Parking — Virginia Permit Test
Parking on the Virginia permit test — 12 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.
The rules
You may not park within 500 feet of where fire trucks or equipment have stopped to answer an alarm.
The crew needs room to run hose and set up, and a parked car takes that room away.
within 500 feet of where fire trucks or equipment are stopped answering an alarm
When you park next to a curb, you may not park more than one foot from it.
A car sticking out into the lane is the one the passing driver clips.
You may not park more than one foot from the curb.
You may not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
A crew that has to run hose around your car loses the minutes that matter most.
within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
You may not park within 20 feet of an intersection.
A car parked at the corner hides the traffic that a turning driver needs to see.
within 20 feet of an intersection
You may not park within 50 feet of a railroad crossing.
A driver at the crossing needs a clear view down the track before rolling onto it.
within 50 feet of a railroad crossing
You may not park within 15 feet of the entrance to a fire, ambulance or rescue squad station.
The vehicles inside have to get out fast and turn as they go.
within 15 feet of the entrance to a fire, ambulance or rescue squad station
You may not park beside another parked vehicle, which is double parking, nor on a crosswalk, a sidewalk, in front of a driveway or in a bicycle lane.
Each of those spots forces somebody else out into moving traffic to get around you.
You may not park: beside another parked vehicle (double parking)
On a two-way street park on the right side; on a one-way road you may park on either side.
Parking facing the wrong way means driving against traffic to get there.
On a two-way street, park on the right side of the road. On a one-way road, park on either side.
When parking downhill at a curb, turn your front wheels toward the curb; when parking uphill at a curb, turn them away from it.
If the brake lets go, the curb is what stops the car instead of the traffic.
Parking downhill — with curb Turn front wheels right
Where there is no curb, turn the front wheels so that if the car rolls, its rear moves away from traffic.
With no curb to catch it, the only choice left is which way it rolls.
Without a curb: Turn the front wheels so that if the vehicle rolls, the rear of the vehicle will roll away from traffic.
Before opening your door, look for other cars, cyclists and people walking.
A door opened into a bike lane is a wall the rider cannot swerve around.
Be aware of other traffic when exiting your vehicle. Look for other cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians before opening the door.
The most common mistake drivers make when backing up is failing to look both ways behind them; turn your body and head to the right and look through the rear window.
Mirrors leave out the low ground right behind the car, where a small child fits.
The most common mistake that drivers make when backing up is failing to look both ways behind them. Mirrors do not give you a full view.
On the test
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”
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.
What it costs
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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.