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

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

All of the listed answers.

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

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

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

2 / 36

Children CANNOT ride in the front seat of an airbag equipped car if he/she:

All answers are correct.

Is less than one year old.

Weighs less than 20 lbs.

Is in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system.

3 / 36

This sign means:

One lane ahead

Exit ahead on the left

Lane ends ahead

Merging Traffic ahead

4 / 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?

Immediately.

Within 10 days.

Within 90 days.

Within 60 days.

5 / 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.

On top of

Away from

Parallel to

Towards

6 / 36

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

50 mph.

60 mph.

65 mph.

75 mph.

7 / 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.

8 / 36

You should reduce your speed by half when the road is

all answers are correct.

packed with snow.

icy.

under construction.

9 / 36

Written evidence of financial responsibility is needed:

Whenever you drive.

When a law enforcement officer requires it.

For purchasing a car.

When driving with other people in the vehicle.

10 / 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

75 feet

100 feet

200 feet

11 / 36

May you park your vehicle beside a white curb?

Not without a permit.

Yes, if you are handicapped.

No.

Yes, but only long enough to pick up or drop off passengers or mail.

12 / 36

Which of these situations is appropriate to use your horn?

To scare cyclists

To express anger at another driver

To let pedestrians know they should get off the road

To get the attention of another driver

13 / 36

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

Call 9-1-1 to report the accident.

Speed away without stopping.

Share your information with others involved in the accident.

Stop.

14 / 36

This sign means that you must not pass:

Until it seems safe to do so.

Any other vehicle for any reason.

On two lane roads only.

Until you pass this sign.

15 / 36

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

10 seconds

3 seconds

1 second

2 seconds

16 / 36

Due to their size, trucks often appear to be driving

faster.

the wrong direction.

slower.

recklessly.

17 / 36

You are driving on a city street and see an emergency vehicle with flashing lights behind you. What should you do?

Stop immediately

Drive to the right edge of the road and stop

Stay in your lane, slow down, and let it pass

Make the first available turn

18 / 36

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

Wait for a green signal.

Ask the officer what you should do.

Proceed as the officer has directed.

Change lanes, but not proceed against the right light.

19 / 36

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

The vehicle on the right

The freeway traffic

The vehicle on the left

The vehicle that is merging

20 / 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.

500-1000

50-100

100-200

400-600

21 / 36

A space cushion around your vehicle allows you to

Have time to react if another driver makes a mistake

It inflates to protect you from injury in case of a collision

Drive well below the speed limit if you choose

Have drivers weave around you more effectively

22 / 36

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

Reckless driving.

Using your vehicle as a weapon.

Hit and run.

Speeding.

23 / 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.

you should never drive faster than the posted speed limit.

the speed limit is the same throughout the state.

24 / 36

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

Legal, if it is your child

Legal, but not recommended

Not restricted by law

Illegal at all times

25 / 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?

15 mph.

10 mph.

25 mph.

30 mph.

26 / 36

What does this sign mean?

Prepare to stop.

You must turn left or right ahead.

There is a side road ahead.

A hospital is ahead.

27 / 36

A road with a solid yellow line next to a broken yellow line means that vehicles

Can pass if they are on the side with the broken line

Are not allowed to pass

Next to the solid line may pass

In both directions may pass

28 / 36

An orange-colored sign like this means:

You must change lanes ahead

Traffic delays are ahead

There is road work ahead

Be prepared to stop

29 / 36

In the case of a minor being convicted of possessing a concealable weapon or live ammunition, the court will:

Suspend or revoke driving privilege.

None of the answers provided.

Permanently revoke driving privileges.

Impose a 3 month suspension of driving privileges.

30 / 36

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

2-3 seconds

200 feet or more

5-10 seconds

10-15 seconds

31 / 36

What is the DMV's standard vision requirement?

20/80

20/100

20/40

30/90

32 / 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

33 / 36

You may drive in a bike lane

No more than 200 feet before making a right turn

whenever you choose

whenever bicyclists are not present

if you drive slower than 15mph

34 / 36

This sign means:

A traffic light is out

There is a traffic signal ahead

Be prepared to stop if the light is flashing

Three lane road ahead

35 / 36

When driving within 500 to 1,000 feet of a school while children are outside, what is the speed limit?

25 mph unless otherwise posted.

5 mph unless otherwise posted.

15 mph unless otherwise posted.

10 mph unless otherwise posted.

36 / 36

You have consented to take a test for the alcohol content of your blood, breath, or urine:

Only if you have already been convicted of drinking and driving.

Only if an accident has occurred.

Whenever you drive in the state of California.

Only If you have been pulled over for suspected drunk driving.

Your score is

The average score is 66%

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