You come to a red, eight-sided sign. What does the Virginia manual say you must do?

Come to a complete stop at the sign, stop line, crosswalk or curb and wait for vehicles and pedestrians to clear the way

Slow down and keep going if no vehicle is coming

Stop only if a vehicle is approaching from your right

Sound your horn and drive through carefully

On a Virginia road sign, what does yellow used with black convey?

A warning, such as a curve, a stop ahead or a slippery road

A regulation set by law, such as a speed limit

Motorist services such as gas, food or lodging

Historical or cultural points of interest

A yellow diamond-shaped sign shows a leaping deer. What should you do?

Slow down, be alert and be ready to stop

Speed up to get through the area quickly

Pull onto the shoulder and wait until the area is clear

Watch for deer only between midnight and 4 a.m.

A sign next to a traffic signal reads LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN. What does it tell you?

Traffic turning left on a green light does not have the right-of-way and must yield to oncoming traffic

Left turns are not allowed while the light is green

Left-turning traffic has the right-of-way over oncoming traffic

You may turn left only after the light turns red

What does a five-sided (pentagon-shaped) sign mark?

A school zone or school crossing

The beginning of a no-passing zone

A hospital or emergency entrance

When may you turn right on a steady red light in Virginia?

After a complete stop, yielding to pedestrians and traffic, unless a NO TURN ON RED sign or a red right arrow is displayed

At any time without stopping, if no traffic is coming

Never; right turns on red are illegal in Virginia

Only when a police officer waves you through

The traffic signals at an intersection are out of service and show no lights. No officer is directing traffic. What must you do?

Stop and proceed as though the intersection were an all-way stop

Slow down and continue if you are on the wider road

Continue at normal speed; the intersection is uncontrolled

Turn around and find another route

A broken yellow line runs alongside a solid yellow line in the center of the road. The broken line is on your side. What does this mean?

You may pass when the way ahead is clear; drivers on the solid-line side may not pass

Only drivers on the solid-line side may pass

Both directions may pass at any time

A school bus is stopped on a two-lane road with red lights flashing and its stop sign extended. You are behind it, going the same way. What must you do?

Stop and remain stopped until all persons are clear and the bus moves again

Slow down and pass carefully on the left

Stop, then pass once the children are on the sidewalk

Continue at a reduced speed if no children are visible

Two vehicles arrive at the same time at an intersection with no signs or signals. Which driver must let the other go first?

The driver on the left lets the driver on the right go first

The driver on the right lets the driver on the left go first

The driver turning left goes first

How far ahead of a turn should you signal, according to the Virginia manual?

At least three to four seconds, 100 feet, before the turn

Only as you begin to turn the wheel

At least 500 feet before the turn

How does the traffic signs part of the Virginia knowledge exam work?

It has 10 road sign questions and you must answer all ten correctly before you can take part two

It has 10 road sign questions and you need 8 correct

Sign questions are mixed into the 30 general knowledge questions

It has 20 sign questions and you need 16 correct

Picturing the steering wheel as a clock, where does the Virginia manual say your hands should be?

At 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock, gripping with your palms

What is the best way to check your blind spot before changing lanes?

Quickly turn your head and glance over your shoulder

Look only in the rearview mirror

How much clearance does Virginia law require when you pass a bicyclist?

At least three feet; if the lane is too narrow, change lanes to pass

No set distance, as long as you honk first

Under Virginia law, when may a driver hold a cell phone while driving?

Only in a driver emergency or when the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped

At red lights and in stop-and-go traffic

Whenever the driver is 18 or older

Virginia Permit Practice Test 2026 (Free, Explained)

Virginia DMV knowledge exam format

Section	Questions	Time
Part one: traffic signs	10	—

Virginia DMV knowledge exam	Official rule
Number of questions	Two parts: 10 road sign questions, then 30 general knowledge questions (multiple choice, on a computer) source
Passing score	All 10 sign questions correct, then at least 24 of the 30 general knowledge questions correct source
Where you take it	At a DMV customer service center, or in a classroom at a participating high school (remote testing in schools); oral exams on request at every customer service center source
Minimum age	15 years and 6 months to apply for a learner's permit source
Fee	$3 learner's permit fee plus the yearly cost of the driver's license ($4 per year on the DMV fee chart DMV 201, dated 08/10/2026) source
Vision screening	Unrestricted license: 20/40 or better in one or both eyes and 110 degrees or better horizontal vision, with or without glasses source
Retake wait	Under 18: wait a full 15 days (fail on January 1, retest January 17 at the earliest). 18 or older: one attempt per day source
After three failures	You must complete the classroom part of a Virginia-approved driver education program (completion dated after the third failure) before retesting source
Result validity	If you do not get your permit or license within 1 year of the knowledge exam, you must retest source
Languages	Offered in English, American Sign Language, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese/Mandarin (simplified and traditional), Dari, Farsi, French, German, Haitian Creole, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Mongolian, Nepali, Pashto, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Twi (Akan), Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese source
Supervising driver	A licensed driver at least 21, or at least 18 if your legal guardian or sibling, seated beside you source
Permit passengers	A learner's permit holder may not carry more than one passenger under 18 (family members excepted) source
Before a license (under 18)	Complete state-approved driver education, hold the permit at least 9 months and have a parent certify 45 hours of driving, 15 after sunset source
Before a license (18 and older)	Until 12/31/2026: hold the permit 60 days or complete driver education. From 01/01/2027: ages 18-20 must hold it 90 days and complete driver education; 21+ keep the 60-day-or-driver-ed choice source
Handbook edition	Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), PDF dated April 2026 source

