Note: This document makes no claim to the authenticity of the information presented nor does it

make any warranty or guarantees about getting a drivers license in the state of WA. This
document or the author has no ties or vested interests with the WA state. This is only a
compilation of sample information to help any interested law abiding citizens about the process,
procedures, rules, and some sample questions in getting a drivers license in the state of WA.
Again, to reiterate, this document is not comprehensive, will have inaccuracies. Please refer to the
http://dol.wa.gov sites for all clarifications or getting the current information.

WA driving guidelines
 If you are in Washington state and riding a vehicle for more than 30 days, you should possess a valid license
of this state.
 If FTA (Failure to Appear) is alcohol-related, the re-issuance fees for license is $150
 Disable parking sign - violation $250
 Traction advisory signs (chains) - violation $500
 Speed to be maintained in Roundabouts - 15-20 mph
 Two way left turn lane (middle lane) - cannot be used for passing and not for travel further than 300 feet.
 No parking zones - within 30 feet of a traffic signal, within 20 feet of a pedestrain safety zone, within 15 feet
of a fire hydrant, within 50 feet of a railroad crossing, more than 12 inches from the curb, within 20 feet of a
firestation driveway on the sameside or 75 ft on the opposite side, within 5 feet of a drive way, alley or
private road
 Speeding and speed limits
o 20 mph in school zones
o 25 mph on streets of cities and towns
o 50 mph on country roads
o 60 mph on state highways
o Driving on ocean beaches – 25 mph and pedestrians have right of way.
o Before turning left across oncoming traffic, turn on your left signal atleast 100 feet ahead and look
for a safe gap in the traffic. Same is the case with turning right.
 Lights – dim your high beams whenever you come within 500 ft. of an oncoming vehicle
 Lights – use low beams when following 300 feet or less behind another vehicle
 Use emergency signals – place emergency fares 200 to 300 feet behind the vehicle (vehicle stopped on
road)
 Always signal atleast 100 feet before you make your move.
 The faster your vehicle is going, the longer is the distance taken to turn, slow or stop. At 60mph it may take
thrice as far to stop as it takes to stop at 30 mph
 On wet roads, reduce your speed about 10 mph
 Water on the roadway – raining or wet road, most tires have good traction up to about 35 mph. In a heavy
rain, all traction can be lost if rode at 50 mph
 Hydroplaning – As you go faster, your tires will start to ride up on the water, like water skies
 You can be arrested for driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or more. In Washington if you are
under 21, you can also be arrested for a BAC of .02 or more. BAC can be determined by breath, blood or
urine test.
 Typical alcohol drink – 1 ½ oz of 80-proof liquor (one shot glass) straight or with a mixer, 12 oz of beer, 5
oz glass of wine and it takes 1 hour for your body to get rid of each drink.
 If it is your first arrest within 7 years and with BAC of .08 or more (.02 if age < 21) , your license will be
suspended for 90 days. After 30 days of the suspension has passed, you are eligible for an Occupational
Driving License.
 If it is your first arrest and you refuse to take a breath and/or a blood test, your license will be revoked for
1 year.
 If you are arrested more than once within the past 7 years, your license will be revoked for 2 years. If you
are under 21 your license will be revoked for 1 year or until age 21, whichever is longer.
 Alcohol related offenses appear on your driving record for 15 years. If you are found guilty in court of
driving impaired and it is your first conviction, you may be fined upto $5000 plus court costs and other
penalties. You could also be sentenced from 1 to 365 days in jail and your license could be suspended or
revoked for 90 days to 1 year. Prior convictions of alcohol violations can result in other penalties, including
150 days of home detention and license suspension or revocation of up to 4 years.
 Other possible penalties for Driving under the Influence (DUI)
o Required proof of insurance (SR-22)
o License reapplication, knowledge and skill testing and a $150 reissue fee.
o Seizure and loss of vehicle
o Installation and use of an ignition interlock device for up to 10 years. An additional 60 days will be
required if you have a passenger under 16 in your vehicle at the time of arrest
 Probationary license in the case of DUI – issue 50$
 Deferred prosecution for DUI – once in a lifetime
 Reporting the collision – injury/death or property damage of more than $700 to one’s property and a
report is not made by a law enforcement officer, you must report it to the Washington Department of
Transportation on a Collision Report form within 4 days.
 New residents of Washington must register their vehicle within 30 days after entering into the state.
 Pay 25$ for a five year license if qualified.
 Instruction permit – 15 ½ year of age, passed knowledge and vision test.
 Dirt on the lenses can reduce the light by 50 percent
 Most of the accidents occur within 25 miles of house and on roads posted less than 45 mph.
 Slow moving vehicle sign (orange triangle) is used by vehicles going with less than 25 mph speed (Farm
tractors, animal-drawn vehicles and road maintenance vehicles)
 Parallel park – park within 12 inches of the curb
 Steering – left hand between 8 and 9’o clock and right hand between 3 and 4’o clock.
