Virginia motorcycle permit test numbers to know
Distances, speeds, limits, fines and deadlines are the questions people miss most, because they have to be memorized. Here are 23 Virginia numbers, grouped and cited, with a free quiz and flashcards to lock them in.
Numbers quiz
12 questions a round from the 14 number questions in our Virginia bank. Questions you miss come back more often in later rounds.
Free and unlimited. Your answers count toward your readiness and mistake review.
Numbers flashcards
14 cards: the question on the front, the number and its source on the back. Swipe right if you knew it.
Each deck starts with 20 free cards. Swipe right if you knew it, left to see it again.
See 3 of the cards
Alcohol & drugs
Under Virginia's implied consent law, what can happen if you refuse a chemical test after being stopped for suspected drinking?
Your license may be suspended for one year, even if you are not convicted
By riding on Virginia's public roads, you agree to take a chemical test when asked. Refusing can suspend your license for one year whether or not you are convicted of driving under the influence.
Distances & following gaps
Under normal conditions, what is the minimum following distance the manual recommends behind the vehicle ahead?
3 seconds
Keep at least a three-second following distance: count seconds from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed marker until you reach it.
Ages, permits & the test
In general, who may supervise a Virginia motorcycle learner's permit holder?
A licensed motorcyclist age 21 or older who is alert and able to assist you
Your supervisor must be licensed to operate a motorcycle, be at least 21, be alert and able to help, and provide immediate supervision from a separate accompanying vehicle, since a permit holder may not carry a passenger.
Every Virginia motorcycle number, by topic
Official Virginia laws come first in each group, then the numbers from our handbook questions. Tap a source to read the exact words it comes from.
Alcohol & drugs
9 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.08% | Legal BAC limit for adult drivers | law.lis.virginia.govQuoteIt shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate any motor vehicle, engine or train (i) while such person has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more by weight by volume |
| 0.02% | BAC limit for drivers under 21 | law.lis.virginia.govQuoteIt is unlawful for any person younger than 21 years of age to operate any motor vehicle after illegally consuming alcohol. Any such person with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or more by weight by volume |
| 0.04% | BAC limit in a commercial vehicle | law.lis.virginia.govQuotefor a person to drive or operate a commercial motor vehicle while such person has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more by weight by volume |
| $250 | Drunk driving (DUI)Class 1 misdemeanor with a $250 mandatory minimum fine | law.lis.virginia.govQuoteany person violating any provision of § 18.2-266 shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $250. |
| one-year | Drunk driving (DUI)A first refusal of a breath or blood test is a civil offense with a one-year suspension | law.lis.virginia.govQuotePunishment shall include (i) forfeiture of such person's license to operate a motor vehicle for a period of one year from the date of conviction and (ii) a mandatory minimum fine of $500 or performance of a mandatory minimum of 50 hours of community service. |
| one year | Under Virginia's implied consent law, what can happen if you refuse a chemical test after being stopped for suspected drinking?Answer: Your license may be suspended for one year, even if you are not convicted | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 25Quoteif you refuse, your license may be suspended for one year, regardless of whether you are convicted of driving under the influence. |
| 7 days | It is your first DUI offense. You are arrested and charged with DUI, and your blood alcohol content is 0.09. What happens to your Virginia license right away?Answer: It is immediately suspended for 7 days from the arrest | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 25QuoteIf you refuse the chemical test or if your blood alcohol level is .08 or above, your license will be immediately suspended for seven days from the date of your arrest. |
| One year | For a first DUI conviction in Virginia, how long can the court revoke your license?Answer: One year | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 25Quotethe court can revoke your license for one year if you are convicted of a first offense, for three years if convicted of a second offense, and indefinitely |
| 6 hours | You are planning a long motorcycle trip. About how many hours a day do experienced riders seldom go beyond?Answer: About 6 hours | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 26QuoteExperienced riders seldom try to ride more than about six hours a day. |
Distances & following gaps
2 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 3 seconds | Under normal conditions, what is the minimum following distance the manual recommends behind the vehicle ahead?Answer: 3 seconds | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 14QuoteNormally, you will need a minimum of three seconds |
| 4 seconds | The road is slippery with rain, or a van ahead blocks your view of the road. What following distance should you allow?Answer: 4 seconds | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 15QuoteIn some situations, you should open up a four-second following distance. |
Ages, permits & the test
11 numbers
