Road skills test

District of Columbia Road Test (2026) What’s on the Driving Test, Scoring & Tips

The road skills test checks that you can drive safely, including correct use of turn signals and parallel parking. You take it by appointment, either with DC DMV examiners at the Deanwood Road Test Office or with a DMV-certified third-party tester. Both use the same routes and score sheet. DC DMV does not publish its scoring rules or how long the test takes.

Checked October 4, 2026 against official District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles sources. Tap a numbered chip to read the exact wording.

See the 1 maneuvers
Maneuvers in official sources
1
Score limit
Not published
Listed automatic failures
None listed

Who can take the District of Columbia road test

Drivers aged 16 to 20 are in the GRAD program. They need a learner permit held at least 6 months, to be at least 16 years 6 months old, no point-assessable offenses, and a signed certification of at least 40 hours of supervised practice. Passing the test earns a provisional license. If you turn 21 while holding a learner permit, you can schedule the road test right away, with no 6-month wait or driving certification. An appointment is required and walk-ins are not accepted. A learner-permit holder who drives to the test without a licensed driver cannot test for 6 months. Official source 1dmv.dc.gov“In order to obtain your Provisional License, you must have held a valid learner permit for at least 6 months. You must not have admitted to, been liable for, or convicted of an offense for which points may be assessed for at least 12 consecutive months.”“I hereby certify that I am at least 16 years and 6 months old and have been a holder of a valid learner permit for at least six months”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026Official source 2dmv.dc.gov“If you are age 16 to 20, you must take the road skills test to qualify for a provisional license.”“An appointment is required to take the road skills test with DC DMV, and walk-ins are not accepted. Each road skills test requires a fee.”“Note: If you have a learner permit and drive yourself to your road skills test appointment without being accompanied by a licensed driver, you will not be allowed to take your test for 6 months.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026Official source 3dmv.dc.gov“If you turn 21 when you have a learner permit , you may immediately schedule a road test appointment. You do not need to provide a driving certification form or wait until you have had the permit for 6 months.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

What to bring on test day

Tick things off as you pack. Saved on this device.

0 of 7 ready

SourcesOfficial source 1dmv.dc.gov“The tutor supervising your driving must complete and sign the tutor’s information and a photocopy of their driver license must be submitted with this form. You must bring this form with you when you report for your scheduled Road Test appointment.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026Official source 2dmv.dc.gov“Arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment Arrive in a vehicle that fulfills the vehicle requirements below Bring your valid learner permit Be accompanied by a licensed driver 21 years or older Bring a car that has valid registration and proof of insurance Wear your seat belt”“Bring your 40-hour Certification of Eligibility for Provisional License form, if you are under 21 years of age”“For customers under 18 years of age, the parent or legal guardian must fill out the Consent, Waiver and Indemnity for Use of District Motor Vehicle – Minor (Under Age 18) form and provide a copy of their Identification Card or Driver License.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

Vehicle requirements

The examiner checks your car before you drive. If it fails, you usually can’t take the test that day.

  • Current registration card, plus a valid window or plate sticker where applicable
  • Liability insurance card or policy that identifies the vehicle and shows the expiration date
  • Valid inspection sticker where applicable (failed-inspection stickers not accepted)
  • Front and rear plates properly affixed (where applicable)
  • Working brake lights, turn signals and horn, windows that roll up and down, and doors with working inside and outside handles
  • Inside rearview mirror and left and right outside mirrors
  • A hand or push-button emergency brake between the driver and front passenger seats, which the examiner can reach
  • Windshield with no cracks or debris and nothing hanging from the rearview mirror
  • Tires in good condition and properly inflated; no spare (donut) tires
  • No service or warning lights on the dashboard, including low gas
  • Rental cars only if you are listed on the rental contract
  • Optional: DC DMV offers its own road test vehicle at no extra fee (not for third-party tests)
  • No smart glasses or other wearable recording or communication devices during testing
SourcesOfficial source 2dmv.dc.gov“Have a current registration card with a valid window registration sticker (if applicable) or current sticker displaying a valid expiration date affixed to the plates (if applicable).”“Have a motor vehicle liability insurance card or the policy, which must identify the vehicle and include the expiration date.”“Display a valid inspection sticker, if applicable. Vehicles displaying failed inspection stickers are not acceptable for the road test.”“Have properly functioning brake lights, turn signal lights, horn, windows that roll up and down, operable doors with inside and outside door handles, inside rearview mirror, and outside side (left/right) view mirrors properly placed, and a hand or push button emergency brake located between the driver and front passenger seats .”“Have a windshield with no cracks or debris, providing an unobstructed field of vision and nothing hanging from the rearview mirror.”“Have tires that are in good condition and properly inflated. Spare (donut) tires are not acceptable. Have no service or warning lights illuminated on dashboard, including low gas.”“Rental vehicles are allowed for road tests only if the person taking the test is listed on the rental contract as an approved driver of the rental vehicle.”“If you are taking your road test directly with the DC DMV, once you arrive for your road test, you will have the option to use your own vehicle or utilize a DMV road test vehicle. Road tests scheduled with a third party are not eligible for a DMV road test vehicle.”“The examiner believes he or she would have trouble reaching the emergency hand brake or otherwise stopping the test vehicle in an emergency.”“smart glasses, augmented-reality eyewear, and other wearable recording or communication devices are restricted in sensitive DC DMV areas and during any DC DMV administered testing activities.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

