Washington Permit Test Passing Score: 32 of 40 (80%)

The Washington permit test has 40 questions. You need 32 correct answers, or 80%, to pass. A score of 31 out of 40 does not meet the passing mark.

How Is the Washington DOL Permit Test Scored?

The scoring math is simple:

• Total questions: 40
• Passing score: 32 correct (80%)
• Maximum misses while still passing: 8
• 31 correct: 77.5%, which fails

Nine wrong answers make 32 correct mathematically impossible. Do not assume every testing system automatically ends the session at that point; the provider controls how the session is delivered.

Do Road-Sign Questions Have a Separate Passing Score in Washington?

No separate road-sign passing score is published for the standard knowledge exam. You pass by meeting the overall Washington knowledge-test score requirement.

Passing Score in Other Test Languages

No. Choosing an available test language changes how the exam is delivered, not the passing standard. You still need the same overall passing score.

What Happens If You Score 31 on the Washington Knowledge Test

You fail. A score of 31 out of 40 is 77.5%, below Washington's 80% passing requirement.

If you need another attempt, use the dedicated failed-and-retakes guide for provider-specific fees and retest timing.

Where Does the Washington 32-of-40 Passing Standard Apply?

Washington has two official testing routes: approved driver training schools and DOL driver licensing offices that offer testing by appointment.

Testing fees and scheduling vary by location. Keep those details in the dedicated test-location and failed/retakes guides rather than treating one provider's rules as statewide.

Is the Washington Permit-Test Passing Score the Same at a Driving School and DOL Office?

Yes. An approved school does not create its own easier passing standard. Washington requires approved school knowledge-test questions to be supplied by DOL or meet DOL criteria, so the state exam standard still applies.

Topics Covered on the Washington DOL Permit Exam

The exam draws from the Washington Driver Guide and covers road signs, traffic laws, right-of-way, speed rules, safe driving, hazards, and other state-specific rules.

For road-sign breakdowns and topic-by-topic study guidance, use the dedicated Road Sign Questions and Hardest Test Topics pages.

For what happens after a passing result, use the dedicated Next Steps After Permit guide.