District of Columbia Driver Handbook 2026

How to use the District of Columbia Driver Handbook

The DC DMV draws its 25-question knowledge test from the District of Columbia Driver Handbook, and you need 80% to pass, which is 20 correct answers. Read the 59 pages once for coverage, then answer practice questions to find the rules that did not stick. Practice tells you what you do not know yet; the Driver Handbook is where the rule is actually stated, in the words the state chose.

It is also the only source that settles an argument. When a practice answer and your instinct disagree, the District of Columbia Driver Handbook decides it, and every explanation we write points back into it.

What is inside the District of Columbia Driver Handbook

The District of Columbia Driver Handbook runs to 59 pages. These are the areas it covers that the knowledge test can ask about.

• Traffic signs by shape and color, and what each one requires
• Traffic signals, including arrows, flashing signals and pedestrian signals
• Right-of-way at intersections, roundabouts and uncontrolled crossings
• Speed limits, the basic speed law and adjusting for conditions
• Lane use, passing, merging and following distance
• Turns, signaling and lane positioning
• Parking rules, restrictions and parking on a hill
• Sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles and trucks
• School buses, emergency vehicles and work zones
• Alcohol, drugs and the state's impaired-driving law
• Seat belts, child restraints and occupant safety
• Licensing steps, required documents and testing
• Crashes, insurance requirements and what to do at the scene

The District of Columbia knowledge test at a glance

Everything below comes from the DC DMV directly. It is what the District of Columbia Driver Handbook is preparing you for.

Questions

25

Passing score

80%

Correct answers needed

20 of 25

Time limit

60 minutes

Test fee

$47

Minimum age

16

Can you take it online?

Yes, with conditions

Verified against the DC DMV in November 2026.