Photo: BLM Alaska, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Alaska permit test is a written knowledge test on the Alaska Driver Manual. You can take it at a DMV office or, if you meet the age rule, online through KnowTo Drive, the state’s official online testing system. This guide covers the test format, the online rules, the $15 permit fee and the parental consent form 433 that anyone under 18 needs.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Minimum age for an Alaska instruction permit: 14.
- Format: 20 questions, 16 correct to pass (80%), 25 minutes, per the DMV’s sample knowledge test page.
- Permit fee: $15. The online test costs $11.50 per attempt.
- Online test: the KnowTo Drive FAQ says Alaska residents aged 16 or older can take the Class D test online.
- Fail at a DMV office: retake the next day. Fail online: up to four more tries the same day.
- Under 18: parental consent on form D1 at the office, or a notarized form 433.
How many questions are on the Alaska permit test?
The Alaska DMV’s sample knowledge test page describes the general knowledge test as 20 questions with 16 correct answers needed to pass, and 25 minutes allowed. The KnowTo Drive FAQ also gives a 25-minute time limit for the online version. The questions come only from the Alaska Driver Manual: traffic laws, safe driving practices and highway sign recognition. You cannot use the manual during the test.
Check the DMV’s sample test page for the current format before you book. Other states’ formats: US permit test by state.
What to study
These parts of the manual hold the Alaska-specific numbers that make good test questions:
- Permit and provisional rules: the supervisor must be 21+ with 1 year of experience; there is a 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. limit for provisional drivers.
- Speed limits: 15 mph in alleys, 20 mph in business districts and school zones, 25 mph in residential districts, 55 mph elsewhere unless posted.
- Following distance: four seconds, six or more on slippery roads.
- Signals: signal continuously for the last 100 feet before a turn.
- Headlights: half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and whenever visibility is 1,000 feet or less. Dim at 500 feet for oncoming traffic and 300 feet when following.
- Parking distances: 15 feet from a hydrant, 20 feet from a crosswalk, 30 feet from a stop sign, 50 feet from a railroad crossing.
- Points: 12 in 12 months or 18 in 24 months means suspension.
- Alcohol: .08 for adults; any amount for drivers under 21.
- Signs and signals: shapes, colors, flashing yellow arrows and school bus rules.
Background on signs: US road signs by shape and color.
Taking the Alaska knowledge test online with KnowTo Drive
The manual points you to ak.knowtodrive.com for the Class D written test. The KnowTo Drive FAQ sets these rules:
| Rule | What KnowTo Drive says |
|---|---|
| Who can test online | Alaska residents at least 16 years old for the Class D Knowledge Test |
| Equipment | Desktop or laptop with internet, keyboard, mouse and webcam |
| Time limit | 25 minutes |
| Cost | $11.50 per attempt, by credit card or PIN-less debit card |
| Identity check | Test takers 18 or older answer identity verification questions |
| Registration | Valid for 72 hours |
| Retakes | Up to four more attempts the same day after a fail or disqualification. After five, no online testing for 1 year |
What gets you disqualified online
- Your mouse cursor leaves the red border around the test session.
- The webcam photos taken during the test do not match the photo you submitted at the start.
- A photo shows another person in the room.
Test alone, in good light, with a clean webcam on the screen you are using.
Languages
The sources disagree. The manual says you can choose from multiple languages with audio playback. The KnowTo Drive home page says English and Spanish. Its FAQ lists English only. Check on KnowTo Drive before you start if you need another language. At a DMV office, if you understand English but have trouble reading, you may bring someone to read the questions to you. You must answer on your own.
If you are 14 or 15
The DMV’s instruction permit page tells applicants to take the test online. However, the KnowTo Drive FAQ sets 16 as the minimum age for the online Class D test. If you are 14 or 15, plan to take the written test at a DMV office, or call the DMV on 907-269-5551 to confirm. You must visit an office to get the permit either way.
Getting the permit: what to bring
- A completed application, form D1.
- Parental consent (under 18). A parent or legal guardian signs the consent section on the back of form D1 in front of a DMV representative. If they cannot come, bring form 433 signed in front of a notary.
- Proof of relationship, such as your birth certificate, adoption papers or guardianship documents.
- Identity documents: a primary document (such as a certified U.S. birth certificate or a valid passport), proof of residence and your Social Security number.
- Glasses or contacts for the vision test if you wear them. You need 20/40 in each eye or both together.
- $15 for the permit.
If your community has no DMV office, the DMV’s Guide to Rural Driving Information explains the options.
Form 433: parental consent explained
- Under Alaska law, the person who signs consent is liable for damage the minor causes while driving, until the minor turns 18.
- One form covers one credential. You tick a single box: instruction permit (14 to 17), provisional license (16 to 17), driver license (16 to 17) or ATV and snowmachine license (16 to 17).
- Who may sign: a natural parent, a legal guardian appointed by a court, a spouse aged 18 or older, someone with a notarized PG-701 power of attorney, an Office of Children’s Services employee, or a responsible adult when no parent or guardian is living.
- Step-parents and foster parents cannot sign unless they hold a PG-701.
- Consent can be withdrawn in writing before the minor turns 18, using form 424. Only the person who signed it can withdraw it, and the DMV then cancels the permit or license.
- Motorcycle permits use form 433M, which needs both parents’ consent.
After you pass
Your permit is valid for 2 years and can be renewed once ($5). Drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21, has at least 1 year of experience in the same type of vehicle and sits beside you. You need the permit for 6 months, with no traffic convictions, before you can get a provisional license. Start your practice log now: Alaska 40 hour supervised driving certification.
Common questions
Can I take the Alaska permit test online at 14?
The KnowTo Drive FAQ says the online Class D test is for residents aged 16 or older, so 14 and 15 year olds should plan to test at a DMV office. Confirm with the DMV, because its permit page points everyone to the online test.
What happens if I fail the Alaska permit test?
At a DMV office you can retake it the following day. Online you can try up to four more times the same day, paying $11.50 each time. Five fails or disqualifications lock you out of online testing for a year.
Is there a practice test?
Yes. The DMV runs an online sample knowledge test, linked from its website and listed in the manual’s online services.
Do I need my Social Security number to test online?
KnowTo Drive uses it to check your identity. It also accepts an Alien Registration Number or I-94 number.
Do adults need a permit?
An instruction permit is required for everyone learning to drive on a street or highway. Adults over 18 can bring general knowledge test scores from the last year to the road test instead of a permit.
Is the permit a REAL ID?
No. The DMV fee page says instruction permits have no REAL ID compliant version.
Back to the full guide: learning to drive in Alaska. Next stage: Alaska provisional license rules.
Sources
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Alaska Driver Manual” (Rev. 10/2025) (dmv.alaska.gov)
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Instruction Permit” (dmv.alaska.gov)
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Sample Knowledge Test” (online.dmv.alaska.gov)
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “License Fee Info” (dmv.alaska.gov)
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Form 433: Parent/Guardian Consent for a Minor” (dmv.alaska.gov)
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Form D1: Driver License, Permit or Identification Card Transaction Application” (Rev. 10/13/2025) (dmv.alaska.gov)
- KnowTo Drive, “Alaska FAQ” (knowtodrive.com)