Alaska DMV · Quick Reference 2026

Alaska DMV Test Cheat Sheet

Every key number, rule, and fact from the Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025) — on one page. Bookmark it or print it.

🏎️ Speed Limits

Any roadway not otherwise posted55 mph

Residential district25 mph

Business district20 mph

School zone (when children present)20 mph

Alley15 mph

Backing up5 mph max recommended

Slow Moving Vehicle emblemMarks vehicles ≤ 25 mph

Traffic Safety Corridor — finesDOUBLED for any traffic offense in a designated corridor

💡 Alaska's basic rule (page 29): drive at a speed that is reasonable and prudent for traffic, surface, width, and weather — even if that's below the posted limit. Driving too slowly to maintain normal traffic flow is also prohibited. On two-lane roads outside an urban area, you must safely pull over when 5 or more vehicles are behind you.

🅿️ Parking Distances

From fire hydrant15 feet MEMORIZE

From crosswalk or intersection20 feet

From fire station entrance20 feet

From stop sign / yield / signal30 feet

From railroad crossing50 feet

From fire apparatus (lights flashing)500 feet

From curb (parallel parking)12 inches max

Outside city limitsAll 4 wheels off pavement (if possible)

Never parkIn front of a driveway, on a sidewalk, on a bridge, in a tunnel, on a crosswalk, in an intersection, or beside another parked vehicle (no double parking)

🍺 Alcohol & DUI Laws

BAC limit — drivers 21+0.08%

BAC limit — under 21ANY amount Zero tolerance

BAC limit — CDL / commercial0.04%

Refusing the test (1st)90-day revocation + criminal charge

Time to request administrative hearing7 days (in writing)

Average cost of a 1st DUI in Alaska~$22,740

1st DUI revocation90 days minimum

Under-21 (1st alcohol offense)30-day revocation

License reinstatement fee$200 / $250 / $500

SR-22 insurance after DUI$2,000–$10,000 over 5 years

IID — minimum installation (1st DUI)6 months

DUI on driving recordStays FOREVER

⚠️ Alaska Implied Consent (page 14): by driving on Alaska roads you have already consented to a chemical test of your breath. Refusing creates TWO charges — DUI and Refusal — which the court can treat separately. Refusal stays on your record forever.

⚖️ DUI Penalties (Adults, Alaska)

Offense	Fine	Jail (min)	Revocation
1st DUI	$1,500 minimum	72 hours	90 days minimum
2nd DUI	$3,000 minimum	20 days	1 year minimum
3rd DUI	$4,000 minimum	60 days	3 years minimum
Refusal	Same as DUI tier	Same tier	Same tier (separate charge)

DUI = 10 points on your record. Conviction stays on the driving record forever. After conviction you must install an Ignition Interlock Device for at least 6 months at your own cost (~$1,300). Source: Alaska Driver Manual REV. 10/2025, pages 14–19.

📏 Key Distances & Rules

Signal before turning100 feet (continuous)

Following distance — minimum (law)2 seconds (13 AAC 02.090)

Following — recommended4 seconds

Following — towing or wet/icy6+ seconds

No passing near intersectionWithin 100 feet

No passing near narrow bridge / tunnelWithin 100 feet

No passing near railroad crossingWithin 100 feet

Stop for trains within1,500 feet of crossing

Dim high beams (oncoming)500 feet

Dim high beams (following)300 feet

Headlights required (low visibility)Visibility ≤ 1,000 feet

Headlights required (sundown)½ hr after sunset → ½ hr before sunrise

Horn audible from200 feet minimum

License plate light visible from50 feet

Foot brake stops vehicle within25 feet at 20 mph

Don't follow emergency vehicleWithin 500 feet (responding)

Stopping distance at 50 mph (dry)~281 feet

5+ vehicles behind on a 2-lane (rural)Pull over at first safe spot

💡 Alaska law (13 AAC 02.090) requires a minimum 2-second following distance, but the Alaska Driver Manual recommends the 4-Second Rule. Pick a fixed object, count "one-one-thousand…" — if you reach it before 4 seconds, you're too close. Double it to 6+ seconds in rain, snow, ice, fog, or when towing.

🔷 Sign Shapes

Shape	Meaning	Example
Octagon (8 sides)	STOP	Stop sign
Inverted triangle	YIELD	Yield sign
Diamond	WARNING	Curves, merges, hills
Pentagon (5 sides)	SCHOOL	School zone/crossing
Circle	RAILROAD	Advance RR warning
Pennant	NO PASSING	No passing zone (left side)
Vertical rectangle	REGULATORY	Speed limits, rules
Horizontal rectangle	GUIDE	Directions, distances
Crossbuck (X)	RR CROSSING	At the crossing itself

🎨 Sign Colors

Color	Meaning
🔴 Red	Stop, yield, do not enter, prohibition
⬜ White	Regulatory — rules and laws
🟡 Yellow	Warning — hazards ahead
🟢 Green	Guide — directions, distances
🔵 Blue	Services — gas, food, hospital
🟠 Orange	Construction / work zone
🟤 Brown	Parks, recreation, historic
💛 Yellow-Green	Pedestrian, school, bicycle

↗️ Right-of-Way Rules

→At a 4-way stop: first to arrive goes first. If tied, driver on the RIGHT goes first.
→At an uncontrolled intersection: yield to the vehicle on the RIGHT.
→Turning left: always yield to oncoming straight-through traffic.
→Entering from alley, driveway, or private road: stop and yield to ALL traffic.
→At a T-intersection (no signs): the vehicle on the terminating road yields.
→Pedestrians in a crosswalk: ALWAYS yield — marked or unmarked.
→Emergency vehicles with lights/sirens: slow down, pull to the RIGHT edge clear of any intersection, and stop.
→Non-motorized users (pedestrians, bicyclists) have right of way over motor vehicles at uncontrolled intersections.
→When backing: always yield to vehicles or people on the street or sidewalk.

