Virginia Permit Test and License Guide 2026

What Virginia requires to get a learner’s permit and a driver’s license, taken from the Virginia DMV knowledge exam page and quoted rather than paraphrased. Figures change; the Virginia DMV is the authority.

How the exam is built

Virginia splits the knowledge exam in two. Part one is 10 road sign questions, and the DMV requires that all ten be answered correctly. Part two is 30 general knowledge questions, of which you must correctly answer 24. Both parts are drawn from the Virginia Driver’s Manual.

If you fail

You must wait a full 15 days before retaking it. The DMV’s own example: fail on 1 January and the earliest retake is 17 January. Fail three times and you must complete the classroom portion of a Virginia-approved driver education course, with a completion date after the third failure. Each retake means reapplying with your identity and residency documents again.

Who can apply, and when

You must be at least 15 years and six months old to apply for a learner’s permit. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian’s written consent on the application, or a court order showing they are an emancipated minor.

What it costs

A $3 learner’s permit fee plus the yearly cost of a driver’s license. A vision screening is part of the process.

Practising on a permit

The licensed driver beside you must be at least 21, or 18 or older if they are your legal guardian or sibling, and must be alert and able to assist. Applicants under 18 must certify at least 45 hours of driving, 15 of them after sunset.

Getting the license

With driver education complete, license eligibility begins at 16 years and 3 months.

A change already scheduled

The DMV states that beginning January 1, 2027, new driver training requirements will apply to first-time driver’s license applicants ages 18 through 20. If you are in that age band, check the current rule before you apply.

Practising for it

There are 325 free Virginia practice questions on this site across 15 topics – 105 on road signs and 220 on road rules. No sign-up, no payment. Start the Virginia practice test, or go back to the Virginia practice test hub.

Virginia is unusual in testing road signs as its own scored part, and in demanding a perfect score on it. That is the part worth drilling first.