Virginia permit practice tests 2026

228 free questions written from the Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), each with an explanation and a link to its page.

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How the Virginia test works

Test format
Road signs: 10 + General knowledge: 30
Passing score
All 10 signs + 24 of 30
Time limit
None published
Permit and test fees
$35 total
Minimum age for a permit
15 years, 6 months
Test languages
26 languages
Take it online
No, in person

Facts checked against Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles sources on September 22, 2026. See every requirement and its source.

Your route to test day

  1. Learn the signs

    Shapes and colors first. Sign questions are the easiest points on the test, and some states require a perfect score on them.

    Virginia permit test flashcards: swipe through signs, Virginia rules and practice questions on your phone.

  2. Work through the practice tests

    6 tests that cover every topic in the handbook. 74 of the 120 Virginia questions are about rules specific to Virginia.

  3. Drill your weak topics

    Your results show which topics you miss. Practice just those.

    Take a weak-spot test: 10 questions built from the topics and questions you keep missing.

  4. Fix every mistake

    Questions you miss are saved in this browser. Each one stays in your trainer until you get it right on 3 separate days.

    Review my mistakes

    Print them as a study sheet, answers folded under.

  5. Pass the simulator, then book your test

    The simulator follows Virginia’s real format: 10 road-sign questions (all 10 must be correct), then 30 general-knowledge questions (24 to pass). Pass it two or three times in a row on different days.

    Open the exam simulator

    Didn’t pass? Here’s what to do next: Virginia’s retake rules, your earliest retake date and the topics to fix first.

Virginia numbers to knowThe distances, speeds, BAC limits, fines and deadlines people miss most, each with its source, plus a free numbers quiz and flashcards.After the permit: the Virginia road testWhat’s on the driving test, how it’s scored, the 11 automatic failures and what to bring, each quoted from official sources.

Virginia flashcards

Full-screen cards you flip and swipe. The road-signs deck is free, and so are the first cards of every Virginia deck.

Open the flashcards

Virginia cheat sheet and study sheets

The Virginia rules worth knowing, and a road-signs chart and road-test checklist to print.

Read the cheat sheet · Study sheets to print

Supervised driving log

Virginia requires 45 supervised hours, 15 at night. Track them as you go.

Open the driving log

Virginia rules that catch people out

These come from questions learners find hardest. Each links to the page of the handbook it comes from.

  • If you receive 18 demerit points within 12 months, or 24 within 24 months, DMV suspends your driving privilege for 90 days and requires a driver improvement clinic. Points add up from convictions, so a string of small violations can cost you your license.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 31

  • Under 18, your first conviction for a demerit-point violation, or a seat belt or child restraint violation, means DMV requires a driver improvement clinic. If you do not finish it within 90 days, your privilege is suspended until you do.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 31

  • Virginia escalates penalties for young drivers: first conviction means a clinic, second means a 90-day suspension, and third means revocation for one year or until you turn 18, whichever is longer. The steps are meant to correct risky habits early.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 31

  • Virginia adds a $100 fine for driving between 81 and 85 MPH in a 65 MPH zone. Above 85 MPH the charge can become reckless driving.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 16

  • The manual says to add an extra second to your following distance behind a motorcycle, and to double that in bad weather. Riders may make sudden moves within the lane to avoid debris or rough pavement, so you need more braking room.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 22

  • Virginia law prohibits right and left turns at red arrows. You may turn on a red arrow only where a sign says "Right on Red Arrow After Stop" or "Left on Red Arrow After Stop." Other states differ, so check local laws when traveling.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 7

  • This center lane is for left turns by drivers in either direction, and Virginia limits travel in it to 150 feet. It is a place to wait for your turn, not a travel or passing lane.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 14

  • Double solid yellow lines mean no passing in either direction. You may cross them only to make a left turn or to pass pedestrians, bicyclists, or riders of scooters or skateboards, and only when the opposite lane is clear.

    Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), page 13

Questions about the Virginia permit test

How many questions are on the Virginia permit test?

The Virginia knowledge exam has 40 questions in two parts: 10 road-sign questions, then 30 general-knowledge questions.

What score do you need to pass the Virginia permit test?

You must answer all 10 road-sign questions correctly, then at least 24 of the 30 general-knowledge questions (80%).

How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Virginia?

15 years, 6 months. At least 15 years and six months to apply for a learner's permit.

How much do the Virginia permit test and permit cost?

Applicants pay the $3 learner's permit fee plus the driver's license fee up front ($4 a year, $32 for the usual 8-year license, $20 minimum), and that covers the exam. Assumes the standard 8-year license term ($4 a year).

Can you take the Virginia permit test online?

No, the Virginia knowledge test is taken in person. Some Virginia high schools offer a proctored remote test through DMV’s school program.

What happens if you fail the Virginia permit test?

Under 18: must wait a full 15 days after failing. 18 and older: one attempt per business day. After three failures you must complete the classroom portion of driver education (or, for 18+, an 8-hour DMV-approved driver's manual course) before a fourth attempt. Each retake requires a new learner's permit application; a passed exam expires if no permit/license is issued within 1 year.

Are these practice questions the same as the real Virginia test?

No practice site has the real test questions; states keep them confidential. Every question here was written from the Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), which is what the real test is based on, and each answer links to the page it comes from.

The official Virginia handbook

The real test is drawn from the Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39) (April 2026). Read it at least once; our questions point you to the exact pages.