Virginia Permit Test Flashcards
199 cards from our Virginia question bank. Read each question, decide on your answer, then tap “Show answer”. Cards you mark “Still learning” go to your review list and come back over the next week. When you know them, check yourself with the Virginia mock test.
Cards 1-20 of 199
Card 1: You pass a yellow warning sign showing a horse-drawn buggy. Which of these should you NOT do in that area?
- Pass with 3 feet when clear
- Watch for slow vehicles ahead
- Slow down as you come near
- Sound your horn as you approach
Answer: Sound your horn as you approach. This sign means horse-drawn buggies regularly use the road. Slow down and do not use the horn. State law requires at least three feet of clearance when you pass and the way is clear.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗, p.8 (PDF p.10), Warning Signs - Horse-Drawn Buggies
Did you know it?Card 2: A No Left Turn sign is posted at a Virginia intersection. May you make a U-turn there?
- Only if a police officer waves you on
- No, a U-turn counts as two left turns
- Yes, the sign only bans left turns
- Yes, if no oncoming traffic is near
Answer: No, a U-turn counts as two left turns. Virginia treats a U-turn as two left turns, so a U-turn is illegal wherever a No Left Turn sign is posted.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗, p.7 (PDF p.9), Regulatory Signs - No Left Turn
Did you know it?Card 3: In Virginia, what does a pink sign with black lettering tell you?
- You are entering a school zone
- You are near a hospital or clinic
- You are near a park or historic site
- You are near a traffic incident area
Answer: You are near a traffic incident area. Orange-and-black signs advise and warn in construction areas, while pink-and-black signs do the same in incident areas. Brown signs point out historic or cultural sites.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗, p.6 (PDF p.8), Sign Colors
Did you know it?Card 4: In Virginia, vehicles that travel at what speed or less must display a Slow Moving Vehicle sign on a public highway?
- 45 mph
- 25 mph
- 15 mph
- 35 mph
Answer: 25 mph. Farm equipment, horse-drawn vehicles, highway work vehicles and other vehicles going 25 mph or less must show the Slow Moving Vehicle sign. Be ready to adjust your speed or position when you see one.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗, p.11 (PDF p.13), Slow Moving Vehicles
Did you know it?Card 5: What shape is a stop sign?
- Pentagon (5-sided)
- Octagon (8-sided)
- Hexagon (6-sided)
- Triangle (3-sided)
Answer: Octagon (8-sided). Stop signs are always octagonal (8-sided) and red. This unique shape allows drivers to recognize them even when covered in snow or seen from behind.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 6: What color are warning signs?
- Yellow or orange
- Blue or green
- White with black letters
- Red
Answer: Yellow or orange. Warning signs are yellow (standard warnings) or orange (construction/work zones). They alert drivers to potential hazards ahead such as curves, intersections, or pedestrians.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 7: What does a triangular sign with a red border mean?
- No entry
- Yield the right of way
- Stop for all cross traffic
- Merging traffic ahead
Answer: Yield the right of way. A yield sign is triangular with a red border and white background. It means slow down and give the right of way to traffic or pedestrians. Only stop if necessary.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 8: A diamond-shaped orange sign indicates:
- A work zone ahead
- A slow-moving vehicle ahead
- A yield ahead
- A school zone
Answer: A work zone ahead. Orange diamond-shaped signs indicate construction or work zones. Speed limits are often reduced and fines are doubled in work zones. Slow down and stay alert.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 9: Green traffic signs provide:
- Guide information (directions)
- Warning information (hazards)
- Service information (gas, food)
- Regulatory information (laws)
Answer: Guide information (directions). Green signs provide guidance information such as highway route numbers, exit numbers, destinations, distances, and directions. They help drivers navigate.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 10: What does a railroad advance warning sign look like?
