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

Studies show that speeding ______.

Saves only a few minutes in the course of an hour, making it dangerous and not worthwhile.

Can sometimes cut a long commute in half.

None of the listed answers.

Saves a moderate amount of time, about ten minutes out of an hour of driving.

2 / 36

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

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

Fill out the online form on the DMV website.

Notify the DMV by phone.

Coordinate with your family and doctor.

3 / 36

When you see this sign:

Always stop at the crosswalk

Be prepared to stop if children are in the crosswalk

Look for a crossing guard and wait for a signal to proceed

Prepare for a delay

4 / 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.

Discuss your options with the other driver.

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

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

5 / 36

How much space should you leave between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid tailgating?

1 second

2 seconds

3 seconds

10 seconds

6 / 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.

7 / 36

When approaching a school zone while children are outside, you must drive no faster than 25 mph if you are within ________ feet of the school.

100-200

400-600

50-100

500-1000

8 / 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

9 / 36

You may be considered a "negligent operator" under the Negligent Operator Treatment System if your driving record shows the following "point count" totals:

8 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, or 16 points in 36 months.

4 points in 12 months, 6 points in 24 months, or 8 points in 36 months.

12 points in 12 months, 24 points in 24 months, or 36 points in 36 months.

9 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, or 15 points in 36 months.

10 / 36

When you see this sign you should stop and:

See if someone is quickly approaching from behind

Let all vehicles that arrive before or after you go first

Check traffic in all directions before proceeding

Look for vehicles to your right

11 / 36

This sign means:

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

You should slow down and move to the right lane

Slower traffic must exit on the right

You should pass anyone in the right lane

12 / 36

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

Always stop before making the turn.

Signal the last 100 feet before you reach the turn.

Come to a complete stop before turning.

Make sure to signal as you begin to turn.

13 / 36

You may drive in a bike lane

whenever you choose

if you drive slower than 15mph

whenever bicyclists are not present

No more than 200 feet before making a right turn

14 / 36

What is the DMV's standard vision requirement?

20/100

20/80

30/90

20/40

15 / 36

This sign means:

Right turn permitted on green arrow only

There is a sharp turn to the right ahead

Turn right to exit

Slow down

16 / 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.

30 mph.

15 mph.

25 mph.

17 / 36

When there is no curb and you are parking uphill, turn the wheels so that the vehicle will roll ______ the center of the road if the brakes fail.

Towards

Away from

Parallel to

On top of

18 / 36

If your vehicle has a lap belt and also a separate shoulder belt, you are

Not required to use either if the car has an airbag

Only required to use the lap belt

Only required to use the shoulder belt

Required to use both

19 / 36

Which of the following crimes can result in a permanent revocation of your driver's license?

Using your vehicle as a weapon.

Reckless driving.

Speeding.

Hit and run.

20 / 36

After an accident, the most important thing you can do to reduce the chances of secondary crashes is:

Manually signal traffic to drive around.

If possible, move your vehicle out of the traffic lane.

Open your doors.

Stand in the roadway and wave your arms.

21 / 36

If you sell a vehicle, you must report it to the DMV within ______ days.

365

22 / 36

What conditions should you be aware of when driving on gravel roads?

Improved traction.

Shorter stopping distance.

Increased risk of skidding.

Better visibility.

23 / 36

According to California's "Basic Speed Law" says you must

Always drive at the posted speed limit

Never drive faster than is safe for current conditions

Remain under the posted speed limit at all times

Keep your speed close to that of other traffic

24 / 36

Smoking inside a vehicle with a passenger under 18 years of age is

Not restricted by law

Legal, but not recommended

Legal, if it is your child

Illegal at all times

25 / 36

When traveling at 55 mph with quality tires, new brakes, and dry pavement, how far will your car travel before it comes to a complete stop?

500 ft.

300 ft.

400 ft.

200 ft.

26 / 36

Written evidence of financial responsibility is needed:

When driving with other people in the vehicle.

Whenever you drive.

For purchasing a car.

When a law enforcement officer requires it.

27 / 36

You are involved in a minor collision at an intersection. No one is injured and the damage is minor, what should you do?

Move your car into the middle of the road

Move your vehicle out of the traffic lane, if possible

Leave your vehicle and call the authorities

Stop traffic until you get instructions from law enforcement

28 / 36

You are at a red light but a police officer signals you to proceed. What should you do?

Proceed as the officer has directed.

Wait for a green signal.

Ask the officer what you should do.

Change lanes, but not proceed against the right light.

29 / 36

The California "Basic Speed Law" means that

the speed limit is the same throughout the state.

you should always drive the speed limit.

you should never drive faster than the posted speed limit.

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

30 / 36

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

10-15 seconds

5-10 seconds

2-3 seconds

200 feet or more

31 / 36

If you become involved in a road-rage incident, it is best NOT to:

Ignore any gestures from the other driver.

Focus on your own driving.

Get out of their way.

Make eye contact.

32 / 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.

33 / 36

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

The vehicle on the right

The vehicle that is merging

The freeway traffic

The vehicle on the left

34 / 36

Drive into a special "turnout" area if you need to

exit the highway.

park for the night.

go to the bathroom.

allow vehicles to pass you.

35 / 36

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

The far right lane.

The shoulder.

The far left lane.

Any lane.

36 / 36

What is a safety zone?

The median in a divided highway.

The road's shoulder.

An area for construction workers.

A space set aside for pedestrians.

Your score is

The average score is 82%

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