Virginia Permit Practice Test — DMV Written Test, 40 Questions
Free 10-question Virginia permit practice test, then full 40-question tests like the DMV exam, in 2 parts, each question cited to the Virginia Driver's Manual.
The exam
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles knowledge test is 40 questions in 2 parts — 10 part one: road signs, all 10 right; 30 part two: general knowledge, 24 right — and every part has to be passed. Everything on it comes out of Virginia Driver's Manual. Officially it is the knowledge test; most people call it the written test, or the permit test.
How this works
Most practice tests hand you a bank of questions and leave the manual somewhere else. This one puts them together.
You read one law and the reason behind it, then answer a question on that law while it is still fresh. Get it right and you move on; get it wrong and you have found the gap while it is cheap to fix, not on the morning of the exam.
Learning one rule at a time, and proving it immediately, is what turns a manual you skimmed into something you actually know — and it makes studying feel like getting somewhere rather than like waiting to find out.
Ask a question about Virginia road law
Easier than searching the manual: ask in your own words — how far from a fire hydrant you may park, when you must stop for a school bus — and the answer comes from Virginia Driver's Manual or Virginia’s code, with the page or the section it is in. When neither says, the answer says so rather than guess. Or tick Nationwide and compare every state on one question.
What it costs
- One payment, once — not a subscription. Nothing renews and there is nothing to cancel, for an exam you sit one time.
- Free to start: a 10-question test and the first section of cards. No sign-up and no account.
- Paying opens the rest of the cards, unlimited full-length practice tests, and retests built from exactly the questions you got wrong.
- Every level up to Prepared — 3 tests passed in a row.
- Do the work, fail the real exam, and we refund you.
What Virginia tests
44 concepts, 298 separate rules. Each one is a page of its own.
- Regulatory signs — 12 laws
- Warning signs — 16 laws
- Railroad signs — 2 laws
- School and pedestrian signs — 3 laws
- Work zone signs — 2 laws
- Guide signs — 3 laws
- Traffic signals — 13 laws
- Sign colors and shapes — 6 laws
- Pavement markings — 14 laws
- Special lanes — 4 laws
- Speed limits — 10 laws
- Stopping — 6 laws
- Stopping distance — 5 laws
- School buses — 5 laws
- Right of way — 8 laws
- Emergency vehicles — 5 laws
- Parking — 12 laws
- Roundabouts — 4 laws
- Changing lanes — 2 laws
- Passing — 9 laws
- Turning — 7 laws
- Turn signals — 6 laws
- Following distance — 6 laws
- Searching and blind spots — 6 laws
- Sharing the road — 12 laws
- Large vehicles — 7 laws
- Lights — 6 laws
- Hazardous conditions — 8 laws
- Aggressive driving — 3 laws
- Distracted driving — 4 laws
- Drowsy driving — 5 laws
- Drinking and driving — 9 laws
- Alcohol and the law — 8 laws
- Under 21 alcohol — 5 laws
- Traffic crashes — 6 laws
- Animal hazards — 4 laws
- Traffic stops — 5 laws
- Seat belts and air bags — 7 laws
- Child safety seats — 7 laws
- Suspension and revocation — 6 laws
- Demerit points — 5 laws
- Learners permit — 5 laws
- Knowledge exam — 7 laws
- Licensing and records — 13 laws
Questions from the Virginia test
What must you do when you see this sign?
Come to a complete stop and let any vehicle or person clear the way. A rolling stop takes away the one moment you have to look both ways, which is the whole reason the sign is there. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.6: “This eight-sided shape always means stop.”
What does a sign of this kind tell you?
A hazard is ahead, so slow down and be ready to stop. The sign gives you the seconds you need to slow down before you can see what the trouble is. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.7: “Diamond (Warning): These signs warn you of special conditions or hazards ahead.”
What must you do at the crossing this sign marks?
Look, listen, slow down and be ready to stop. A train needs a mile to stop, so the whole job of stopping falls to you. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.9: “Railroad Crossbuck: This sign is a warning of a railroad crossing. Look, listen, slow down and be prepared to stop for trains or any vehicles using the rails.”
What does a sign of this shape mark?
A school zone or school crossing. Children step into the road without checking, and they are short enough to be hidden by a parked car. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.7: “Pentagon (School Zone/School Crossing): This five-sided shape marks school zones and warns you about school crossings.”
What do the signs marking a work zone mean?
Slow down and stay alert; people are working. The people on that road have nothing between them and your car. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.10: “Remember, the color orange marks a work zone and means slow down and be alert.”
What kind of information does this sign give?
Where the road ahead will take you. Knowing your exit early keeps you from crossing three lanes at the last second. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.6: “The green sign is used to provide destination types of information,”
Where must you stop at a signal showing you must stop?
