Driving Test Requirements — Wisconsin Driver's License Practice Test

In Wisconsin, anyone who drives on public roads must hold a valid driver license. To earn one, you must take and pass four separate tests: a vision screening, the highway signs test, the knowledge test, and the skills test. This section explains what each test checks and how it is given, so you know what to expect before you go.

The vision screening can be done at the DMV or by your own vision specialist, and Wisconsin sets minimum standards for visual acuity and field of vision. The highway signs test checks whether you can read and understand signs that regulate, warn and direct traffic; it has 15 questions and you must answer 12 correctly to pass. The knowledge test covers traffic laws and takes about 45 minutes; it has 50 questions and you must answer 40 correctly. Neither the signs test nor the knowledge test requires an appointment.

The skills test, also called the road or driving test, is a demonstration that you can keep ordinary and reasonable control of your vehicle, and it is given by a DMV examiner by appointment. Before it begins, the examiner checks that the car is safe to drive — inspecting items such as the horn, lights and signals, doors and mirrors — so you should know how to use every part of the vehicle you may need, like headlights, wipers and defrost. The drive itself covers turning, intersections, business and residential driving, changing lanes, maneuvers such as parking, and backing.