The Wisconsin permit knowledge test has 50 questions, and you need 40 correct (80%) to pass; the separate highway signs test has 15 questions and needs 12 correct (80%). Official source. Page updated 2026-10-19.
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Key Wisconsin DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the Wisconsin handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free Wisconsin DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the Wisconsin handbook (last verified 2026-09-07).
Speed limits
- Wisconsin sets the residential default at 25 miles per hour when no other sign changes the limit. (Handbook, p. 10)
- The handbook sets 35 mph as the maximum in outlying parts of cities and villages when no speed limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 10)
- Wisconsin's normal speed limit in a school zone when children are present is 15 miles per hour. (Handbook, p. 10)
- Wisconsin ties speed choice to how far ahead the driver can see. (Handbook, p. 12)
- Passing does not give a Wisconsin driver permission to exceed the posted limit. (Handbook, p. 10)
Right of way
- Right-of-way identifies which road user proceeds first and which one must wait. (Handbook, p. 9)
- Traffic already moving through the roundabout has priority over a driver who has not entered. (Handbook, p. 39)
- The handbook gives special protection to a pedestrian using a guide dog or carrying a white cane. (Handbook, p. 9)
- Wisconsin’s handbook cautions that a vehicle on the right is not automatically first in every encounter. (Handbook, p. 9)
- The right-of-way section lists pedestrians who are still in the intersection among the road users to whom drivers should yield. (Handbook, p. 9)
Alcohol and DUI
- The handbook describes a zero-tolerance rule for drivers under 21: no alcohol may be in the driver's system while operating a vehicle. (Handbook, p. 49)
- Wisconsin treats refusal of a requested prohibited alcohol concentration test as a violation of the Implied Consent Law. (Handbook, p. 49)
- The handbook places any amount of a controlled substance in the same category as operating while impaired. (Handbook, p. 49)
- Wisconsin says it is illegal to drive under the influence of any drugs, and the handbook names both prescription and non-prescription drugs. (Handbook, p. 49)
- Wisconsin warns that alcohol, drugs and other substances affect the way you think and make decisions. (Handbook, p. 49)
Signals and markings
- A steady yellow means the signal is about to turn red. (Handbook, p. 33)
- The handbook recommends using low beam headlights when you are using your windshield wipers, as well as when it is rainy, snowy, or foggy. (Handbook, p. 21)
- Wisconsin directs drivers to return to low beams when a vehicle is coming toward them. (Handbook, p. 21)
- For reversible lanes, Wisconsin uses special lights to show whether a lane is usable. (Handbook, p. 36)
- A right turn on steady red requires a full stop first. (Handbook, p. 32)
Parking
- The handbook's parallel parking steps start with finding a space about 3 to 6 feet longer than your vehicle. (Handbook, p. 19)
- The last parallel parking step is to straighten the wheels again, leaving the vehicle about a foot away from the curb and at least 2 feet from the vehicles in front and behind. (Handbook, p. 20)
- On a level surface, place an automatic transmission in Park, or leave a manual transmission in gear, and set the parking brake. (Handbook, p. 18)
- Before parking, make sure no No Parking sign applies where you plan to leave the vehicle. (Handbook, p. 18)
- If you need to stop to pick up or let off passengers, find a safe place out of traffic, such as a parking area or a calm side street. (Handbook, p. 13)
Safe driving
- Wisconsin prohibits anyone under 16 from operating a farm tractor or self-propelled farm machinery on highways. (Handbook, p. 45)
- Wisconsin requires low beams or headlights when a driver cannot see a vehicle or person 500 feet away. (Handbook, p. 21)
- The handbook places the large-vehicle no-zone about 200 feet behind and 20 feet in front of a truck. (Handbook, p. 52)
- For a turn at an intersection, begin the signal about three seconds, or approximately 100 feet, before turning. (Handbook, p. 21)
- Wisconsin recommends checking the rearview mirror every 6 to 8 seconds to notice whether someone is following too closely. (Handbook, p. 13)
Road signs
- The separate Highway Signs test contains 15 questions, and an applicant must answer 12 correctly. (Handbook, p. 1)
- Wisconsin describes the slow moving vehicle sign as a triangle with reflective orange markings and says the vehicle could travel at 25 mph or less. (Handbook, p. 25)
- A Signal Ahead sign warns that stop lights are coming and tells the driver to prepare for slowing or stopping. (Handbook, p. 22)
- Wisconsin describes this warning as advance notice of a stop sign. (Handbook, p. 23)
- A Yield sign beneath the railroad crossbuck means an approaching train has priority at the crossing. (Handbook, p. 30)
Laws and paperwork
- A school bus with flashing red lights requires a stop at least 20 feet away. (Handbook, p. 51)
- The Wisconsin knowledge test includes 50 questions, and an applicant must answer 40 correctly to pass. (Handbook, p. 1)
- Applicants between ages 15 and 17 may take the Wisconsin knowledge test online for a $10 fee. (Handbook, p. 1)
- The supervised program requires 50 total hours, divided into at least 40 hours during daylight and 10 hours during darkness. (Handbook, p. 6)
- An applicant under 18 needs to hold the instruction permit for at least six months before moving to a probationary license. (Handbook, p. 6)
Emergencies
- If someone is injured or killed, call 911, stay on the scene, and do not move the vehicles, preserving positions that investigators need to read. (Handbook, p. 47)
- With no injuries but a vehicle that cannot move, call 911 and follow their directions, and stay away from traffic while you wait. (Handbook, p. 47)
- If someone is injured or killed, stay in the vehicle if it is safe to do so, after calling 911 and staying on the scene without moving the vehicles. (Handbook, p. 47)
- Roundabout entry must wait when an emergency vehicle with its siren on is using the circle. (Handbook, p. 39)
- The handbook warns that deer activity is highest from sunset to sunrise, when judging distance and speed is already harder. (Handbook, p. 43)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 22 short lessons quoted from the Wisconsin manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free Wisconsin DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see Wisconsin DMV facts and fees before test day.