California
DMV Practice Test

Few states offer more to explore than California and having a California driver’s license is one of the keys to enjoying everything the state has to offer. If you want to earn your license you’ll need to pass the California driving test. The test has two parts, a knowledge test and a skills test. In our practice knowledge tests, you will have to answer test questions that are very similar to the official California Driving written knowledge test. You will be presented with 36 questions and you must answer 30 questions correctly to pass. If you are over 18, our California DMV practice test will match the number of questions that you’ll see on the official test. If you are under 18, the official license test you take will contain 46 questions and you’ll need 38 correct answers to pass. To begin your practice test, click the “Start Test” button below.

1 / 36

If you approach a flashing yellow traffic signal at an intersection it means

You should slow down and be alert

You should stop immediately

You should treat the signal like a stop sign

You can pass through at full speed

2 / 36

Written evidence of financial responsibility is needed:

When a law enforcement officer requires it.

Whenever you drive.

For purchasing a car.

When driving with other people in the vehicle.

3 / 36

You are getting ready to make a right turn ahead. You should:

Come to a complete stop before turning.

Signal the last 100 feet before you reach the turn.

Always stop before making the turn.

Make sure to signal as you begin to turn.

4 / 36

In open country at night you should drive with

high-beam headlights.

parking lights.

low-beam headlights.

no headlights.

5 / 36

What does this sign mean?

A hospital is ahead.

You must turn left or right ahead.

Prepare to stop.

There is a side road ahead.

6 / 36

This sign means:

Exit ahead on the left

One lane ahead

Lane ends ahead

Merging Traffic ahead

7 / 36

If a street has a center left turn lane, a person should not drive more than _________ in the center left turn lane.

50 feet

100 feet

75 feet

200 feet

8 / 36

While driving up a mountain road, you come up to another vehicle and there is not enough room for you to pass. What should you do?

Park your car and walk.

Wait for the other vehicle to reverse back up the hill until there is room for you to pass.

Reverse down the hill until you find a place to pull off the road.

Discuss your options with the other driver.

9 / 36

The California "Basic Speed Law" means that

you must never drive faster than what is safe for current road conditions.

you should always drive the speed limit.

the speed limit is the same throughout the state.

you should never drive faster than the posted speed limit.

10 / 36

Safe driving requires personal responsibility to use ______

None of the listed answers.

Sound judgement, reflexes, experience, and a calm demeanor.

Sound judgement, reflexes, experience, and common sense.

Experience and a willingness to share the road.

11 / 36

What is the maximum speed limit on most of the highways in California?

65 mph.

60 mph.

75 mph.

50 mph.

12 / 36

To avoid last-second maneuvers, look down the road ________.

200 feet or more

10-15 seconds

5-10 seconds

2-3 seconds

13 / 36

What is the DMV's standard vision requirement?

30/90

20/100

20/40

20/80

14 / 36

Enter a roundabout:

Immediately, you have the right of way at all times.

After coming to a complete stop and looking both ways.

When there is a big enough gap in traffic.

At a high rate of speed to avoid traffic behind you.

15 / 36

If you are involved in a collision, you should not _____.

Speed away without stopping.

Stop.

Share your information with others involved in the accident.

Call 9-1-1 to report the accident.

16 / 36

Why should you always check for motorcycles before changing lanes?

Motorcycles have different speed limits.

Motorcycles can change lanes without signaling.

They can be difficult to see.

Motorcycles always have the right of way.

17 / 36

To make a U-turn on a highway with multiple lanes, you must start from:

The far right lane.

The far left lane.

The shoulder.

Any lane.

18 / 36

You must notify the DMV within 5 days if you:

Paint your vehicle of a different color

Have allowed your license to expire

Have driven without insurance

Sell or Transfer your vehicle

19 / 36

Within 100 feet of a railroad crossing, assuming you cannot see the tracks for 400 feet in both directions, what is the speed limit?

10 mph.

25 mph.

15 mph.

30 mph.

20 / 36

Is talking on your cell phone permitted while driving?

No.

Only if you are using a hands-free device.

Yes, but only if you are driving the speed limit.

Yes, but only if you are not in the city.

21 / 36

To sign up to donate your organs and tissue for transplantation upon your death, you should do what?

Coordinate with your family and doctor.

Check the "YES! Add my name to the donor registry." when applying or renewing your license.

Notify the DMV by phone.

Fill out the online form on the DMV website.

22 / 36

If a 19 year old is caught in their vehicle with an open alcoholic beverage, which of the following can happen?

Their driving privilege may be revoked for one year, or issuance of their license may be suspended for one year.

The court may fine them up to $1,000.

All of the listed answers.

The vehicle may be impounded for 30 days.

23 / 36

When can a left turn be made at a red light?

Never

In rural areas

When turning from a two-lane road onto a one-lane road

When turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street

24 / 36

If you start to skid,

all answers are correct.

turn in the direction of the skid.

stop braking.

ease off the gas pedal.

25 / 36

Due to their size, trucks often appear to be driving

faster.

slower.

recklessly.

the wrong direction.

26 / 36

You must remain at least ____ feet behind any emergency vehicle with a siren or flashing lights.

500

300

100

27 / 36

When driving on a multilane street with two way traffic:

Drive along side the other vehicles so the drivers can see you

It is safest to drive in the lane next to the center line

You should drive ahead or behind the other vehicles

Always stay in the farthest left lane

28 / 36

To make sure you are not driving in a truck's blind spot, you should:

Remain at least 200 feet behind trucks at all times.

Look for the truck driver's side view mirrors.

Honk twice and wait for a response.