 How well can you see ?
o At 50 mph, it can take about 400 feet to react to something you see and bring your vehicle to a stop
(length of a city block)
o At 30 mph, 200 feet
o If you cannot see 400 feet and above, if means you may not be driving safely at 50 mph. And if 200
feet means 30 mph.
o Darkness : headlights will allow you to see upto 400 feet. So speeds < 50 mph are safer
o Rain, fog or snow : visibility will be some 200 feet.. so 30 mph speed is good.
o Four second sight distance.
 When following emergency vehicles, do not follow closer than 500 feet.
 Space to pass
o Oncoming vehicles – At 55mph, it will take 10 seconds to pass another vehicle and you must return
to the rightside of the roadway atleast 200 feet before any vehicle coming from the opposite
direction. At 55 mph, you will be traveling 800 feet in 10 seconds. You need 1600 feet or about 1/3
of a mile to pass safely.
 Bicycles – when riding at night, bicycle must have a white headlight visible for 500 feet and a red reflector
for 600 feet to the rear.
 Vehicles manufactured older than 25 years are not allowed.
 When ownership of vehicle is transferred, purchaser must transfer ownership within 15 days to avoid
penalty fees.
 When vehicle is sold to commercial or private party, the info should be reported within 5 days.
 Seatbelt – You may have to pay a fine if you or your passengers under 16 are not wearing a seat belt or not
seated secure in a child car seat or a booster seat. Passengers over 16 are responsible for wearing their belt
and any fine.
 It is against the law to leave children under 16 years of age alone in a parked car with the engine running
 Parking on a hill
o Facing Uphill – set your parking brake and steering wheel away from the curb
o Facing Downhill – parking brake and steering wheel towards the curb
o No curb – parking brake and steering wheel towards the edge of the road
 Good tire – Thread should be atleast 2/32 inch
 Children seating
o One year/20 pounds or under – rear facing child car seat
o 1 – 4 years / 20 to 40 pounds – forward facing child car seat
o 4 – 6 years / 40 to 60 pounds – booster seat
o >= 6 years / >=60 pounds with seat belts or a booster seat
 Blind spots – what mirrors can’t show when you need to turn left or right or change lanes.
 Vision test – atleast 20/40 vision in atleast one eye with or without correcting lenses.
 Alcohol reaches your brain in 20 to 40 min.
 Traffic Signs
 Warning signs
 Railroad crossing warning signs
 Slow Moving Vehicle sign (orange triangle on the rear of a vehicle - travelling less than 25 mph)
 Work area signs
 Regulatory signs
 Speed limit signs
 Speed zone ahead signs
 Lane use control signs
 No passing signs
 Stop sign
 Yield sign
 Do not enter sign
 Disabled parking sign ($250 fine if not comply with)
 Traction Advisory signs (when chains are required - failing to do so attracts $500 penalty)
 Guide signs - Destination signs, Service signs, Route number signs
 Pavement Markings - tells about when to pass other vehicles or change lanes, which lanes to use for turns,
where you must stop for signs or traffic signals, and define pedestrain walkways.
 While lane markings - Solid white lines for marking edges of two-way roads and the right edge of one-
way roads. One should not drive to the right of the edge line. Dashed white line between lanes of traffic
means to cross lanes if safe. Solid white lane between lanes means should stay in your lane.
 Yellow lane markings - Solid yellow lines mark the left edge of one-way roads and separate traffic
moving in oppossite directions. A dashed yellow line between opposing lanes of traffic means that you may
cross it to pass if it is safe to do so.
 Medians - open space, highway divider, median island. Also can be 18 inch solid yellow pavement
markings or by yellow crosshatchings between two solid yellow lines.
 Cross walks and stop signs
 Other traffic control devices - bumps, circular islands in intersections
 Roundabouts - intersection control device. speed 15-20 mph.
 Over half of all traffic deaths happen within 25 miles of home. Many of them occur on roads posted at less
than 45 mph.
 When taking left, oncoming traffic has the right-of-way
 Warning signs are in Yellow colour and mostly are diamond shaped. They warn you to slow down and be
prepared to stop if necessary.
 Red lights flashing at railroad crossing - required to stop as train is approaching.
 Regulatory signs are square, rectangular, or have a special shape and are usually white, red or black with
black, red, white, or green letters or symbols.
 When turning right or left, watch for pedestrians crossing in front of your vehicle. Pedestrians have the
right-of-way.
 Steady yellow traffic lift means the traffic light is about to change to red. You must stop if it is safe to do so.
Do not stop if you are in the middle of the intersection.
 Flashing yellow light means slow down and proceed with caution
 A yellow arrow means that the protection of green arrow is ending and if you are turning in the direction of
the arrow, you should prepare to stop and give the right-of-way to oncoming traffic before turning.
 A flashing red light means the same as the stop sign. You must come to a full stop and then may proceed
when it is safe to do so.
  If you are turning right, you may turn after coming to a full stop if it is safe and if there is no sign
prohibiting the turn on a red arrow.
 You may turn left on a one-way street with traffic moving left after coming to a full stop if there is no sign
prohibiting turns on a red arrow when it is safe to do so.

SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS

The choices given for a question seem to be quiet close to each other, one should very much carefully observe to
catch the right one !

Question paper 1
1. On freeway, where can you stop (I SKIPPED THIS QUESTION)
2. A person is convicted if the BAC is (> 0.08)
3. Alcohol gets rid from a person's body at a rate of how much per hour (one drink)
4. Bicyclists when violate the road laws can be (ticketed)
5. When a school bus with flashing lights has stopped on the other side of the road on a two-way two-lane road, the
driver should (slow down and use caution)
6. When taking an exit from the freeway one should (maintain the same speed till getting onto the exit ramp)

7. Signs - Pedestrian sign (Pedestrian crossing ahead)

8. Signs - Left turn with 35 mph (Ride at a speed of 35 mph or lesser)

9. Pedestrians walking (Should walk against the oncoming traffic and off the roadway)
10. Red light flashing at intersection (Stop and proceed when safe)
11. Yellow light flashing at intersection (Slow down and move with caution)
12. Green light for left turn (Turn left when free giving the oncoming traffic right-of-way)
13. Before making a turn, when should the driver indicate the signals (100 feet)
14. Signs - Yield sign (Merge into the traffic giving the right-of-way)
15. Washington law states that (All the passengers and the driver should wear the seat belts and proper seating for
youngsters)
16. When an emergency vehicle is coming towards you, what should be done (I SKIPPED THIS QUESTION)
17. On the freeway you can stop (choices : if you have emergency, you can stop, if you have flashers, etc... I
SKIPPED THIS QUESTION)
18. Signs - Soft shoulder (I SKIPPED THIS QUESTION)
19. At night time, slow down and (related to headlights) (I SKIPPED THIS QUESTION)
20. If found convicted for DUI, the driver's license can be suspended for (90 days)
21. If a tire suddenly goes flat (Hold the steering wheel tightly and apply the brakes lightly)
22. If the collision results in an injury, death or property damage of $700 or more to one person's property, you
must report it within (4 days)
23. Signs - 'Speed Zone Ahead' (Reduced speed ahead - be prepared)
24. When a school bus is coming in the opposite direction you should stop only --- (I DON"T REMEMBER THE
EXACT ANSWER)
25. By law, your vehicle's headlights must be turned on (from a half hour after sunset until a half hour before
sunrise)

Question Paper 2
1. What is yellow sign
Warning signs.
2. what is orange sign
Construction signs.
3. Yellow board with bicycles.
Bicycle lanes ahead.
4. yellow board with truck on Hill.
Hill ahead.
5. White board with "speed zone ahead" sign.
speed zone ahead reduce speed.
6. BAC % for Washington.
0.08%.
7. what is illegal about open containers.
Neither the driver nor the other guys in the car should drink alcohol. Its illegal to have open containers in the
drivers compartment.
8. In how many days should we report an death or loss of more than $700 in case police didn't come to the site of
accident.
4 days
9. In how many days should we report change of address to DOV.
10 days.
10. In how many days should we register the transfer of ownership of the car.
15 days.
11. While merging into freeways we should.
merge with the same speed as traffic.
12. If bicyclist violates the law
then he can be ticketed.
13. If a school bus is stopped in your lane without the red lights flashing.
Then we should continue going and pass the bus with caution looking on both sides as we don't have to stop.
14.In an uncontrolled intersection
we yield to vehicles that are to the right as they have right-of-way and then go.
15.one should go in the sharing lane
only when he is required to stay not more than 300 feet and should not use it for passing or as an extra lane
during busy hours.
16. You can park you vehicle in the shoulder on a freeway.
as long as your flashing lights are on
17. When you are driving in rainy conditions
you should have low beams on when visibility is less than 200 feet.
18. Who has right of way at an unmarked crossing.
Pedestrians and cyclists have all right of way of way at an marked or unmarked crossing.
19. When you are going into a collision you should try to
Either turn or stop or see to minimize the collision damage.
20. who should wear seat belts
all the people in the car should wear seat belts.