Checked on the official sources on September 30, 2026. Rules change: always confirm on the official site before test day.

What the Virginia knowledge exam is

In Virginia, the knowledge exam is the test you pass to get a learner's permit, the first step toward a driver's license. You take it together with a vision screening at your permit appointment. The Virginia DMV describes it as a two-part exam that tests traffic signs, motor vehicle laws and safe driving, and all questions come from the Virginia Driver's Manual. You can apply for a learner's permit once you are at least 15 years and 6 months old.

Format and scoring

	Virginia knowledge exam
Part one	10 road sign questions, all ten must be correct
Part two	30 general knowledge questions, 24 correct to pass (80 percent)
Question type	Multiple choice, on a computer
Vision screening	20/40 or better in one or both eyes and 110 degrees horizontal vision for an unrestricted license
Languages	English, American Sign Language and 24 other languages

The sign part is the one that surprises people. There is no margin: the manual says you must answer all ten traffic sign questions correctly before you can take part two. One wrong sign answer and you do not get to the general knowledge questions. Part two is more forgiving: you can miss up to six of the 30 questions.

The manual also says an audio version is available and translators may not be used for tests offered in your language. Oral exams are available on request at every customer service center. The DMV does not publish a time limit. It is unlawful to get or give help, try to obtain the questions or answers, or use a cell phone during the exam.

Where you can take it (and the online question)

You take the exam on a computer at a DMV customer service center, by appointment or as a walk-in. Walk-ins must arrive by 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday or 11:30 a.m. on Saturday to test that day.

Many high school students can also take it at school. Under DMV's remote testing program, participating schools give the knowledge test online in a proctored classroom. Students get their result immediately and, if they pass, a testing receipt to take to a DMV customer service center to finish the permit. The DMV pages we checked do not describe a version you can take alone at home. The in-person final exam of an online driver education course is a different test from the DMV knowledge exam.

Step by step: from permit to license

Study the manual. Download the free Virginia Driver's Manual (the current PDF is dated April 2026) and try the DMV's online practice exams.
Gather your documents. You need a completed application, one proof of identity, one proof of legal presence, two proofs of Virginia residency and your Social Security number if you have one. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign your application.
Pay the fee. The permit costs a $3 learner's permit fee plus the yearly cost of a driver's license. The DMV fee chart lists the driver's license at $4 per year.
Pass the vision screening and the two-part knowledge exam. DMV then mails your learner's permit to the address on record.
Practice with a supervisor. A licensed driver must sit beside you. They must be at least 21, or at least 18 if they are your legal guardian or sibling.
Meet the holding period and driver education rules. If you are under 18, you must complete a state-approved driver education program, hold the permit at least nine months and have a parent certify 45 hours of driving, 15 of them after sunset. The driver education program includes 36 classroom sessions, seven driving sessions and seven observation sessions, and for applicants under 18 the road skills test is given as part of the driver education course.

For first-time applicants 18 and older, the rules change on January 1, 2027. Until then, you hold the permit 60 days or complete driver education. From that date, applicants aged 18 through 20 must hold the permit at least 90 days and complete driver education; applicants 21 and older keep the choice between 60 days and driver education.

If you fail

Under 18: you must wait a full 15 days. The DMV's example: fail on January 1, and the earliest retest is January 17.
18 or older: you may test once per day.
After three failures, at any age: you must complete the classroom portion of a Virginia-approved driver training school program, finished after the date of your third failure, before you can test again. The manual also describes an 8-hour DMV-approved course based on the manual for this purpose. If you are under 18, you must have completed driver education classroom first.
Each retake means a new application with your identity and residency documents. If you pass but do not get your permit or license within 1 year, you must retest.