How the District of Columbia road test is scored

DC DMV uses a scoring sheet, and third-party testers use the same one, but the sheet, point values and pass mark are not published. Official source 4dmv.dc.gov“The third party road tests also follow the existing DC DMV road test routes and use the same scoring sheet.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

Automatic failures

We found no official list of automatic failures for District of Columbia. Treat any dangerous action, a crash, or breaking a traffic law as likely to fail the test.

Maneuvers on the District of Columbia driving test

Steps and scoring come from District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles’s own materials, in their words where possible. Where a state publishes no steps, we say so rather than guess.

Parallel parking

Always tested

How it’s scored

DC DMV names parallel parking as one of the skills the road test examines and refers to 'your parallel parking test'. How it is scored is not published.

Steps

Not officially described by DMV.

SourcesOfficial source 2dmv.dc.gov“The road skills test examines your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, proper use of turn signals, parallel parking, and several other skills.”“Learn more on how to parallel park using these five simple steps . These steps can be applied anywhere you take your parallel parking test.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

Skills the examiner watches the whole time

  • Safe vehicle operation

    The test examines your general ability to drive safely. Official source 2dmv.dc.gov“The road skills test examines your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, proper use of turn signals, parallel parking, and several other skills.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

  • Turn signals

    Correct use of turn signals is named as a tested skill. Official source 2dmv.dc.gov“The road skills test examines your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, proper use of turn signals, parallel parking, and several other skills.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

If you fail the District of Columbia road test

Wait 72 hours before retesting. If you fail 6 times within 12 months, you cannot take a 7th test until 12 months after the first failure. Each road test costs $10 at DC DMV. Third-party testers set their own fee, up to $100. Not cancelling at least two business days ahead costs $30. Official source 2dmv.dc.gov“If you fail the road skills test, you must wait 72 hours before you are eligible to take it again. If you fail the road skills test 6 times within a 12-month period, you will not be allowed to take the 7th test until 12 months after you fail the 1st test.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026Official source 4dmv.dc.gov“All third party testers are responsible for scheduling their own road tests and setting their own road test fees for an amount not to exceed $100.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026Official source 5dmv.dc.gov“Driver License Reinstatement ** $115 Road Test $10 Road Test Cancellation *** $30”“Failure to cancel a scheduled road test within two business days will result in a $30 cancellation fee.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

Waivers and third-party testing

There is no driver-education waiver. Instead of a DMV examiner, you can test with a DMV-certified third-party tester from an approved District driving school. The requirements, routes and score sheet are the same, and the test starts and ends at the DC DMV road test facility. A tester who gave you driver education cannot also give you the road test. Official source 4dmv.dc.gov“All third party testers are trained and certified by DC DMV. They are qualified driving instructors who are associated with an approved District driving school.”“If you receive driver education, either classroom, on the road training or both, from a driving school, then they are not allowed to also administer your third party road test.”“All third party road tests must begin and end at the DC DMV road test facility during normal hours of operations.”Open the official page ↗Checked October 4, 2026

District of Columbia road test questions

What is on the District of Columbia road test?

