Alaska Permit Test Cheat Sheet
A condensed, skimmable recap of the rules most worth knowing cold before your exam — distilled from our full Alaska practice question bank. This isn't a replacement for the Alaska Driver's Manual; confirm anything time-sensitive with Alaska DMV.
Alaska Licensing Basics
- Alaska's DMV knowledge test runs 20 questions, and a passing score means answering at least 16 of them correctly, which works out to 80%; an applicant becomes eligible to apply for an instruction permit starting at 14 years old, younger than the minimum age in most other states.
- The instruction permit itself stays valid for a full 2 years from the date it's issued, giving an applicant considerably more runway than the typical 6-month or 1-year window other states allow before a permit expires and has to be renewed or reapplied for.
- Before advancing to the next stage of licensing, a permit holder has to hold that permit for at least 6 months, and separately has to log 40 hours of supervised practice driving, with at least 10 of those 40 hours specifically completed at night or in poor weather conditions.
- Alaska's DMV is organized under the state's Department of Revenue rather than a transportation or public safety agency, an unusual administrative pairing shared with only a small number of other states.
- The $15 fee for the permit itself is separate from whatever the eventual provisional or full license will cost once the applicant qualifies to move on.
Supervision & the Provisional Stage
- Unlike most states, where a permit holder eventually earns a stretch of unsupervised solo driving before turning 18, an Alaska instruction permit holder must always be accompanied by a licensed adult 21 or older sitting in the front seat, with absolutely no unsupervised driving allowed at the permit stage.
- Once a permit holder qualifies for a provisional license, a curfew applies: no unsupervised driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., with standard exceptions for work, school, and similar documented needs.
- A provisional license holder may not carry any passenger under 21 who isn't a sibling, parent, or guardian, a blanket restriction that goes well beyond the narrower passenger limits some other states apply only to non-family teen passengers.
- Those provisional-stage restrictions lift once the driver turns 18, or after 6 consecutive months without a moving violation, whichever comes first.
- Alaska also runs its own official online testing option, called Know to Drive, letting an applicant complete the knowledge test from home over webcam, with in-person proctors available in rural communities as an alternative.
DUI, Alcohol & Drugs
- Alaska's zero-tolerance law treats a BAC of 0.02% or higher as a violation for any driver under 21, effectively meaning any measurable trace of alcohol, well below the standard 0.08% legal limit that applies once a driver turns 21.
- A cell phone violation while driving carries a penalty of $200 and 2 points against the driver's record.
- Alcohol degrades judgment, reaction time, coordination, and vision — all necessary for safe driving, even at levels below the legal limit.
Distracted Driving
- Alaska bans both hand-held and hands-free cell phone use for any driver still on an instruction permit or provisional license.
- Texting while driving is a primary offense, meaning an officer can stop a driver for it alone.
Right-of-Way
- With no signs or signals controlling an intersection, yield to whoever approaches from your right.
- A driver turning left has to let oncoming traffic and crossing pedestrians clear before completing the turn.
- A vehicle already on the roadway has the right-of-way over one entering from a driveway, alley, or parking lot.
Traffic Signals
- A solid red light means a full stop; treat a flashing red exactly like a stop sign.
- A flashing yellow signal means proceed with caution — no full stop is required.
- If a signal is dark or malfunctioning, treat the intersection as if every approach had its own stop sign.
Traffic Signs
- Shape is a nationwide code: octagon means stop, downward-pointing triangle means yield, diamond means warning.
- Color carries meaning too — red for stop/yield/prohibition, orange for construction, yellow for warnings.
- A red circle with a diagonal slash is the standard national way to say an action isn't allowed.
Lane Markings & Usage
- Yellow lines separate opposing directions of traffic; white lines separate lanes traveling the same direction.
- A broken line permits a lane change when safe; a solid line discourages crossing.
Turning
- Signal well ahead of the turn itself, so other drivers actually have time to react.
- A right turn on red is generally legal after a complete stop and yielding, unless a posted sign says otherwise.