Always pass the truck on the right side.

29 / 36

When in a roundabout, you should do all of the following except

following a counter-clockwise path.

come to a stop until you know which exit to take.

using turn signals to change lanes.

paying close attention for pavement markings.

30 / 36

How soon after becoming a resident of California must you apply for a California driver's license if you plan on driving in California?

Within 60 days.

Within 10 days.

Immediately.

Within 90 days.

31 / 36

Tailgating other drivers:

Can anger other drivers

Is encouraged to make room for other drivers behind you

Reduces the chance of collision

Is a great way to save gas

32 / 36

When merging into freeway traffic, who has the right-of-way?

The vehicle on the right

The vehicle on the left

The vehicle that is merging

The freeway traffic

33 / 36

It is illegal for a person 21 years of age or older to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of __________ or higher

0.001

0.0012

0.0008

0.0005

34 / 36

California residents who drive on public highways or use public parking facilities must have a California driver license, unless ______.

Driving or operating an off-highway vehicle across a highway.

All of the listed answers.

They are driving or operating implements used for husbandry not operated or moved over a highway.

They are an officer or employee of the U.S. government operating a government vehicle on federal business.

35 / 36

You may drive in a bike lane

if you drive slower than 15mph

No more than 200 feet before making a right turn

whenever you choose

whenever bicyclists are not present

36 / 36

This sign means:

You should slow down and move to the right lane

Stay in the right lane if other traffic is moving faster than you

You should pass anyone in the right lane

Slower traffic must exit on the right

Your score is

The average score is 88%

3.7/5 - (12 votes)

How To Get A California Driver's License

There are certainly some hoops that you need to jump through to get a California driver’s permit or license. While there is some legwork to do to earn your license, it’s not an insurmountable task. We’ll walk you through the necessary steps and documentation to help you get comfortable with the process and ready to hit the road.

What are the age requirements for getting a California instruction permit and driver’s license? You can apply for your permit at age 15 ½ by going to your local California DMV location. At this age, you’ll need to complete a licensed driver’s education course, pass the DMV written knowledge test and pass the vision test to earn an instruction permit.

What are the steps for obtaining an instruction permit in California? For aspiring drivers under the age of 18, they will be required to complete an application. You can receive a permit if a parent or legal guardian signs your driver’s license or ID application. You will also need some documents and information:

Proof of insurance
Social security number
Legal proof of ID - such as a birth certificate or passport
Proof of residency

For minors less than 17.5 years old, they will also need to prove that they have completed or are in the process of completing a state-approved driver’s education program. People between 17.5 and 18 years old can obtain an instruction permit without driver’s ed certification, but will still need to turn 18 before they can take the driver’s test to earn their license.

For those who have moved to California after completing driver’s training out of state, California’s DMV will acknowledge the training if the school provides the necessary information on official letterhead, signed by a school official from the California DL33 form.

How To Pass the California Driver's License Test

Practice makes perfect, and that certainly holds true when it comes to preparing for your driving test. The number one piece of study material you’ll need to spend time with is the California Driver’s Manual. The manual contains everything you’ll need to know to pass the test, but it can be hard to digest so you’ll definitely want to supplement it with other tools. It can be worthwhile to utilize free resources like this site’s California permit practice test, which contains questions similar in format and content to what you’ll see on the official DMV test. As you progress through the driver’s manual, take these practice tests and record your scores to see how you’re progressing. If you’re struggling with questions related to signs, you can try our road signs practice test and work to improve in that area as well.

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Where to find a California driver’s manual?

Any DMV office should have a free copy on hand for you, or you can also find downloadable copies in a number of languages on the California DMV website here.

California License Frequently Asked Questions

You can renew your license in person at any California DMV location, by mail, or online. There are some stipulations for the latter two options. You can only renew by mail if your license expires in less than 60 days, are under age 70, do not have any current suspensions, and have not had two consecutive mail-in renewals. You can renew online if you received a renewal ID number by mail, can pay via credit card, and still have the same address from your previous license.

While some states require additional testing or an eye test during a license renewal, California does not require these unless a physician specifies the need for an eye test.

All is not lost if you fail your first attempt at the road test. California does require that you wait at least two weeks before scheduling your next test, however. You are allowed three attempts to pass the test before the DMV will require you to start the entire application process over again.

More than anything, you need to convince your evaluator that you are a safe and confident driver who can manage a vehicle on your own. Common skills you’ll be expected to demonstrate during your road test typically include:

Maintaining an acceptable speed - not too fast, and not too slow.
Understanding of right of way.
Completely stopping and proceeding at intersections.
Using proper driving mechanics, like keeping both hands on the wheel.
Safely parking the vehicle.
Stopping behind crosswalks.
Safely moving the car while in reverse.
Changing lanes and merging into traffic.

If you have a valid out of state license you have ten days to apply for a California license. If you have a current copy of your license, you can surrender it and you can avoid taking the California driver’s test. If you don’t have your current license, you’ll be required to take the California DMV test.

Additional Information

Information on the California Department of Motor Vehicles

Student testing and licensing in California is handled by the California DMV. Use the information below to contact them for any questions you have about licensing, or scheduling testing and training.

Website: https://www.dmv.ca.gov
Phone: 800.368.4327

To find the California DMV location nearest you please visit: https://drivingtestsample.com/dmv-locations/california/

Additional California Drivers License Helpful Links

The links below can help you answer common questions people have about the California driver’s license test or other California driver’s license-related topics.

Even More California Drivers Tests

We have put together ten additional tests to help you practice for your California Driver's License. Click below and get practicing!

California DMV Practice Test