Frequently Asked Questions

The knowledge exam has 40 multiple-choice questions about traffic safety laws. You must pass with at least 80% — 32 out of 40 correct. During the exam you may skip up to 5 questions; at the end, the skipped questions are asked again, but you cannot skip them a second time.

Yes — and many more. At our DOL-approved center the knowledge test is offered in 13 languages, including Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Ukrainian, Punjabi, Tagalog, Arabic and Serbo-Croatian. Hindi is not offered, but Punjabi is. You pick your language when you check in.

You can book online in advance. On test day, bring any photo ID — for example a WA ID, passport, a driver license from another country, a green card, or even an expired driver license.

Yes! We offer a free online practice test with answers and explanations, in Chinese, English and Spanish. Tap "Free Knowledge Test Practice" to start.

There is no limit on retakes for the Washington DOL knowledge test — if you don't pass, you can study and take it again. The test has 40 questions and you need 32 correct (80%) to pass. Kung Fu Driving School offers free online practice questions with answers and explanations in Chinese and English to help you pass on your first try.

At our DOL-approved testing center the knowledge test can be taken in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese — 13 languages in total. Note for families from India: Hindi is not one of the options, but Punjabi is. If you need a language that isn't on the list, DOL can arrange an interpreter — email [email protected] at least 5 business days before your appointment. You pick your exam language when you check in; the questions and answers are then shown in that language.

Our part: if you already know how to drive, $110–$180 — the knowledge test ($30–$100) plus the road test ($80), or $200 for both on the same day. If you are learning from scratch, the 6-hour package is $720 and includes unlimited test attempts. Washington DOL charges its own separate fees for the permit and the license itself. Full breakdown at /guides/driver-license-cost-and-time-seattle.

If you already drive, usually one to two weeks — the knowledge test and the road test can often be booked in the same week, and we have same-day and weekend road-test slots. Brand-new drivers should plan on 4–6 weeks of practice first. Teens under 18 should plan on a few months because of the required driver education course.

Washington DOL does not set a statewide price — its fee page says the cost varies by testing location. At our DOL-approved center: knowledge test $30 for one attempt, $40 for two, $100 for unlimited attempts until you pass; road test $80 on its own, or $130–$180 with a warm-up drive in our car beforehand.

$100 for 60 minutes, $150 for 90 minutes, $190 for 2 hours. Packages lower the hourly rate: 6 hours for $720, 7 hours for $800, 10 hours for $990 — and the packages include unlimited knowledge and road test attempts. Our car and insurance are included in every lesson.

Most first-time drivers need somewhere between 6 and 10 hours behind the wheel before a road test is realistic. Book one 60-minute lesson first and ask the instructor how many more you need — that is a more honest answer than any package page.

Yes — we are about 10 minutes from the University District at 11328 Roosevelt Way NE, and the road test routes are ordinary north-Seattle streets rather than a closed course. Most of our students live within about 20 miles: the U-District, north Seattle, Shoreline, Bothell, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Kirkland, Redmond and Bellevue.

It is a free online course from the Washington DOL about driving safely through work zones and past roadside emergencies. Starting November 1, 2026, first-time Washington driver license applicants under 25 must pass it before they get their license. Full details: kungfudrivingschool.com/guides/wa-work-zone-first-responder-course

It is free, and it takes about an hour. You do it yourself on a phone or computer — nothing to book and nothing to pay.

Online only, on the DOL website (dol.wa.gov/wzfr) — there is no in-person version, so it is not taken at our school. We give the knowledge test and the road test; finish the course before you go to DOL for your license.

To be eligible for the skills exam you must: (1) have a passing knowledge exam score; (2) have a valid WA instruction permit, a valid foreign driver license, or temporary authorization to drive; and (3) if you are under 18, have completed an approved Traffic Safety Education (TSE) course.

The road test covers pulling over to the curb, hill parking, parallel parking, backing around a corner, lane changes, and driving through various intersections.

You may use our school's car. If you use your own vehicle, on the day of the test you must provide valid proof of insurance and current registration (current tabs) for that vehicle. Everyone taking the skills exam must also show proof of identification — for example a photo permit, WA ID, out-of-state license, or a non-photo permit + ASB.

You can book a road test online through Kung Fu Driving School, a DOL-approved road-test center in Seattle at 11328 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125. To take the road test you must have already passed the knowledge test and hold a valid WA instruction permit, a valid foreign driver license, or temporary authorization to drive. Chinese-language help is available throughout the process.

A Washington road (skills) test result is valid for one year. After you pass, complete the remaining licensing steps within that year to receive your driver license.

