The Alaska knowledge (permit) test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can describe the format and pass mark of the general knowledge test.
• You can list the main topic areas the questions are drawn from.
• You can explain what happens if you fail.
• You can choose between testing at a DMV office and testing online.
• You can plan a study routine using the manual and the DMV practice test.

What you need to know and understand

• The DMV's sample test page describes the general knowledge test as 20 questions, with 16 correct answers needed to pass (80 percent), and 25 minutes allowed.
• Questions cover only what is in the Alaska Driver Manual: traffic laws, safe driving practices and highway sign recognition.
• You may not use the manual during the test.
• If you fail at a DMV office, you may retake the test the following day.
• If you understand spoken English but have trouble reading, you may bring someone to read the questions to you, but you must answer on your own.
• New residents and anyone whose Alaska license has been expired over one year, or revoked, must also take the written test.
• A separate alcohol awareness test is required when you renew a license issued before age 21.

Where the questions come from

Because the test draws only on the manual, the Alaska-specific numbers are worth learning by heart. These are favorite question topics:

• Unposted speed limits: 15 mph in alleys, 20 mph in business districts and school zones, 25 mph in residential districts, 55 mph elsewhere.
• Signal continuously for the last 100 feet before a turn.
• Headlights from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and when you cannot see 1,000 feet ahead.
• Dim your high beams within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and 300 feet when following.
• Parking: 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 leads to suspension.
• Alcohol: .08 for adults, any amount for drivers under 21.

Office or online?

At a DMV office you can book an appointment for the knowledge test online. The KnowTo Drive system lets Alaska residents aged 16 or older test from home on a computer with a webcam, and it emails you the next steps after your attempt. It charges its own fee per attempt and has its own equipment rules and anti-cheating checks, so read its instructions carefully before you start.

Either way, you must visit a DMV office to have your photo taken and your permit issued.

A two-week study plan

1. Read the manual through once, a section a day, without trying to memorize.
2. Make flash cards for every number: speeds, distances, points and time limits.
3. Learn sign shapes and colors until you can name a sign from its outline alone.
4. Take the DMV's online practice knowledge test, then reread the sections behind any questions you missed.
5. Repeat the practice test until you score well above 16 out of 20 every time.

Common mistakes

• Studying another state's handbook or a generic app. Alaska's limits and distances differ from other states.
• Guessing at numbers. Most failed questions are about exact distances and limits, so drill them.
• Rushing. Read every option before choosing, since wrong answers are often close to the right one.
• Starting an online test in a noisy shared room. Online systems can disqualify you if someone else appears on camera.

Test yourself: The Alaska knowledge (permit) test

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Alaska Permit Practice Test
• Alaska Permit Test
• Learning to Drive in Alaska