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State guides · Wisconsin

Wisconsin DMV written test guide

Everything you need to know about the written test in Wisconsin, with the rules your state asks about and practice questions with answers.

AgencyWisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles (WisDOT DMV)
Official handbookWisconsin Motorists' Handbook ↗
Questions50
To pass40 of 50 correct
Test in Spanish?Yes

Knowledge test: 50 questions, 40 correct needed (80%), about 45 minutes. There is also a separate highway signs test of 15 questions, 12 correct needed (80%). Free at a DMV service center with no appointment; ages 15 to 17 can also take it online at home through KnowToDrive for $10, with two online attempts before going to a service center. You may retest no sooner than the next day, and take the same test at most five times in one year.

Wisconsin rules you need to know

Wisconsin test FAQ

How many questions are on the Wisconsin written test?

The written test has 50 questions and you need 40 correct to pass.

Can I take the Wisconsin driver's test in Spanish?

Yes. Wisconsin offers the written test in Spanish.

How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Wisconsin?

You can get an instruction permit at 15 if enrolled in driver education.

What documents do I need for a permit in Wisconsin?

It depends on your situation (identity, residency and Social Security number or an alternative). Check the official list from Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles (WisDOT DMV) before you go.

Documents guide → · How to pass on the first try →

11 Wisconsin practice questions

  1. 1. The Wisconsin knowledge test has 50 questions. How many must you answer correctly to pass?

    1. 30
    2. 40
    3. 45
    4. 35
    Show answer

    Answer: 40

    You need 40 of 50 correct, which is 80 percent; there is also a separate 15-question signs test.

    Official source ↗

  2. 2. In Wisconsin, if you are under 21, how much alcohol may you have in your blood while driving?

    1. Up to 0.08%
    2. None, 0.00%
    3. Up to 0.02%
    4. Up to 0.04%
    Show answer

    Answer: None, 0.00%

    Wisconsin's absolute sobriety law means drivers under 21 may not have any alcohol in their system.

    Official source ↗

  3. 3. What is the minimum age for a Wisconsin instruction permit if you are enrolled in driver education?

    1. 16
    2. 15
    3. 14
    4. 15 and a half
    Show answer

    Answer: 15

    Under 18, you must be at least 15 and enrolled in driver education, including behind-the-wheel.

    Official source ↗

  4. 4. You are 16 with a Wisconsin probationary license. Driving alone between midnight and 5 am, where may you go?

    1. Only to a friend's house
    2. Anywhere you like, with no limits
    3. Nowhere, it is banned
    4. Only between home, school and work
    Show answer

    Answer: Only between home, school and work

    From midnight to 5 am, a probationary driver under 18 may drive alone only between home, school and work.

    Official source ↗

  5. 5. In Wisconsin, a school bus stops with red lights on the other side of a divided highway with a barrier. What do you do?

    1. You need not stop
    2. Stop 20 feet away, always
    3. Stop only if you see kids
    4. Slow to 15 mph
    Show answer

    Answer: You need not stop

    Drivers going the opposite way on a divided highway need not stop; otherwise stop at least 20 feet from the bus.

    Official source ↗

  6. 6. You have a regular Wisconsin license. Where is it illegal to use a hand-held phone while driving?

    1. In a road work zone
    2. Nowhere at all
    3. Only on the freeway
    4. On any street
    Show answer

    Answer: In a road work zone

    All drivers are banned from hand-held phone use in work zones; texting is banned everywhere.

    Official source ↗

  7. 7. On a Wisconsin road with two lanes in your direction, you see a disabled car with hazard lights. What do you do?

    1. Keep going, it's no emergency
    2. Honk as you pass by
    3. Move over a lane or slow down
    4. Stop in your lane to help
    Show answer

    Answer: Move over a lane or slow down

    Since late 2025, the move over law also covers disabled vehicles with hazard lights, flares or people attending them.

    Official source ↗

  8. 8. What following distance rule does the Wisconsin handbook teach in good conditions?

    1. 3 seconds
    2. 4 seconds
    3. 1 second
    4. 2 seconds
    Show answer

    Answer: 4 seconds

    Wisconsin uses a four-second rule, adding a second for each adverse condition like rain, snow or heavy traffic.

    Official source ↗

  9. 9. In Wisconsin, how close to a fire hydrant may you park, at minimum?

    1. 20 feet
    2. 30 feet
    3. 10 feet
    4. 25 feet
    Show answer

    Answer: 10 feet

    Do not park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant.

    Official source ↗

  10. 10. In Wisconsin, within how many feet of a crosswalk at an intersection may you NOT park?

    1. 25 feet
    2. 20 feet
    3. 15 feet
    4. 30 feet
    Show answer

    Answer: 15 feet

    Do not park within 15 feet of a crosswalk.

    Official source ↗

  11. 11. In Wisconsin, at least how far ahead must you signal before turning?

    1. 500 feet
    2. 100 feet
    3. 300 feet
    4. 50 feet
    Show answer

    Answer: 100 feet

    Signal for at least the last 100 feet before turning.

    Official source ↗

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Facts checked against the official state handbook and website in October 2026. Rules change: always check the official handbook.