete stop and yielding, but it is banned in some cities, so obey any posted sign.
DriveDrill is an independent study app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or
connected to any state motor vehicle agency. These practice questions are written in
the style of Washington's knowledge test and are not official test questions.