The road skills test checks that you can drive safely, including correct use of turn signals and parallel parking. You take it by appointment, either with DC DMV examiners at the Deanwood Road Test Office or with a DMV-certified third-party tester. Both use the same routes and score sheet. DC DMV does not publish its scoring rules or how long the test takes. Maneuvers covered by official sources: Parallel parking.

How is the District of Columbia driving test scored?

DC DMV uses a scoring sheet, and third-party testers use the same one, but the sheet, point values and pass mark are not published.

What do I need to bring to the District of Columbia road test?

Your valid learner permit; A licensed driver aged 21 or older to accompany you; Valid vehicle registration and proof of insurance; Wear your seat belt; The 40-hour Certification of Eligibility for Provisional License form, if under 21, signed by your tutor(s) with a copy of each tutor's license; Arrive at least 15 minutes early; and If using a DMV road test vehicle: a signed Consent, Waiver and Indemnity form (a parent or guardian signs it for under-18s, with a copy of their ID).

What are the vehicle requirements for the District of Columbia road test?

Current registration card, plus a valid window or plate sticker where applicable; Liability insurance card or policy that identifies the vehicle and shows the expiration date; Valid inspection sticker where applicable (failed-inspection stickers not accepted); Front and rear plates properly affixed (where applicable); Working brake lights, turn signals and horn, windows that roll up and down, and doors with working inside and outside handles; Inside rearview mirror and left and right outside mirrors; A hand or push-button emergency brake between the driver and front passenger seats, which the examiner can reach; Windshield with no cracks or debris and nothing hanging from the rearview mirror; Tires in good condition and properly inflated; no spare (donut) tires; No service or warning lights on the dashboard, including low gas; Rental cars only if you are listed on the rental contract; Optional: DC DMV offers its own road test vehicle at no extra fee (not for third-party tests); and No smart glasses or other wearable recording or communication devices during testing.

When can I take the District of Columbia road test?

Drivers aged 16 to 20 are in the GRAD program. They need a learner permit held at least 6 months, to be at least 16 years 6 months old, no point-assessable offenses, and a signed certification of at least 40 hours of supervised practice. Passing the test earns a provisional license. If you turn 21 while holding a learner permit, you can schedule the road test right away, with no 6-month wait or driving certification. An appointment is required and walk-ins are not accepted. A learner-permit holder who drives to the test without a licensed driver cannot test for 6 months.

What happens if I fail the District of Columbia road test?

Wait 72 hours before retesting. If you fail 6 times within 12 months, you cannot take a 7th test until 12 months after the first failure. Each road test costs $10 at DC DMV. Third-party testers set their own fee, up to $100. Not cancelling at least two business days ahead costs $30.

Can the District of Columbia road test be waived?

There is no driver-education waiver. Instead of a DMV examiner, you can test with a DMV-certified third-party tester from an approved District driving school. The requirements, routes and score sheet are the same, and the test starts and ends at the DC DMV road test facility. A tester who gave you driver education cannot also give you the road test.

Notes from our check

DC DMV does not publish its road test score sheet, though the third-party program page confirms one exists. It also does not publish point values, a pass mark, automatic-failure criteria, test length or a full list of maneuvers, so only parallel parking is recorded as a maneuver, and automatic_failures is empty. The driver manual exists only as an Issuu flipbook whose text cannot be extracted, so it was not used. DC DMV's 'five simple steps' parallel parking page (dmv.dc.gov/featured-content/parallel-parking) returns 403 to scripted fetches, so its steps could not be quoted and steps is null. The older 'Road Skills Test Requirements' service page says the emergency brake must be a 'hand emergency brake' and puts the late-cancellation cutoff at two business days; the current Road Skills Tests page allows a 'hand or push button' brake and says 48 hours. The fees page says two business days.

Sources

Every fact above links to one of these official pages. Checked October 4, 2026.

dmv.dc.gov

  1. form 40 hours (PDF)
  2. road skills tests
  3. 1119181
  4. non commercial driver license ncdl third party road test program
  5. driver license fees

This guide summarizes official District of Columbia sources for study. It is not the test itself, and only a DMV examiner (or a tester the state licenses) can pass or fail you. Rules change; confirm with District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles before test day.