US Permit Test

Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

District of Columbia Permit Test (2026)

Study for the official DMV DC DMV Knowledge Test with free practice tests written from the state's own rules — plus the verified facts below: how many questions, the passing score, and what it costs.

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Free District of Columbia practice tests

District of Columbia Practice Test 1

30 questions — signs, rules, and state law

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District of Columbia Practice Test 2

30 fresh questions, no repeats from Test 1

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District of Columbia Practice Test 3

30 more questions, no repeats from Tests 1 or 2

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District of Columbia Practice Test 4

30 more questions, no repeats from Tests 1–3

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District of Columbia Road Signs Test

25 questions on signs, shapes, and signals

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District of Columbia study guide

Every District of Columbia bank item with answers — open handbook extras testers reuse, then cite them.

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District of Columbia handbook pages

Jump to an official District of Columbia handbook page and highlight the passage a question cites.

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District of Columbia official statutes

Jump to an official District of Columbia statute page and highlight the passage a leftover extra cites.

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How it works

  1. Step 1

    Take Practice Test 1 like the real thing — no notes, one question at a time.

  2. Step 2

    Read every explanation, especially for questions you missed. That's where the learning happens.

  3. Step 3

    Repeat with Tests 2–4 and the road signs test until you pass comfortably every time.

New-driver rules in District of Columbia

New drivers under 21 in the District enter the GRAD program, which moves through a learner permit, a provisional license, and then a full license. Permit holders must be at least 16 and may drive only between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm; a provisional license requires holding the permit six months, 12 consecutive months without a points-assessable offense, a certification of 40 hours of practice with a tutor 21 or older, and a road skills test. Provisional drivers may drive from 6:00 am until 10:59 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:59 pm Friday and Saturday during September through June, and until 11:59 pm daily in July and August. At 17, after six months on a provisional license and 10 certified hours of night practice, you can move to a full license with conditions, which caps passengers under 21 at two (siblings excluded); driving-hour and passenger limits end at 18.

Verified 2026-09-21 · Source: DMV

District of Columbia permit test FAQ

How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in District of Columbia?

You can apply for a learner's permit in District of Columbia at 16, according to the DMV (verified 2026-09-26).

How much does the District of Columbia permit cost?

Learner permit $20 and provisional license $20; the knowledge test costs $10 at a DC DMV service center, $39.95 at a Test Proctoring Center, or $49.95 virtually, and is charged whether you pass or fail. The road test is $10, with a $30 fee if you fail to cancel at least two business days ahead. A full driver license is $47 for eight years. A 2.5% service fee applies to debit and credit card payments. — as listed by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), verified 2026-09-22. Always confirm current fees on the official site.

What happens if you fail the District of Columbia permit test?

If you do not pass, you must wait three full calendar days and may return on the fourth day to test again, paying the fee each attempt. If you fail six times within a 12-month period, you cannot take a seventh test until 12 months after your first failure. Cheating, including using smart devices or study materials, fails the test and blocks retesting for 60 days. (per the DMV, verified 2026-09-22).

Can you take the District of Columbia permit test online?

Yes, in some cases. The DMV offers an online option for the DC DMV Knowledge Test — check eligibility on the official site (verified 2026-09-26).

What languages is the District of Columbia permit test offered in?

The knowledge test is offered in 24 languages: English, Amharic, Arabic, Cantonese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Hungarian, Finnish, Danish, Indonesian, Dutch, Farsi, Italian, and Swedish, with audio-assisted versions for those who need reading help. Nine of those languages (Turkish, Hungarian, Finnish, Danish, Indonesian, Dutch, Farsi, Italian, and Swedish) were added December 15, 2025. (per the DMV, verified 2026-09-26).

Who runs the permit test in District of Columbia?

Driver licensing in District of Columbia is handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The official site is https://dmv.dc.gov/.

Where can I read the official District of Columbia driver handbook?

The official District of Columbia driver handbook is published by the DMV at https://dmv.dc.gov/publication/dc-dmv-automobile-driver-manual. Practice questions on this site are original and grounded in that handbook and District of Columbia traffic law — quote the official handbook for the legal text.

What is the District of Columbia permit test officially called?

The DMV officially calls it the DC DMV Knowledge Test. "Permit test" and "written test" are common informal names for the same exam.

Need the full citable set? See verified District of Columbia permit-test answers or the District of Columbia state-question study guide.

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