How Many Questions Are on the Washington CDL General Knowledge Test?
Washington's CDL general knowledge test has 50 multiple-choice questions, and you need to answer at least 40 of them correctly (80%) to pass. This format is set by federal rule and matches nearly every other state, including Washington.
The official test format
Unlike Washington's regular permit test, which mixes in true/false questions, the CDL general knowledge test's length and passing score are set by federal regulation (49 CFR Part 383) and use straightforward multiple-choice questions.
The test covers commercial driving fundamentals common to nearly every CDL applicant nationwide, including vehicle inspection, air brakes, cargo securement, and hours-of-service rules.
Washington's commercial learner's permit (CLP) costs $40 and is valid for 180 days, renewable once.
How the questions are distributed by topic
The official test draws from a broad, federally-defined set of topics rather than any single area, which is why understanding the reasoning behind a rule matters more than memorizing an isolated fact.
Our free Washington CDL practice tests cover 17 topic areas, including hours-of-service, cargo securement, and air brakes, so you can see which areas need more review.
How our practice tests are structured
Rather than mirroring the exact 50-question format, dmvwrittenexam.com splits its 100+ original Washington CDL questions into multiple practice tests, giving you more total repetitions across more topics than one official-length test would.
Each question includes an explanation and a source reference, so you learn why an answer is correct instead of memorizing a letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Washington CDL test the same length as in other states?
Yes, generally. The CDL general knowledge test's 50-question, 80%-passing format is set by federal rule and is consistent across nearly every state, including Washington.
How much does a Washington CLP cost?
$40, and it's valid for 180 days, renewable once if the CDL process isn't finished within that window.
Where does a Washington CDL applicant take the knowledge and skills tests?
The knowledge test at a WA DOL office, and the skills test with a DOL-authorized third-party tester — not necessarily at the same location.
Ready to put this into practice?
Start a free Washington cdl practice testLast reviewed: 2026-07-20