The Virginia road test
A plain-language guide, checked against the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (VA DMV): who the test is for, what to bring, how it is scored, and what a retake really costs.
The rule that decides your path
The Virginia road test, also called the behind-the-wheel or driving skills test, is the final exam the VA DMV gives before it issues a driver's license. New drivers can take the Virginia driving test at 16, after logging 45 hours of supervised driving.
In Virginia, driver's education is required before anyone under 18 can be licensed. Driver's ed applicants take the skills test through a driving school; those on the 60-day permit path test with DMV staff. For drivers under 18, the skills test is part of the driver's ed course, so completing an approved course means the on-road test is given by the school and not repeated at the DMV. Virginia does not publish a supervised-hours requirement for adults.
Below you'll find the full Virginia road test requirements: who qualifies, what to bring, how examiners score the drive, and the retake rules if you don't pass the first time. On our Driving Index, Virginia's written knowledge test ranks 3rd-hardest of 51.
OUR DRIVER'S ED PICK FOR VIRGINIA
Know the rules before you hit the road
4.8from 3 million+ drivers trained
Start your online driver's ed with DriversEd.com, teaching licensed drivers since 1997.
Opens driversed.com · we may earn a commission at no cost to you · it never changes the facts we report.
Supervised hours before the Virginia road test
These are hours you spend driving with a licensed adult, usually a parent, before you can take the test. Keep a log as you go, on paper or in an app, because the state can ask to see it. Practice in a mix of conditions, day and night, highways and quiet streets, rain and clear weather, and get the night hours in early, since those are the ones most people leave to the last minute.
What to bring to the Virginia road test
Tap each item to check it off. Your progress is saved on this device.
Documents
Your vehicle must have
Who comes with you. None required. An interpreter is optional (available from September 30, 2024); they must be 18 or older with an unexpired U.S. license, and the DMV does not provide one.
If you fail the Virginia road test
Here's how a retake works in Virginia: After 1 or 2 failures: 2 days. You can test once per business day.
Beyond any fee, a retry usually means another day off work or school, another ride to the office, and another car to borrow, so failing costs far more than it looks on paper.
Passing on the first try is the cheapest way through. A first license runs $32 ($4 per year for 8 years).
How the Virginia road test is scored
Pass or fail, decided by a DMV examiner (or the school for driver's ed applicants). No scoring rubric is published.
Virginia doesn't publish a point system or a set passing score, so the examiner simply judges whether you drive safely and follow the rules. In general, you fail for dangerous driving, breaking a traffic law, causing a crash, or not following the examiner's directions. Small mistakes add up too, so drive smoothly and predictably.
Before the road test
Pass the Virginia written test on your first try
Nearby road-test guides.
Six more states, neighbours first, then the closest matches on test difficulty.
Test specifications, fees and laws change. This guide was last verified July 2026; always confirm current requirements with the VA DMV (www.dmv.virginia.gov) before booking a test. DMV IQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with any state DMV, DPS, MVD, or BMV.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] and we'll get it corrected.
Sources for this guide (5 official VA DMV pages)
- Eligibility: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/license/applying/eligibility
- What to bring: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/exams/road-skills-test
- Test format: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dmv39b.pdf
- Scoring: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dmv39b.pdf
- Retakes: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/exams/road-skills-test
- Fees: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/forms/dmv201.pdf
- Handbook (Current (ModDate April 28, 2026)): https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/forms/dmv39.pdf
Current as of 2026-07-16. Official Virginia sources only; anything the state does not publish is left out rather than guessed.