Yes, we are an official WA DOL-approved testing center; both knowledge and road test results completed here are recognized by the DOL.

Address: 11328 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Open every day 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Yes. Kung Fu Driving School (功夫驾校) is a DOL-approved knowledge-test and road-test center in Seattle that provides service in Chinese. You can take the knowledge test in Chinese and get Chinese-language help booking and taking the road test. Address: 11328 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125; open daily 9:00 AM–7:00 PM.

In Washington, teens ages 15½ to 18 follow this path: (1) get a DOL number; (2) pass the knowledge test; (3) get an instruction permit; (4) complete an approved 30-hour Traffic Safety Education (TSE) course; (5) hold the permit at least 6 months while logging 50 hours of supervised practice (40 daytime + 10 night); (6) pass the road test; (7) receive an intermediate license.

A teen can enroll in driver's education and apply for an instruction permit at age 15½ in Washington — this is the first step of the under-18 licensing path. The minimum age is 15½, not 18.

Yes. Drivers under 18 must complete an approved 30-hour Traffic Safety Education (TSE) course before taking the road test; adults 18 and older are not required to take it. The TSE combines classroom instruction with behind-the-wheel training.

For the first 6 months: no passengers under 20 except immediate family. For the next 6 months: no more than 3 passengers under 20 who aren't immediate family. No driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver aged 25 or older. No wireless devices at all while driving — hands-free included — except to report an emergency. The passenger and night restrictions lift after one year of safe driving; other penalties still apply until 18.

1) Enroll in an approved driver training course — required for anyone getting licensed before 18; it's 30 hours of classroom plus 6 hours behind the wheel. 2) Get the instruction permit: age 15½ without driver ed, or earlier if already enrolled in an approved course. 3) Practice 40 hours of daytime and 10 hours of night driving with a licensed driver who has held a license at least 3 years. 4) Hold the permit at least 6 months, be at least 16, and be a Washington resident. 5) Pass the knowledge test and the road test to get the intermediate license.

Yes, but only through an approved driver training course. Enrolling in driver ed is what allows a teen to get the instruction permit before 15½. Without driver ed, the permit has to wait until 15½.

Washington does not directly transfer most foreign driver licenses, so you must pass the WA knowledge test and the road test to get a Washington license. However, a valid foreign license lets you skip the WA instruction-permit step — after you pass the knowledge test you can practice and drive legally right away, and you can use the foreign license as your photo ID for the road test.

Yes. For most countries (including China), Washington requires you to pass both the WA knowledge test and the road test to get a WA license, regardless of your foreign license. The benefit of holding a valid foreign license is that you can skip the WA instruction permit and go straight to practicing and booking the road test.

Washington does not exchange a foreign license for a Washington one. DOL requires anyone whose license was issued outside the U.S. to complete all the steps to getting a first license — that means passing both the knowledge test and the road test, no matter how many years you have driven at home. You'll also need proof of identity and either a Social Security Number or a signed declaration that you don't have one. You don't need to prove where you live — you just give a mailing address so DOL can send you the license card.

A foreign passport with an I-94 is on DOL's accepted identity list, and a U.S. visa counts too. DOL accepts four different document combinations, so bring everything you have: passport, I-94 and visa. There is no proof-of-address requirement — you simply give a mailing address for your license card to be sent to. A Social Security Number is not required for a standard license either; if you don't have one you sign a declaration instead.

Yes. DOL's rule is explicit: an expired out-of-state license requires both the knowledge test and the drive test. This is the most common surprise we see — people assume transferring is just paperwork, then find out at the counter that both exams are required.

No. If you're 18 or older and hold a valid license from a U.S. state, Washington D.C., a U.S. territory, or the U.S. Department of State, no tests are required, as long as your driving record is dated within the last 30 days. New residents are expected to switch to a Washington license within 30 days of moving here.

Yes. You're treated as a first-time Washington driver, so you take both the knowledge test and the road test. Bring your foreign passport with I-94, your visa, and your I-20. You don't need to prove your address — just give a mailing address (your dorm or apartment) so DOL can mail you the license card.

Yes. For a standard Washington driver license you either provide a Social Security Number or sign a declaration stating you don't have one. One thing to know: the Enhanced driver license (EDL) is only for U.S. citizens, so as a visa holder you'll be getting the standard license — which is all you need to drive legally in Washington.

No. Any license issued outside the U.S. means starting from the beginning — both the knowledge test and the road test. Your experience does help you pass faster, but it doesn't waive either exam. Most experienced drivers from other countries lose road-test points on U.S. right-of-way rules and on the scored maneuvers such as backing and hill parking, not on general car control.