Washington Driving Laws 2026: Speed Limits, DUI THC and Cannabis Rules and DOL Road Rules for the Permit Test

What are the speed limits in Washington when no sign is posted? Washington law sets 25 mph on city and town streets, 50 mph on county roads, and 60 mph on state highways unless an authorized different limit is posted. Washington has a specific cannabis DUI threshold: 5.00 nanograms or more of THC per milliliter of blood for drivers 21 and older; for drivers under 21, the separate underage offense applies at a THC concentration above 0.00 but below 5.00 and at an alcohol concentration of at least 0.02 but below 0.08. DUI from alcohol: 0.08% for adults. Washington also has a separate physical-control offense when a person is in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence. Holding or using a personal electronic device while driving is prohibited, including while temporarily stopped in traffic or at a traffic signal, subject to statutory exceptions.

1. Washington Speed Limits: 25 City Streets, 50 County Roads, 60 State Highways, Variable Signs

What is the speed limit in Washington when no sign is posted? Washington sets statutory maximums by road jurisdiction; when no authorized different limit is posted, these limits apply:

Key test point: Washington's statutory maximums when no different limit is posted are 25 mph on city and town streets, 50 mph on county roads, and 60 mph on state highways. Posted limits may differ. Regardless of the posted limit, speed must be reasonable and prudent for conditions, with reduced speed required for hazards, intersections, railroad crossings, curves, hills, narrow or winding roads, pedestrians, traffic, and weather.

2. Washington Right-of-Way: Crosswalk Yielding, Cyclists & Entering Highways

Who has the right-of-way at a 4-way stop in Washington, and when must drivers yield at a crosswalk? Right-of-way questions are among the most frequently tested; remember: right-of-way is something you give, never something you take. At a marked or unmarked crosswalk, an approaching driver must stop and remain stopped when a pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling or turning.

4-way stop (all arrive at once)

Driver to the right

4-way stop (one arrives first)

Driver who arrived first

Roundabout / traffic circle

Vehicles already inside the circle

Emergency vehicles (lights/siren)

Emergency vehicle, pull to the right and stop

Pedestrians in crosswalk

Stop and remain stopped as Washington law requires for pedestrians or bicycles in marked or unmarked crosswalks.

T-intersection (no signs)

Through road traffic; drivers on the dead-end must yield

Yield sign

Slow or stop as necessary and yield to traffic, pedestrians, and bicycles that have the right-of-way.

Merging onto a highway

Traffic already on the highway

3. Washington Turn Signal Law: Signal at Least 100 Feet Before Turning

Can you turn right on red in Washington, can you turn left on red from a two-way street, and how far in advance must you signal? Washington requires a turn signal continuously during at least the last 100 feet traveled before turning. Right turns on red and certain left turns on red are permitted only after the required stop and yielding, unless a sign prohibits the turn.

Right turn on red

Permitted after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it. Yield to pedestrians and cross traffic.

No right turn on red

When posted, you must wait for a green light before turning right.

Left turn on red

After a full stop, allowed from a one-way or two-way street into a one-way street carrying traffic in the direction of the turn, unless a sign prohibits it. Yield as required before turning.

Left turn from two-way street

Start from the left lane; end in the left lane of the cross street.

Right turn

Stay as close to the right curb as possible; end in the right lane.

U-turns

Allowed only when the movement can be made safely and without interfering with other traffic. Do not make a U-turn on a curve or near the crest of a grade where the vehicle cannot be seen from either direction within 500 feet, or where signs prohibit it.

4. Washington Lane Rules: Keep Right Unless Passing, Variable Speed Signs on I-5 & I-405

When can you use the center turn lane in Washington, and what do solid versus broken yellow lines mean for passing? Lane rules determine where you drive and when you can cross a line, all commonly tested on the knowledge exam.

Center turn lane (CTSL)

Reserved for vehicles making left turns from or into the roadway, or permitted U-turns; not for passing or ordinary through travel. You should not travel more than 300 feet in the center lane.

Solid white line

A single solid white line means you should stay in your lane unless a special situation requires a lane change. Do not cross double solid white lines.

Solid yellow line (your side)

No passing allowed.

Broken yellow line

Passing allowed when safe.

Solid + Broken yellow centerline

Passing allowed only on the broken-line side.

