Alaska's permit test is 20 questions — you need 16 correct to pass. Get state-specific practice, extreme weather tips, and everything to pass on your first try.
Alaska's knowledge test is 20 multiple-choice questions, you need 16 correct (80%) to pass, and the fee is $15.
The minimum age is 14 — one of the lowest in the country. You'll hold your permit for at least 6 months before taking the road test. Here's everything you need to know to pass and navigate what comes after.
Key Takeaways
- The test has 20 questions; you need 16 right (80%) to pass
- The fee is $15; retakes are allowed after a 1-day waiting period
- Alaska allows permits at age 14, one of the lowest minimum ages in the U.S.
- Wheelingo offers free, Alaska-specific practice questions — including extreme weather driving and wildlife scenarios — with no account required
The Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) knowledge test is a 20-question multiple-choice exam covering traffic laws, road signs, and driving safety. It's required to obtain an Alaska instruction permit. You must score at least 80% — 16 out of 20 correct — to pass.
The test is administered at an Alaska DMV office. Questions cover traffic controls, right-of-way rules, speed limits, and safety practices. Alaska's test stands out because it includes content you won't find in most other states: extreme weather driving, wildlife on roadways, and conditions specific to remote and seasonal roads.
The shorter format doesn't make it easier. Missing just 4 questions means a failing score, and Alaska's unique driving conditions give the test material that's genuinely unlike anything in the lower 48.
Here are the six steps to get your Alaska instruction permit:
Confirm your eligibility. You must be at least 14 years old. Gather proof of identity, Social Security number, and proof of Alaska residency.
Study the Alaska Driver Manual. The DMV publishes the official manual online. Every test question comes from this source — read it cover to cover, paying close attention to the winter driving, wildlife, and gravel road sections that appear nowhere else.
Practice with Alaska-specific questions. Use Wheelingo to drill on state-specific scenarios before your appointment. The free app covers ice fog, whiteout visibility rules, engine block heater usage, and moose/wildlife right-of-way — the topics that trip up first-time test-takers most often.
Visit an Alaska DMV office. If you're under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign your application. Pay the $15 fee and take the knowledge test.
Pass with 16 or more correct answers. If you don't pass, you must wait 1 day before retaking. Each attempt requires the fee.
Hold your permit for 6 months. Under Alaska's graduated driver licensing (GDL) law, drivers under 18 must hold an instruction permit for at least 6 months and log supervised driving hours before taking the road test.
Three areas cause the most failures. Give each one focused attention before your appointment.
Alaska's test includes questions that no other state's written exam covers: ice fog, whiteout visibility, engine block heaters, and driving on permafrost roads. Ice fog — a phenomenon where exhaust and moisture freeze into suspended ice crystals at temperatures below -20°F — can reduce visibility to near zero in urban and rural areas alike.
You'll need to know when it's unsafe to drive, how to warm up a vehicle properly in extreme cold (block heaters are standard equipment in Alaska, not optional accessories), and how to handle sudden traction loss on roads where permafrost causes unpredictable surface conditions.
The test also covers ice road driving — routes that only exist in winter when bodies of water freeze solid enough to support vehicles. You need to understand load limits, safe speeds, and what to do if ice cracks under your vehicle.
Alaska has the highest density of moose-vehicle collisions in North America, and the permit test reflects it. You'll encounter questions on what to do when a moose is on or near the road — and the answer is almost never "swerve."
Moose are tall-legged animals — in a collision, the body hits the windshield and roof, not the hood, making a moose strike far more lethal than a deer of similar weight. The correct protocol is to brake hard and stay in your lane. Swerving puts you into oncoming traffic or off the road, which is statistically more dangerous than the impact itself.
The test also covers bears, caribou, and other large wildlife. Wildlife crossing signs are common throughout Alaska, and knowing when to slow down — because the rules are tested — matters more here than in any other state.
A significant portion of Alaska's road network is unpaved or seasonal. The permit test includes questions on safe speeds for gravel roads, following distances (longer than on pavement — gravel reduces braking effectiveness and kicked-up rocks crack windshields), and how to handle one-lane gravel roads when meeting oncoming traffic.
Some roads are only accessible seasonally — ice roads in winter or impassable mud during the spring thaw. Understanding road condition signs and seasonal closures is Alaska-specific content you won't find on any other state's exam.
How many questions are on the Alaska permit test? The test has 20 multiple-choice questions. You need to answer at least 16 correctly (80%) to pass.
How old do you have to be to get a learner's permit in Alaska? You must be at least 14 years old, which is one of the lowest minimum ages in the U.S.
What happens if I fail the Alaska permit test? You must wait 1 day before retaking the test. Each retake requires the $15 fee.
How long do I have to hold a permit in Alaska before getting my license? If you're under 18, you must hold your instruction permit for at least 6 months before you're eligible for a road test.
Does the Alaska permit test include questions about moose? Yes. The test includes wildlife right-of-way questions — particularly moose, which are extremely dangerous in collisions. Brake hard and stay in your lane; don't swerve.
Is Wheelingo free? Yes, Wheelingo is completely free. No account required. You can open the app and start practicing Alaska-specific questions in under 30 seconds.
Does Alaska test you on extreme weather driving? Yes. The Alaska test covers ice fog, whiteout conditions, engine block heaters, permafrost roads, and ice road driving — topics that don't appear on most other states' exams.
Passing the knowledge test gets you your instruction permit. The 6-month clock starts running immediately. You'll need to log supervised driving hours with a licensed adult before you can schedule your road test.
Alaska's permit phase isn't a formality. The terrain, climate, and wildlife hazards make supervised practice genuinely critical. Use the 6 months to drive in snow, ice, fog, and on gravel roads — conditions a written exam can't fully prepare you for. If you're 14 or 15, you'll likely be in the permit phase through at least one full winter, which is an advantage most new drivers don't get.
Alaska's permit test is shorter than most, but the unique content makes it genuinely challenging. The extreme weather section, wildlife right-of-way questions, and gravel road scenarios are where unprepared test-takers most often fail.
Wheelingo's Alaska practice tests draw directly from the official DMV manual. Every question is state-specific, including the ice fog and moose right-of-way scenarios that catch test-takers off guard. Real driving animations make abstract road situations concrete.
94% of users who prepare with Wheelingo pass on their first try. It's free, free to download — start practicing in under 30 seconds.