Rules for permit holders and teen drivers

Passengers: a learner's permit holder may not carry more than one passenger under 18. Family members do not count.
Curfew: drivers under 18 may not drive from midnight to 4 a.m., except for work, supervised school or civic activities, with a licensed parent or adult in the front seat, or in an emergency.
Phones: drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone while driving, hand-held or not, except for an emergency with the vehicle lawfully parked or stopped. For all drivers, Virginia prohibits holding a phone while driving except in an emergency or when lawfully parked or stopped.

Virginia rules that come up often

These points are specific to Virginia and appear in the Driver's Manual:

Default speed limits: 25 MPH in school, business and residential areas, 35 MPH on unpaved roads and 55 MPH on other roads.
Reckless driving: 20 MPH or more over the limit, or over 85 MPH, can be charged as reckless driving.
Red lights: right on red after a full stop unless a sign or a red arrow forbids it; left on red only from a one-way street onto another one-way street; no turns on a red arrow unless a sign allows it.
Emergency vehicles: never follow closer than 500 feet when lights are flashing.
Alcohol: a BAC of .08 is DUI at 21 and older; under 21, a BAC of .02 to under .08 is illegal consumption.
Parking: at least 15 feet from a hydrant, 20 feet from an intersection and 50 feet from a railroad crossing.

How to prepare

Start with the signs, because you need a perfect score on them. Section 2 of the manual shows each sign with its meaning; learn the shapes and colors first, then every picture. Then read Sections 3 to 5 for the general knowledge part and write the numbers on one page: following distances (2, 3 and 4 seconds), parking distances, BAC levels and the teen rules. Finish with the DMV's own practice exams.

Our practice questions are original, written from the current manual and DMV pages, and each explanation names the section it comes from. They are for practice and do not replace the manual. The DMV decides what is on your test.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really have to get all 10 sign questions right?

Yes. Part one has 10 road sign questions and all ten must be answered correctly. The manual adds that you must pass part one before you can take part two, the 30 general knowledge questions, where you need 24 correct. Source

Can I take the Virginia knowledge exam online at home?

No home version is described by the DMV. You take it on a computer at a DMV customer service center, or in a proctored classroom at a participating high school through DMV's remote testing program; students who pass there get a testing receipt to finish at a customer service center. The final exam of an online driver education course is a different test from the DMV knowledge exam. Source

How soon can I retake the test if I fail?

If you are under 18 you must wait a full 15 days (fail on January 1, earliest retest January 17). If you are 18 or older you may test once per day. Each retake requires a new application with identity and residency documents. Source

What happens after three failures?

Regardless of age, you must complete the classroom portion of a Virginia-approved driver training school program, finished after the date of your third failure, and present the certificate at a customer service center before you can retest. The manual also describes an 8-hour DMV-approved course based on the manual for this purpose. Source

How old do I have to be for a learner's permit?

You must be at least 15 years and six months old. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign your application. Source

How long must I hold my permit?

Under 18: at least nine months, plus a state-approved driver education program and 45 hours of practice (15 after sunset) certified by a parent. 21 or older: 60 days or driver education. Ages 18 to 20: 60 days or driver education until December 31, 2026; from January 1, 2027, 90 days and driver education. Source

Who can ride with me on a learner's permit?

A licensed driver seated beside you who is at least 21, or at least 18 if they are your legal guardian or sibling, and who is alert and able to help. You may not carry more than one passenger under 18, except family members. Source

Do I need the knowledge exam if I am licensed in another state?

The manual says you need the two-part knowledge exam if you do not hold a valid driver's license from another U.S. state, Canada, Germany, France or the Republic of Korea. Source

Other states and road signs

California permit practice test

California DMV

Texas permit practice test

Texas Department of Public Safety

Florida permit practice test

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)

New York permit practice test

New York State DMV

Pennsylvania permit practice test

PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services

Ohio permit practice test

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

North Carolina permit practice test

North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV)

Georgia permit practice test

Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)

New Jersey permit practice test

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC)

Illinois permit practice test

Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services

Tennessee permit practice test

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver Services

Michigan permit practice test

Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State)

Road signs practice test

Shapes, colors and meanings

Sources

Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), complete PDF, 40 pages, file dated April 2026 — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
The Knowledge Exam — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Apply for a Learner's Permit — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Teen Driving Restrictions — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Driver Education — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Revised Learner's Permit Holding Period and Driver Education Requirements – FAQs — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
DMV Fees (DMV 201, 08/10/2026) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Vision Requirements Overview — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Remote Testing in Schools — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)
Online Driver Training Schools — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (checked September 30, 2026)

passmock is an independent practice resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Our questions are original practice questions written from the official test description and study materials; they are not questions from the real test.

Virginia permit practice test

Free Virginia DMV knowledge exam practice test (20 questions)