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To get a driver’s license in Washington State as a teen, you get an instruction permit at 15 (if enrolled in driver training) or 15 and a half, complete an approved driver training course, log 50 supervised hours, hold the permit at least six months, then pass the knowledge and drive tests for an intermediate license at 16. Intermediate restrictions apply until you turn 18. This guide covers every step under Washington law and links to a detailed guide for each.
Key facts (Washington, as of November 2026)
- Agency: Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). Handbook: the Washington Driver Guide.
- Instruction permit: age 15 if enrolled in driver training, otherwise 15 and a half. Application fee $35 (on or after January 1, 2026).
- Under 18: approved driver training course (at least 30 hours classroom and 6 hours behind the wheel) plus 50 supervised hours, 10 at night.
- Intermediate license: from 16, after at least six months on the permit. Passenger, night and phone limits apply.
- Full license: an under-18 license stays an intermediate license until your 18th birthday.
- New for 2027: drivers aged 18 who apply for a first license must also complete driver training, with the age band widening each year to 2030.
How to get a driver’s license in Washington State, step by step
| Step | When | What the law requires | Detailed guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Enroll in driver training | From 15 | Course from a school district traffic safety program or a DOL-licensed driver training school | Driver training and 50 hours |
| 2. Instruction permit | 15 (enrolled) or 15 and a half | Pass the knowledge test (can be waived while enrolled in a course); valid one year | Knowledge test guide |
| 3. Practice | While on the permit | 50 hours, 10 at night, supervised by a licensed driver 21+ with at least 3 years licensed | Practice log |
| 4. Drive test | 16+, permit held 6 months | Pass the drive test; no traffic violations in the last 6 months | Drive test explained |
| 5. Intermediate license | 16 to 18 | Passenger limits, no driving 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., no phone use | Intermediate license rules |
| 6. Restrictions end | 18 | License is no longer an intermediate license |
Instruction permit rules in Washington
Under RCW 46.20.055, you can apply for a permit at 15 and a half, or at 15 if you have applied and are enrolled in a driver training course that includes practice driving. While driving on a permit:
- Carry the permit with you.
- A driver training instructor, or a licensed driver with at least five years of driving experience, must sit beside you.
- No wireless device use, except to report illegal activity, call for emergency help or prevent injury.
The permit lasts one year. DOL can issue a second one-year permit ($25), and a third only after finding you are diligently working on your driving.
Note the two different supervisor rules. The person beside you on a permit needs five years of driving experience. The person who supervises the 50 logged hours must be at least 21 with a license held for at least three years.
Driver training: required under 18, and from 2027 for older new drivers
Every applicant under 18 must pass an approved driver training course. Under WAC 308-108, a licensed school’s teen course has at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 6 hours behind the wheel (or 5 hours plus 4 hours of simulator). It also includes 1 hour of in-car observation and a parent night, and lasts at least 30 calendar days.
From January 1, 2027, first-time applicants aged 18 also need a course, and the age band widens each year to under 22 by 2030. All first-time applicants under 25 must also pass a free online work zone and first responder safety course (from May 1, 2026). Full details: Washington driver training rules for new drivers aged 18 to 24.
The two tests
- Knowledge test: 40 multiple-choice questions based on the Washington Driver Guide. DOL states you need 32 correct. Driver training schools and school districts can give it, as well as DOL.
- Drive test: an examiner rides with you and scores you out of 100. DOL states the pass mark is 80. Driver training schools and school districts can also give this test.
Fees for both tests are set by the testing location, so check with the school or office when you book.
Intermediate license limits (16 and 17)
- First 6 months: no passengers under 20 unless they are immediate family.
- After that: no more than 3 passengers under 20 who are not immediate family.
- No driving 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. unless a licensed driver 25+ is with you, or for school, religious or work activities.
- No wireless device use while moving, except emergencies.
Passenger and night limits lift early if you go 12 months with no crashes and no tickets. A second violation brings a suspension. See intermediate license rules.
Fees set in Washington law (as of November 2026)
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction permit application | $35 (from January 1, 2026) | RCW 46.20.055 |
| Additional permit | $25 | RCW 46.20.055 |
| New license application | $50 (from January 1, 2026) | RCW 46.20.120 |
| License issuance | $10 per year of the license | RCW 46.20.161 |
| Knowledge and drive tests | Varies by testing location | DOL |
DOL may charge other fees too, so check the current DOL fee list before you go.
Washington rules of the road: numbers to know
These come from Washington law (RCW), which the Driver Guide teaches.