- A safe U-turn always needs a clear view of traffic in both directions.
Passing
- A double solid yellow line prohibits passing for traffic in either direction.
- The posted speed limit still applies mid-pass.
Following Distance
- Hold at least a 3-second gap in normal conditions, and stretch that further in rain, fog, or heavy traffic.
- Tailgating is a leading cause of rear-end crashes.
Freeway Driving
- Use the acceleration lane to match highway speed before merging.
- Signal and move into the exit lane well ahead of your exit.
Roundabouts
- Traffic circulates counterclockwise, and vehicles already inside have the right-of-way over ones entering.
Winter & Remote-Road Driving
- Long stretches of Alaska highway run through remote terrain with no cell service, so carrying an emergency kit and telling someone your route matters more than in most other states.
- Reduce speed well before ice or snow becomes visible, and increase following distance substantially in winter conditions.
Railroad Crossings
- Slow down, look both ways, and listen before crossing, even where there are no gates or lights.
- Never stop on the tracks, and never drive around a lowered gate.
Pedestrians & Crosswalks
- Every intersection is a legal crosswalk, marked or not, and pedestrians there have the right-of-way.
- A white cane or guide dog marks a visually impaired pedestrian — stop and yield without exception.
School Zones
- Children move less predictably than adult pedestrians, so slow down and follow any crossing guard's directions.
Bicycles
- Cyclists are generally treated as vehicle operators, with the same rights and duty to follow traffic law.
- Give a cyclist at least 3 feet of clearance when passing.
Sharing the Road with Large Vehicles
- If you can't see a truck driver's mirrors, assume they can't see you either.
- Trucks need much more distance to stop than a car does.
Move Over & Emergency Vehicles
- Move over a lane away from a stopped emergency vehicle when safe, or slow down noticeably if you can't change lanes.
Fatigue & Drowsy Driving
- Yawning, heavy eyelids, and drifting out of your lane are early signs your body is losing the fight to stay alert.
Vehicle Equipment
- Headlights are generally required starting a half hour after sunset through a half hour before sunrise.
Work Zones
- Fines commonly double for violations inside a posted, active construction or maintenance zone.
Insurance & Registration
- Drivers must be ready to present a license, registration, and proof of insurance at any traffic stop.
After a Collision
- Check for injuries and call 911 before dealing with any paperwork.
- Stop and exchange information with everyone involved — leaving without doing so is a hit-and-run.
Seatbelts & Child Safety
- Alaska law requires a seatbelt for the driver and every passenger, front seat and back.
School Buses
- Traffic in both directions on an undivided road must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights, and wait until the lights stop flashing.
Speed Limits
- The basic speed law requires a safe speed for conditions, which can be lower than the posted limit.
Signs to Know
Quick visual recap of commonly tested signs — see the full Permit practice test for sign-recognition questions.
Come to a complete stop, then proceed only when it is safe to do so
Slow down and be ready to stop, giving the right-of-way to other traffic or pedestrians
Do not drive past this sign in this direction; the roadway is closed to traffic entering here
You are driving against the flow of traffic and must safely turn around or stop immediately
Traffic on this road or lane may only travel in the direction the arrow points
Making a U-turn is prohibited at this location
The maximum legal speed under normal conditions on this road is 55 mph
A railroad track crosses the road ahead; slow down, look, and listen for a train before crossing
Parking is not allowed in this area
Drivers may not turn right at this intersection while the signal is red
Two lanes of traffic ahead are merging into one; be prepared to adjust speed and position
The road ahead curves; reduce speed as needed for the curve
You are entering a section of road with traffic moving in both directions; stay in your lane
A stop sign is ahead; begin slowing down now to be able to stop when you reach it
Drivers must keep to the right of a divider, island, or obstruction ahead
Passing other vehicles is prohibited in this zone
Watch for pedestrians and slow down or stop if needed
Slow down and watch for children crossing near the school
Watch for cyclists who may be crossing or entering the road ahead
Watch for deer crossing, especially at dawn or dusk
Last reviewed: 2026-07-24