Question Paper3
1. Displayed Clock symbol, How much time it will take to get rid off 1 glass of alcohol
from your body. Ans: 1 hour
2. Sign – Divided high way ends
3. Sign – Speed zone ahead, reduce speed
 4. Photo is shown with white rectangular white box in the center of red circle – Do not
enter
5. Sign – Speed limit 35 mph, reduce the speed to 35 mph or less for safety
6. Sign – plain yellow diamond shaped sign Ans: warning sign
7. Within the city and towns, unless it is not specified the speed limit is 25 mph
8. If a school bus standing off the road without flashers on, then
Ans: you can pass the bus carefully as you need not stop
9. During nights, use low beam lights if the distance is 300 ft and use high beam light if
the distance is 500 ft
10. If you are convicted of alcohol and drug for the fist time , your license will be
suspended for 90 days
11. If you want to park your vehicle on the road, you should use parking flashers
and low beam light on.
12. Bicyclists can travel on shoulder side, normal roads, in all roads if it not
specified
13. On two lanes two way road, if the school bus is stopped on the other side of
the road with flashers on, then you must stop till the school bus is moved and watch
for children crossing the roads. (refer pg 41 in the book for more details)
14. If other drivers are disturbing you then don’t do eye contact, slow down, move
over, or do whatever you safely can to put yourself out of danger. Ans: all of the
above.
15. Do not follow heavy trucks in their blind spots, pass the trucks for safety
16. Pedestrians and bicyclists have right-of-way at all cross walks or
intersections, whether it is specified or not
17. Photo of an accident is shown (I don’t remember the question) Ans: stop,
reduce or speedup
18. Pedestrians should walk in the direction of Ans: oncoming traffic off the road
19. If the bicyclists do not follow traffic rules Ans: they can be ticketed
20. Photo is shown with the side road is joining along with the main road (don’t
remember the question) Ans: wait for 4 sec gap before merge for safety
21. Photo is shown with intersection and signals, if you want to make left turn,
Ans: (not sure) you can move into the intersection and turn left, also watch for the
oncoming traffic
22. Photo is shown with roundabout signal (don’t remember the exact question)
Ans: Drive around the circle to the right
23. Photo is shown with signals and some cars, at the signals, stop your vehicle by
leaving sufficient room to the vehicle in front side to move safely. Question: how
many feet gap should be maintained between the cars ? Ans: ??
24. While turning left or right, give signal at least 100 ft before you make the turn.

Question Paper 4
1. School bus- When school bus driver stopped red light flashing , you need to make sure that all school
children crossed the road safely then you can start your car.
2. Bicyclist can be ticketed if they don’t obey the traffic rule.
 3. In bicycle section you can drive if there is nobody is traveling in bicycle.
4. Pedestrians got right of way.
5. Many accidents happen within 25 miles of driver’s home.
6. When there is no light on the intersection you can take the closest lane to turn.
7. When you merge to freeway, speed up and you should yield to the freeway.
8. When you want to take exit from freeway, you don’t need reduce the speed.
9. Alcohol effect goes off from your body 1 hr / 1 glass.
10. If you refuse to attend the Blood alcohol content test, you license will be suspended for 1 year.
11. If you are caught (alcohol) for the first time your DL can be suspended for min 90 days.
12. If your car is a slow moving vehicle you can pull off from the traffic if FIVE or more cars follows your car.
13. You should switch on your light half hour after sunset until half hour before sunrise.
14. Yellow sign is for warning
15. When your tire is Flat, you should hold your steering wheel tightly and apply brake lightly.
16. If you drink alcohol your reaction time very less.
17. It’s illegal to drink and drive and it’s illegal to keep the opened container(alcohol drink) in your passenger
seat also.
18. If you are involved in the collision , you should stay at the sight.
19. To avoid collision - ------ stop,turn..etc (it’s weird)
20. If there is a two-lane road and vehicle coming in the opposite direction, you should drive only in the right
side lane.
21. You can always use the high beam when there is no vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
22. You can park your car 12 inches away from curb.
23. Always yield to transit (bus)
24. When you are taking reverse you should always look at the pedestrians and other vehicles.
25. When you park your car in the downhill, make sure you turn the steering wheel towards the curb.
26. When the car is skidding, turn the steering wheel in the direction you want.
27. On either side of the trucks don’t try to drive (blind spot problem)
28. When somebody shows the hand signal from his or her car…
i. Maintain the distance from his/her car
ii. Don’t make a eye contact
iii. Do anything safely
iv. All the above. Answer is “All the above”.

Other useful links

1. Take a sample test at http://www.dol.wa.gov/ds/test/qbeg.htm
2. Visit and familiarize at http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/practicetest.html
3. Take a quiz at: http://www.quia.com/de/waquiz.html

Remember: But this is only to test your knowledge, but you may also get many other questions from the WA
Drivers License Guide. So you also have to read the book to clear the exam in first attempt. You can download the e-
guide from http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/guide.html