First-time Washington driver license applicants under the age of 25 must pass a free, online-only course on work zone and first responder safety before they can get their license. It is free, takes about an hour, and you do it on your own phone or computer. This requirement starts on November 1, 2026. Official DOL flyer (PDF).
What the course is
The course teaches you how to drive through a roadside emergency or a work zone: what the orange cones, the speed reduction signs and the flashing lights mean, and how to avoid the risky last-minute decisions that cause collisions with road crews and first responders.
It is a Washington state requirement, not a school requirement. We do not run it, we cannot run it for you, and nobody can charge you for it.
- Cost: free of charge.
- Where: online only, on DOL's work zone and first responder page — mobile and desktop friendly.
- How long: approximately 1 hour.
- Who: first-time Washington driver license applicants under 25.
- When: the requirement starts November 1, 2026. The course is open to everyone from September 1, 2026.
Who has to take it
You need it if this is your first Washington driver license and you are under 25 on the day you apply. That includes teens, and it includes adults who are new to Washington and applying here for the first time.
If you are 25 or older, or you already hold a Washington license and are simply renewing, the course is not required of you. It is still worth an hour — the same crashes happen to every age group.
How to take it
Need help in another language? DOL will arrange a free interpreter — call 360-902-3900 and ask for help in your language.
- 1 · Open the DOL course page. Go to dol.wa.gov/wzfr. The steps to start the course are on that page. It works on a phone.
- 2 · Work through it — about an hour. Online only; there is no classroom version and no in-person version. You do not need to book anything and you do not pay anything.
- 3 · Finish it before you go for your license. DOL checks it as part of issuing your license, so do it before your appointment — not on the day, in the parking lot.
- 4 · Then finish the rest of your path. Knowledge test, permit, practice, road test — see the full step-by-step path. The course does not replace any of them.