5. Passing in Washington: Signal Before and After, Never Exceed Speed Limit to Pass

When is it illegal to pass another vehicle in Washington, and how close to an intersection can you pass? Passing is one of the most dangerous maneuvers on the road, Washington law sets strict distance and visibility rules:

• Only pass on the left, using the oncoming lane, when it is safe and legal.
• Do not pass within 100 feet of an intersection, railroad crossing, bridge, or curve where your view is limited. Look for the No Passing Zone pennant sign.
• The vehicle being passed must not speed up while you are overtaking.
• Return to your lane before coming within 200 feet of oncoming traffic.
• When passing a pedestrian, bicyclist, person riding an animal, or certain farm equipment on a one-lane-per-direction road, pass at a safe distance and, where practicable, leave at least 3 feet; if there is not enough room, move completely into the opposite lane only when it is safe and legal.
• Do not pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights when Washington law requires you to stop. A driver meeting the bus from the opposite direction does not have to stop on a divided highway or on a highway with three or more marked traffic lanes.
• You may pass on the right when the vehicle ahead is making or about to make a left turn, or on a roadway with unobstructed pavement wide enough for two or more lawful lines of traffic in your direction. Pass only when safe and never by driving off the roadway.

6. Washington Following Distance Law: Reasonable and Prudent Space for Conditions

What is the legal following distance in Washington? State law does not set a universal passenger-car 3-second minimum. A driver may not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, considering vehicle speed, traffic, and highway conditions. Increase space whenever visibility, traction, traffic, or stopping distance is worse.

7. Washington School Bus Law: Stop Distance, Move Over & School Zone Camera Enforcement

Do you have to stop for a school bus on a divided highway in Washington, and what is the fine for passing one illegally? These are two of the most frequently tested topics on the Washington permit exam.

School Buses

• When a school bus is stopped on a highway with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm to receive or discharge school children, drivers approaching or overtaking the bus must stop unless a statutory opposite-direction exception applies.
• A driver meeting a stopped school bus from the opposite direction does not have to stop when the highway is divided into separate roadways.
• A driver meeting a stopped school bus from the opposite direction also does not have to stop on any highway with three or more marked traffic lanes.
• You must remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm is retracted.
• An infraction for illegally passing a stopped school bus carries a monetary penalty equal to twice the total penalty assessed under Washington's traffic-infraction penalty statute; the school-bus penalty may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.
• Railroad crossings: A school bus or private carrier bus carrying any school child or other passenger is among the vehicles that generally must stop at railroad grade crossings, within 15–50 feet of the nearest rail when no stop line controls, subject to statutory exemptions.

Emergency Vehicles

• When you see or hear an emergency vehicle (police, fire, ambulance) with lights or siren: pull to the right edge of the road and stop. Do not block intersections.
• Move Over Law (Washington): An emergency or work zone extends 200 feet before and after covered stationary or slow-moving roadside vehicles. On highways with four or more lanes, move away from the adjacent lane when safe. If moving over would be unsafe, reduce speed by at least 10 mph below the posted limit; when the posted limit exceeds 60 mph, reduce to no more than 50 mph.

8. Washington DUI: 0.08% BAC, 5.00 ng/mL THC, Under-21 0.02 BAC & THC Above 0.00

What is the legal BAC limit in Washington for drivers under 21, what is the THC threshold, and can you refuse a breath test? For drivers 21 and older, DUI per-se thresholds include 0.08% BAC or 5.00 ng/mL THC or more within two hours after driving. A separate under-21 offense applies at 0.02% BAC to below 0.08 or THC above 0.00 to below 5.00. DUI can also be based on actual impairment regardless of a per-se number. Washington separately prohibits being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence.

9. Washington Seat Belt & Child Restraint Law: Under-2 Rear-Facing, Under-4 Harness, Booster Until 4'9"

Who is responsible for seat belts and child restraints in Washington? Drivers must properly restrain children under 16. Occupants age 16 and older must wear the vehicle safety belt when operating or riding in a motor vehicle required to have safety belts. Child-restraint requirements depend on age, size, and the manufacturer limits of the restraint.

