District of Columbia Permit Practice Test
A free District of Columbia permit practice test: 10 questions written from the DC DMV Driver Manual, each with the right answer and the reason. The real test is written from the same handbook.
10 questions. Pick an answer to see if you are right.
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Answer: C. 16
You need to be 16 or older, pass both the knowledge test and an eye screening, and, if under 18, bring a signed parental consent form.
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Answer: B. Two years, and it cannot be renewed
The permit lasts two years for U.S. citizens and is not renewable; after it expires you must pass the knowledge test again.
Source: Obtain a REAL ID Learner Permit
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Answer: A. Friday
After a failed knowledge test you must let three full calendar days pass before retesting, so a Monday failure means your next try can be on Friday.
Source: Knowledge Tests: If you fail
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Answer: C. 14 business days
Bring your eligibility documents to a Service Center within 14 business days, or the passing result will not count and you must retest.
Source: Knowledge Tests: If you pass
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Answer: D. You must wait until 12 months after your first failed test before testing again
Six failures within a year block a seventh attempt until 12 months have passed since the first failure.
Source: Knowledge Tests: If you fail
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Answer: C. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Learner permit holders may drive only from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and always with a licensed driver aged 21 or older beside them.
Source: GRAD License Program: GRAD Permissible Driving Hours
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Answer: D. 10:59 p.m.
During the school year, provisional drivers may drive until 10:59 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11:59 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Source: GRAD License Program: GRAD Permissible Driving Hours
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Answer: A. Every day, 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
In July and August, provisional drivers may drive every day from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Source: GRAD License Program: GRAD Permissible Driving Hours
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Answer: B. At intersections controlled by traffic lights
DC bans U-turns at intersections with traffic signals and on the crosswalks next to them. You also may not U-turn on a curve or hill where other drivers cannot see you from 500 feet away.
Source: U-Turn, PDF p. 81
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Answer: B. 6 months
You must be at least 17, have held the provisional license for six months, and have no pointable violations for 12 months in a row.
Ready for the real District of Columbia test?
The free test shows 10 of the 71 questions for District of Columbia. The Pass Pack opens all of them, with full 25-question practice exams with your score at the end.
- Every question for your state. All 71, each with the reason and the source it comes from.
- Full practice exams. 25 questions, no hints until the end, then your score and every mistake explained.
- Your mistakes, saved. Every question you miss, in practice or in an exam, comes back until you get it right, on this device.
- Every state, one price. Moving, or helping a teen in another state? Every state we cover is included, plus the road signs test.
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Your Pass Pack
All 71 questions are open on this device.
Take a full exam
25 questions drawn at random, no answers shown until you finish, then your score.
Questions you missed before
Every other question
How the District of Columbia knowledge test works
- Questions
- Not published
- To pass
- Not published
- Learner permit from
- age 16
The knowledge test covers DC traffic laws, road signs and safe driving, with a 75-minute limit for the GRAD (ages 16-20) learner permit test and 60 minutes for the standard test; DC DMV does not publish the number of questions or the passing score. Source.
You can get a learner permit at 16 by passing the knowledge test and vision screening, with parental consent if under 18. Drivers under 21 join the GRAD program and need at least 6 months on the permit and 40 certified hours before a provisional license at 16 1/2. Source.
The questions come from the DC DMV Driver Manual (Rev. 7/29/2021 (the edition DC DMV served as a PDF; the January 2024 update is published only as an Issuu flipbook, which could not be read), read 2026-10-12), which is what the real test is written from. Read it alongside these questions: every answer above names the section it comes from.
District of Columbia rules worth knowing before the test
- New District residents have 60 days to get a DC license. Source
- A learner permit holder must always drive with a licensed driver aged 21 or older, holding a full license, in the front passenger seat. Source
- Cheating on the knowledge test, including using a phone or watch, fails the test and bars you from retesting for 60 days. Source
- The DC practice knowledge test does not use real test questions; it is for study only. Source
- The driver and every passenger must wear a seat belt in DC, and the driver is responsible for passengers' compliance. Source
- Provisional drivers under 18 may not drive for pay. Source
Signs, markings and signals
Every state’s test asks about road signs, which follow one national standard. Practise them with pictures on the road signs test.
Questions about the District of Columbia permit test
How many questions are on the District of Columbia permit test?
The knowledge test covers DC traffic laws, road signs and safe driving, with a 75-minute limit for the GRAD (ages 16-20) learner permit test and 60 minutes for the standard test; DC DMV does not publish the number of questions or the passing score. Source: District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV).
What score do I need to pass?
District of Columbia does not publish the pass mark on the official pages we read. Aim to get every question right, and ask your local office if you want the exact rule.
How old do I have to be for a learner’s permit in District of Columbia?
You can get a learner permit at 16 by passing the knowledge test and vision screening, with parental consent if under 18. Drivers under 21 join the GRAD program and need at least 6 months on the permit and 40 certified hours before a provisional license at 16 1/2. Source: District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV).
Is this the official District of Columbia test?
No. This is an independent practice test, not part of the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV). Every question is written in our own words from the DC DMV Driver Manual or the state’s other official pages, and each answer names the section it comes from. The real test is taken with the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV).
What does the Pass Pack add?
All 71 questions for District of Columbia (the 30 written from the handbook and 41 road signs, markings and signals), full 25-question practice exams (District of Columbia does not publish its test’s length, so the exams use 25), and your missed questions kept on this device. It costs US$9.99 once and covers every state we cover. See the Pass Pack.