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Questions on the test | dmv.virginia.govQuoteThe knowledge exam consists of 25 questions based on information in the Motorcycle Operator Manual ... The knowledge exam is offered in several languages and is taken on a computer. |
| $3 | Fee | dmv.virginia.govQuoteMotorcycle learner's permit $3.00 |
| 15 years, 6 months | Motorcycle permit15 years and 6 months (applicants without a license or learner's permit must also pass the two-part driver's knowledge exam) | law.lis.virginia.govQuoteon receiving from any Virginia resident over the age of 15 years and six months an application for a learner's permit or motorcycle learner's permit |
| 12 months | Motorcycle permit12 months | law.lis.virginia.govQuoteMotorcycle learner's permits shall be valid for 12 months. When a motorcycle learner's permit expires, the permittee may, upon submission of an application, payment of the application fee, and successful completion of the examinations, be issued another motorcycle learner's permit valid for 12 months. |
| age 21 | In general, who may supervise a Virginia motorcycle learner's permit holder?Answer: A licensed motorcyclist age 21 or older who is alert and able to assist you | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 5Quoteonly when supervised by a person licensed to operate a motorcycle and who is: At least age 21 or older Alert and able to assist you |
| age 21 | Your older sister, age 19, holds a motorcycle license. Under Virginia's permit rules, can she supervise your practice riding?Answer: No, a motorcycle permit supervisor must be a licensed motorcyclist age 21 or older | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles websiteQuoteOperation shall be under the immediate supervision of a person licensed to operate a motorcycle who is 21 years of age or older. 3. No person other than the operator shall occupy the motorcycle. |
| 9 months | If you are under 18, how long must you hold a Virginia motorcycle learner's permit before getting a motorcycle designation?Answer: At least 9 months | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 5QuoteIf you are under age 18, you must hold the motorcycle learner's permit for at least nine months. |
| 30 days | You are 30, hold a Virginia driver's license and have never had a motorcycle designation. You will not take a rider training course. How long must you hold a motorcycle learner's permit first?Answer: 30 days | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 6Quotelearner's permit for 30 days. If you are under 18, you will need to hold a motorcycle learner's permit for nine months. |
| One year | How long is a motorcycle learner's permit issued by Virginia DMV valid?Answer: One year | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 5QuoteMotorcycle learner's permits issued by DMV are valid for one year. |
| 30-day, one year | You are 22 and finished a Virginia Rider Training Program course last week. What does the completion exempt you from?Answer: The 30-day permit hold, the knowledge exam and the road skills test, for one year | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 6Quoteexempt from holding the motorcycle learner's permit for 30 days and from taking the motorcycle knowledge exam and the motorcycle road skills test for a period of one year |
| nine months | You are 17 and just completed a Virginia Rider Training Program course. What does that mean for your learner's permit holding period?Answer: You must still hold the permit for at least nine months | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 6QuoteIf you are under age 18, you must hold a motorcycle learner's permit for at least nine months regardless of the date the Virginia Rider Training Program is completed. |
Seat belts, lights & equipment
1 number
| Number | What it’s about | Source |
|---|---|---|
| five miles | A friend only wears a helmet on long highway trips. What does the manual say about when most crashes happen?Answer: Most happen on short trips under five miles, soon after starting out | Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), page 7QuoteMost crashes happen on short trips (less than five miles long), just a few minutes after starting out. |
Memory tips
How to study them (our advice, not official rules):
- Learn the number with its unit and its place. “15 feet from a hydrant” sticks; “15” on its own gets mixed up with 15 mph.
- Say the answer before you look. Recalling the number yourself is harder than spotting it among four options, and it is what makes it stick.
- Come back to the ones you miss. The quiz above brings missed questions back more often. Short rounds over several days beat one long session.
Questions about the numbers
What numbers do I need to know for the Virginia motorcycle permit test?
Mostly distances (how close you may park to a hydrant or crosswalk, when to signal, when to dim your high beams), speed limits, blood-alcohol limits, and the ages, hours and deadlines for your permit and license. This page lists 23 of them for Virginia, each with its source.
Why focus on numbers?
A California DMV study of its own knowledge test found that many of the hardest questions “are numerical and have correct answers that must be learned by rote memorization.” Numbers are easy to mix up under pressure, so they are worth drilling on their own.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each one is quoted from the Virginia Motorcycle Operator Manual (DMV 2), Virginia statutes or DMV pages. Our build checks that every number on this page appears word for word in the quote it cites.
Is the numbers drill free?
Yes. The table and the numbers quiz are free and unlimited, and so are the first 20 flashcards.