10. Washington Parking Rules: 15-Foot Hydrant, 50-Foot Railroad, Freeway Shoulder Rules

How far from a cannot park:fire hydrant must you park in Washington, and is it legal to park on a bridge? These distance rules are frequently tested and easy to miss if you have not studied the specific numbers. Know where you

• Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
• Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection
• Within 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign, or traffic signal
• Within 50 feet of a railroad crossing
• On a sidewalk or street planting strip; on a bridge or in a highway tunnel; in front of a public or private driveway or within 5 feet of the end of the curb radius leading to the driveway, subject to the residential-driveway local-option exception in state law
• In a no-parking zone or alongside a curb painted yellow or red
• Double parking (alongside a vehicle already parked at the curb)
• Headed downhill: turn wheels toward the curb. Headed uphill with a curb: turn wheels away from curb. Uphill without a curb: turn wheels toward the shoulder.

11. Driving in Washington: Cascades Snow, I-5 Rain, I-90 Ice & Puget Sound Fog

Are headlights required when it is raining in Washington, and what should you do if your car starts to hydroplane? Washington drivers encounter rain, fog, snow, ice, and mountain-pass conditions; these rules tell you how to adjust.

• Headlights required in Washington from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, and whenever insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions make persons and vehicles on the highway not clearly discernible at 1,000 feet ahead.
• In heavy fog, use low beams, high beams reflect off fog and reduce visibility.
• If you start to hydroplane, ease off the gas gently. Do not brake hard or turn sharply.
• In icy conditions, brake gently well in advance. Start slowing earlier than normal. Leave extra following distance.
• If your car goes into a skid, steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. Do not overcorrect.
• Never use cruise control on wet, icy, or slippery roads.

12. Washington Moving Violations: 3 in 1 Year or 4 in 2 Years, 60-Day Suspension

Does Washington use a driver license point system? No. Washington uses moving-violation occasions rather than assigning point values. As of 2026, three or more moving-violation occasions within one year, or four or more within two years, trigger a 60-day license suspension and a one-year probation period, subject to the safe-driving-course provisions in state law.

Note: Washington does not assign driver-license points to these violations. The DOL accumulation rule counts qualifying moving-violation occasions, and multiple moving infractions arising from one traffic stop count as one occasion.

13. Washington Headlight Law: Half-Hour Rule, Dim 500 Oncoming & 300 Following

When must you dim your high beams in Washington, and how far away does an oncoming car need to be? Washington law specifies exact distances for dimming, and the 500/300-foot rule is one of the most tested questions on the exam.

Key test point: The 500-foot / 300-foot rule is a classic exam question. Oncoming = 500 feet. Following = 300 feet. Dim accordingly.

14. Night Driving in Washington: Stop Within Your Headlight Range, Cascades Passes & Rural Wildlife

What does "overdriving your headlights" mean in Washington, and why is it dangerous? Driving at night significantly increases crash risk; these rules cover visibility, speed, and wildlife hazards specific to Washington roads.

15. Washington Cell Phone Law 2026: Handheld Device Ban, Red-Light Rule & Doubled Repeat Penalties

Is it legal to use your phone while driving in Washington, including while stopped at a red light? Washington prohibits using a personal electronic device while driving on a public highway. For this law, driving includes being temporarily stationary because of traffic or a traffic-control device. The law allows specified exceptions and minimal finger use to activate, deactivate, or initiate a device function.

Key test point: Washington's device law applies even while temporarily stopped at a red light or in traffic. Safely pulling over and stopping off the active roadway is treated differently. Second or subsequent device-use offenses are subject to twice the statutory penalty amount.

16. Washington Railroad Crossings: Stop 15–50 Feet, Camera Enforcement at Some Locations

How far from the tracks must you stop at a railroad crossing in Washington, and what vehicles must always stop even when no train is coming? Railroad crossing rules are tested on the Washington knowledge exam; know exactly when to stop and how far back.

Key test point: Never drive around or under a lowered crossing gate, it is illegal and extremely dangerous. Wait until gates are fully raised and all tracks are clear.

17. Washington Roundabouts: Yield on Entry, Lane Choice Signs & Stay in Your Lane

Washington has been adding roundabouts across the state, particularly in Spokane, the Eastside suburbs of Seattle, Bellingham, and along SR-16 and US-12 upgrades. The DOL test covers them. Entering traffic yields to vehicles already circulating inside.

Key test point: The most common wrong answer on roundabout questions is thinking you have right-of-way when entering. You never do, yield to traffic already inside.