- Speed limits unless posted: 25 mph on city and town streets, 50 mph on county roads and 60 mph on state highways. Always drive slower when conditions call for it.
- School and playground zones: 20 mph past a posted school or playground crosswalk, for 300 feet either side. Speeding there costs double, and the penalty cannot be reduced.
- School buses: stop for a school bus with its stop signals on, from either direction, until it moves or the signals go off. Oncoming traffic need not stop on a divided highway or a road with three or more marked lanes. The penalty is double and cannot be reduced.
- Emergency and work zones (200 feet before and after a stopped emergency, tow, roadside help, police or highway work vehicle with its lights on): on four or more lanes, slow down and move over a lane if you safely can. If you cannot, slow to at least 10 mph below the limit, or to 50 mph or less where the limit is over 60.
- Never follow a fire truck answering an alarm closer than 500 feet, or stop within 500 feet of one stopped at an alarm.
- Pedestrians, cyclists and riders on the right: on a road with two or more lanes your way, move fully into the next lane to pass. On a one-lane road, slow down and pass at a safe distance, at least 3 feet where practicable.
- Signal continuously for at least the last 100 feet before you turn or change lanes.
- Headlights: from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and whenever you cannot clearly see people and vehicles 1,000 feet ahead. Dim within 500 feet of an oncoming car and within 300 feet of a car you are following.
- Railroad crossings: when signals flash, a gate is down or a train is close, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail. Never go around a lowered gate.
- Parking: not within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk, 30 feet before a stop sign, yield sign or signal at the roadside, or 50 feet of the nearest rail at a railroad crossing. No stopping on a crosswalk, sidewalk, bridge or railroad tracks.
- Seat belts: everyone 16 or older, in every seat. Children under 16 must be restrained by the driver: rear-facing under 2, a harnessed seat under 4, then a booster until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
- Under 21: an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more, or any THC above 0.00, within two hours of driving is an offense. For adults, DUI is 0.08 alcohol or 5.00 THC.
For safe driving tips, sharing the road and emergencies, read the current Driver Guide from DOL before your test.
What to study
Read the whole Washington Driver Guide from DOL. The knowledge test is based on it. National background on the main topics:
- Rules of the road: traffic signals, road signs, pavement markings, four-way stops, right on red, roundabouts, speed limits, parking, HOV lanes, freeway driving.
- Sharing the road: pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles and trucks, school buses, emergency vehicles, move over laws, railroad crossings.
- Driver condition: Washington E-DUI law, DUI and implied consent, zero tolerance under 21, cannabis and driving.
- Emergencies and after: snow, fog and rain, what to do after a crash, seat belts and child seats.
- Paperwork: insurance for new drivers, points and suspensions, REAL ID.
Common questions
Can I get a Washington permit at 15?
Yes, if you have applied and are enrolled in an approved driver training course that includes practice driving. Otherwise the minimum age is 15 and a half.
Do I need driver’s ed in Washington?
Yes, if you are under 18. From January 1, 2027, first-time applicants aged 18 need it too, and the age range grows each year to under 22 by 2030.
How long do I have to hold my permit?
At least six months before you can get an intermediate license, and you must be at least 16.
When do Washington intermediate restrictions end?
At 18. Passenger and night limits can lift sooner if you complete 12 months with no crashes and no traffic tickets.
Can I take my tests at a driving school?
Yes. State law lets licensed driver training schools and school district programs give both the knowledge and drive tests.
I’m moving to Washington with a permit from another state. What applies?
Contact DOL about transferring. See moving to a new state and driving on a permit in another state.
Compare Washington with other states: learning to drive in the USA, GDL rules compared, permit tests by state, road tests by state, supervised hours by state.
Sources
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.055 Instruction permit” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.075 Intermediate license” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.100 Persons under 18” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.1191 Driver training education course, driver work zone and first responder safety” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.120 Examinations, waiver, fees” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.161 Issuance of license” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.20.267 Intermediate licensees” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “WAC 308-108-150 Course requirements” and “WAC 308-108-160 Behind the wheel instruction and observation” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “RCW 46.37.020, 46.37.230, 46.61.110, 46.61.212, 46.61.305, 46.61.340, 46.61.370, 46.61.400, 46.61.440, 46.61.502, 46.61.503, 46.61.570, 46.61.635, 46.61.687 and 46.61.688” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Washington State Transportation Commission, “Driver Licensing Exam Update” (October 2016) (wstc.wa.gov)