At the stop line, or before the crosswalk if there is none. The stop line is set back far enough that people crossing have room to walk in front of you. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.5: “come to a complete stop at the stop line or, if there is no stop line, before entering the intersection or before reaching the crosswalk”
Why do the color and shape of a sign matter?
They carry the message before the words can be read. You often read the shape from far off, long before any words come clear. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.6: “In poor visibility conditions, such as heavy fog, you may be able to make out only the shape of a sign.”
What do yellow center lines tell you about the road?
Traffic flows in two opposite directions. The color tells you at a glance whether anything is coming the other way. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.11: “Yellow center lines mean two-way traffic, flowing in opposite directions.”
What do the signs beside a carpool lane tell you?
How many passengers you need and when the limit applies. The lane only saves time if the cars in it really are carrying several people. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.13: “Road signs show the minimum number of passengers a vehicle must carry (excluding motorcycles and clean fuel vehicles) to use the HOV lanes and the times that HOV restrictions are in effect.”
With no sign posted, what is the speed limit in a business or residential area?
25 miles an hour. These are the streets where people step out between parked cars, and slower speeds leave room to stop. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.15: “the maximum speed limit for passenger vehicles and motorcycles is 25 MPH for school, business and residential areas”
What must you do before crossing a sidewalk from a driveway or parking lot?
Come to a complete stop first. You are crossing a sidewalk where people walk without expecting a car to come out. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.15: “You must always stop your vehicle: at all stop signs, red traffic lights and flashing red signals when entering a street or crossing over a sidewalk from a driveway, alley, building or parking lot”
Which three factors decide your stopping distance?
Perception time, reaction distance and braking distance. Two of the three happen before the brakes are touched, so the car is still at full speed for both. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.15: “Three factors determine the distance that it takes to stop your vehicle: perception time, reaction distance and braking distance.”
How long must you stay stopped for a school bus with its signals flashing?
Until everyone is clear and the bus moves again. Children walk around the front of the bus where the driver behind cannot see them at all. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.15: “Stop and remain stopped until all persons are clear and the bus moves again.”
What does yield mean when there is no safe gap in traffic?
Stop until a safe gap appears. Merging into a gap that is not there is how a yield sign turns into a crash. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.16: “Yield also means to stop if you cannot merge safely into the flow of traffic.”
An emergency vehicle comes up behind you with its siren on. What must you do?
Pull to the right edge and stop until it passes. The crew needs one clear line through the traffic, and it has to be the same line every time. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.16: “you must immediately yield the right-of-way. Safely pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed.”
How far from fire equipment answering an alarm must you stay when parking?
At least 500 feet away. The crew needs room to run hose and set up, and a parked car takes that room away. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.22: “within 500 feet of where fire trucks or equipment are stopped answering an alarm”
Who must yield at a roundabout?
Traffic entering the circle. Cars already in the circle have no way to stop without being hit from behind. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.16: “Entering traffic must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians, and to traffic already in the circle.”
In what order should you change lanes?
Check mirrors, signal, then look over your shoulder. The mirrors do not show the piece of road right beside your back wheel. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.17: “Before changing lanes, check your side and rearview mirrors for traffic approaching you from behind.”
When may you return to the right lane after passing?
Once you can see the front of that vehicle in your mirror. Seeing its front in your mirror is the proof you have left the driver enough room. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.17: “Return to the right lane as soon as you can see the front of the passed vehicle in your rearview mirror.”
Which lane should you turn into when making a right turn?
The lane closest to the curb. Swinging wide on a right turn takes you into the lane beside you, where somebody is already driving. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.18: “Turn into the lane closest to the curb unless pavement markings lead you otherwise”
How far ahead of a turn should you signal?
About 100 feet. The signal is only useful if it comes early enough for others to act on it. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.18: “You should signal at least three or four seconds, 100 feet, ahead of the turn.”
How many seconds should you leave when driving under 35 miles an hour?
Two seconds. Two seconds is roughly the time it takes to notice a problem and get your foot across. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.19: “2 seconds Under 35 MPH”
How far ahead do expert drivers try to look?
20 to 30 seconds ahead. Looking that far ahead turns a sudden problem into one you saw coming. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.19: “Expert drivers try to focus their eyes 20 to 30 seconds ahead. In the city, that equals approximately one block.”
What must you do for someone crossing with a cane or a guide dog?
Come to a complete stop. They cannot check whether you have seen them, so the whole judgment is yours. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.20: “Drivers are required to come to a full stop for a pedestrian using a cane or guide dog, as this indicates blindness or vision impairment.”
What are the danger areas around a large truck called?
No-Zones. The name is worth knowing because it says what the danger is: inside them, you are in no zone the driver can see. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.21: “there are danger areas around these vehicles where crashes are more likely to occur. These areas are called No-Zones.”