- A round yellow sign with an X and RR
- A white X-shaped sign reading RAILROAD CROSSING
- A red and white triangle reading RR
- A yellow pentagon showing a train
Answer: A round yellow sign with an X and RR. The round yellow sign with an X and "RR" is the railroad advance warning sign, usually the first sign you see before a highway-rail crossing. At the tracks you will see the white X-shaped crossbuck, which means yield to trains.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 11: A pentagon (5-sided) shaped sign is associated with:
- Hospital zones
- Construction areas
- No-passing zones
- School zones
Answer: School zones. Pentagon-shaped signs (pointing up or down) are used for school zones and school crossings. They are yellow-green in color and alert drivers that children may be present.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 12: A yellow pennant-shaped sign (a long triangle pointing sideways) posted on the left side of the road means:
- No passing zone begins
- Divided highway ahead
- Passing lane ahead
- Road narrows ahead
Answer: No passing zone begins. The no-passing zone sign is the only pennant-shaped sign: a yellow, sideways triangle pointing to the right. It is posted on the left side of the road at the start of a no-passing zone, where a solid yellow line also appears on your side of the centerline.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 13: A small sign below a railroad crossbuck shows the number 2. What does it tell you?
- Trains come through here about twice a day
- Stop at least two car lengths from the rails
- There are two sets of tracks at the crossing
- The crossing is two miles down the road
Answer: There are two sets of tracks at the crossing. When a crossing has more than one track, a sign under the crossbuck shows how many tracks there are. Be ready for a train on any of them.
Source: official Virginia driver handbook ↗
Did you know it?Card 14: What does a sign in the shape of an octagon always mean?
- Wrong way
- Yield
- Do not enter
- Stop
Answer: Stop. An octagon (8-sided shape) is used exclusively for STOP signs. The unique shape lets drivers identify it even when snow-covered or viewed from behind.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 2A.05, Table 2A-1 Use of Sign Shapes; 2B.04
Did you know it?Card 15: What does a downward-pointing triangle sign mean?
- Merge
- Do not enter
- Yield
- Stop ahead
Answer: Yield. An inverted (downward-pointing) triangle is always a YIELD sign. Slow down, be ready to stop, and give the right of way to traffic and pedestrians.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 2A.05, Table 2A-1 Use of Sign Shapes
Did you know it?Card 16: A diamond-shaped sign is used to indicate:
- A regulation you must obey
- A route number for a highway
- A warning of a hazard ahead
- A recreation or park area
Answer: A warning of a hazard ahead. Diamond-shaped signs are warning signs. They alert you to hazards or changes in road conditions ahead, such as curves, intersections, or pedestrian crossings.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 2C.02
Did you know it?Card 17: What color background is used for most warning signs?
- White
- Red
- Purple
- Yellow
Answer: Yellow. Most warning signs have a yellow background with black symbols or letters. Yellow signals caution - slow down and watch for the hazard described.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 2C.02
Did you know it?Card 18: What does an orange-colored sign indicate?
- A work zone ahead
- A railroad crossing ahead
- A hospital zone ahead
- A school zone ahead
Answer: A work zone ahead. Orange signs indicate construction and maintenance work zones. Reduce speed, watch for workers and equipment, and be prepared for changed traffic patterns. Fines are often doubled.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 1D.05 Color Code
Did you know it?Card 19: A five-sided (pentagon) sign that points upward indicates:
- A railroad crossing ahead
- A school zone or crossing
- A hospital zone ahead
- A no-passing zone
Answer: A school zone or crossing. An upward-pointing pentagon sign marks a school zone or school crossing. It is typically yellow-green and warns that children may be present.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) 2A.05, Table 2A-1 Use of Sign Shapes
Did you know it?Card 20: A round (circular) sign indicates:
- A stop ahead
- A one-way street
- A speed limit change
- A railroad crossing
Answer: A railroad crossing. A round, yellow sign with a black X and two R's warns of a railroad crossing ahead. The circular shape is used exclusively for railroad advance-warning signs.
Source: Federal MUTCD (11th ed.) ↗, MUTCD 11th ed. (Dec 2023) Section 2A.05 and Table 2A-1 (W10-1)
Did you know it?