🚌 Alaska School Bus Rules

→Yellow/amber flashing lights: bus is preparing to stop — reduce speed and prepare to stop.
→Red flashing lights + stop arm: on a two-lane undivided road, ALL traffic in BOTH directions must stop.
→Same direction as the bus on a divided road: you must stop, even on the same side of a divided travelway.
→Exception: on a highway with separated roadways and TWO OR MORE lanes in each direction, oncoming traffic does NOT need to stop.
→Following from the rear: come to a complete stop BEFORE reaching the school bus.
→Remain stopped until the stop arm retracts, red lights stop, and the bus resumes motion.
→School zone speed limit when children are present: 20 mph.

🎓 Alaska Provisional License (GDL)

Minimum age for instruction permit14 years

Permit valid for2 years (renew once)

Permit fee$15

Hold permit before licensing (16/17)6 months minimum

Supervised practice required40 hours total

Of those, in challenging conditions10 hours minimum

Supervising driver must be21+ with 1 yr experience

Provisional license age16 (with all reqs met)

Provisional license fee$15

Curfew (provisional)1:00 AM – 5:00 AM

Curfew exceptionDirect route to/from work

Passengers (provisional)Siblings only without parent / 21+ in vehicle

Restrictions removed after6 months conviction-free

Provisional 6+ points / 12 moDriver improvement course required

Under-21 license expires90 days after 21st birthday

Off-system licensePassenger and hour restrictions don't apply if licensed for areas not connected to the highway system or where average daily traffic is under 500 vehicles

🛡️ Child Restraint & Safety Belts (Alaska, AS 28.05.095)

Under 1 year OR under 20 lbsRear-facing safety seat

Age 1+ AND 20 lbs+Forward-facing child restraint

Ages 4–7, < 57 in, 20–65 lbsBooster seat (with seat belt)

Ages 8–15Seat belt or child restraint required

Recommended for under 13Ride in rear seat

All occupants 18+Must wear a safety belt — failure can result in citation. Driver is responsible for all passengers under 16.

🏦 Mandatory Insurance & Financial Responsibility

Bodily injury (per person)$50,000

Bodily injury (per accident)$100,000

Property damage (per accident)$25,000

Crash report to DMVWithin 10 days

Insurance Certificate to DMVWithin 15 days (damage $501+ or any injury)

Proof of insuranceRequired at traffic stops. Must be carried in your vehicle. Failure to provide proof can result in license suspension.

📋 License Fees & Administration (Alaska DMV)

Original instruction permit$15

Original / renewed license$20

Driving (road) test fee$15

Certified driving record$10

Vision standard (each eye or both)20/40

New residents — get Alaska licenseWithin 90 days

Address / name changeNotify DMV in writing within 30 days

Knowledge test retakeNext day if failed

Driving test retake2 business days

Renewal after 21st birthdayPass alcohol awareness test first

Online knowledge testak.knowtodrive.com

Online license servicesdmv.alaska.gov/home/ — practice tests, scheduling, duplicates, renewals, certified driving record

🎯 Alaska Point System

DUI conviction10 points

Speeding 3–9 mph over2 points

Speeding 10–19 mph over4 points

Speeding 20+ mph over6 points

Mandatory suspension12+ points in 12 months

Mandatory suspension18+ points in 24 months

Provisional driver review6+ points / 12 mo OR 9+ points / 24 mo

Defensive Driving Course (DDC)Reduces points; may be taken once every 12 months

🚗 Other Must-Know Alaska Rules

→Texting while driving is prohibited (AS 28.35.161). It is also illegal to drive with a visual screen device operating in view of the driver.
→Headlights required from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise — and ANY time visibility is 1,000 feet or less. Use low beams in rain, fog, snow, or dust.
→Hill parking with curb: downhill = wheels TOWARD curb; uphill = wheels AWAY from curb. No curb (uphill or downhill): wheels turned right toward the shoulder.
→U-turns: prohibited near a curve or hill where you cannot see at least 500 feet in each direction.
→Skidding: turn the front wheels in the direction of the skid; do not brake suddenly or oversteer.
→Move Over Law: on a four-lane road, move to the lane opposite a stationary emergency vehicle / tow truck with flashing lights. If you can't move over (or you're on a two-lane road), slow to a reasonable and prudent speed.
→Striking an unattended vehicle: try to locate the owner; if unable, leave a written note with your name, address, and telephone number.
→Coasting in neutral or with the clutch disengaged on a downgrade is prohibited.
→Off-road lights ("for off-road use only") may NOT be used on an Alaska roadway.
→Slow Moving Vehicle emblem (orange triangle) is required on any vehicle traveling 25 mph or less.
→Disabled on the highway: move all four wheels off the traveled portion if possible; raise the hood or tie a white cloth to the door handle.

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