When does Virginia law require headlights in bad weather?
Whenever you use your wipers because of the weather. The lights are there so others can see you, not only so you can see the road. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.22: “You must use your headlights whenever you use your windshield wipers as a result of bad weather.”
What should be your first response to poor visibility or a bad road surface?
Slow the vehicle down. Every other thing you can do works better at a lower speed. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.23: “Reducing your speed should be your first response to decreased visibility and dangerous road conditions.”
What makes driving aggressive under Virginia law?
Intending to harass, intimidate or injure someone. It is the intent that makes it a separate offense from the driving itself. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.23: “This dangerous driving behavior is defined by Virginia law as the intent to harass, intimidate, injure or obstruct another person while committing one or more traffic offenses such as failing to stop or yield the right-of-way, avoiding a traffic control device or failing to give way to an overtaking vehicle.”
When may you hold a cell phone while driving in Virginia?
In an emergency, or when lawfully parked or stopped. A phone in your hand takes your eyes, your hand and your attention all at once. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.24: “Virginia law prohibits drivers from holding cell phones or any other wireless communication devices while driving except in a driver emergency or the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped.”
Which of these is a sign of drowsy driving?
Not remembering the last few miles driven. By the time you notice them you have already been driving while half asleep. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.24: “Constant yawning, head nodding, heavy eyelids, difficulty remembering the last few miles driven, missing road signs or exits, unplanned lane changes, driving off the road or hitting rumble strips are all signs of drowsy driving.”
At what blood alcohol content is a driver aged 21 or older considered under the influence?
.08 percent or higher. It is the line the law draws, and being under it is not the same as being safe. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.24: “drivers age 21 or older are considered to be driving under the influence (DUI) if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 percent or higher”
What does the implied consent law mean?
Driving means you have agreed to take a breath test. You agreed to it when you started driving, so refusing carries its own penalty. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.30: “Under implied consent laws, if you operate a motor vehicle on Virginia's public roads, you agree to take a breath test upon request.”
At what blood alcohol content can a driver under 21 be convicted of illegal consumption?
At least .02 but less than .08 percent. The line for a young driver is set far lower, which is what zero tolerance means in practice. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.24: “If under age 21, you can be convicted of illegal consumption of alcohol if your BAC is at least .02 but less than .08.”
What should you do with the vehicles after a crash where nobody is hurt?
Move them off the road if it is safe to do so. A car left in a live lane is the second crash waiting to happen. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.25: “Drivers must move vehicles from the road immediately if the vehicles are able to be moved, no one is injured and the driver is capable of safely doing so.”
What should you do if hitting a large animal is unavoidable?
Brake firmly and stay in your lane. Swerving puts you into a tree or into oncoming traffic, both worse than the animal. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.25: “If a collision with a deer or other animal is unavoidable, do not swerve. Brake firmly, stay in your lane, and come to a controlled stop.”
What should you do when an officer pulls you over?
Stay in the vehicle unless asked to get out. Getting out unasked reads as a threat to an officer walking up behind you. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.26: “Stay in your vehicle. Do not get out unless the officer asks you to.”
Who must wear a safety belt under Virginia law?
The driver and all passengers, front and rear. An unbelted passenger in the back becomes a moving weight that hits the person in front. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.26: “Under Virginia law, the driver and all passengers, both front and rear, must wear safety belts.”
Up to what age must a child be secured in a child safety seat or booster seat?
Under age 8. An adult belt crosses a small child at the neck and the stomach, which is where it does harm. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.27: “All children under age 8 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat when riding in vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1968.”
What does it mean when a license is suspended?
The privilege is withdrawn for a set time. It has an end date built into it, which revocation does not. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.28: “If your license is suspended, your privilege to drive has been withdrawn temporarily.”
How many demerit points may a conviction carry?
Three, four or six. The number of points is set by how dangerous the offense was. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.29: “Convictions may be assigned three, four or six demerit points.”
Who must sit beside a learner's permit holder?
A licensed driver at least 21 years old. The supervising driver is there to catch what a beginner misses, which only works from the next seat. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.31: “A learner's permit allows you to operate a motor vehicle when a licensed driver at least 21 years of age is seated in the front passenger seat.”
How many of the ten sign questions in part one must you answer correctly?
Every one of the ten. Signs are how the road speaks to you, so the exam refuses to move on until you can read them. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.3: “You must correctly answer all ten traffic sign questions in part one of the exam before you can take part two of the exam.”
Within how long must you report a change of address?
Within 30 days. A license sent to an old address comes back and never reaches you. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.33: “If you move, you are required to notify DMV within 30 days.”
Where these come from
Every rule here is checked against Virginia Driver's Manual, published by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-09-06.