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

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

500

300

100

2 / 36

The speed limit for a blind intersection is what?

15 mph.

30 mph.

20 mph.

10 mph.

3 / 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

Next to the solid line may pass

In both directions may pass

Are not allowed to pass

4 / 36

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

Fill out the online form on the DMV website.

Notify the DMV by phone.

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

Coordinate with your family and doctor.

5 / 36

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

Drive to the right edge of the road and stop

Stop immediately

Make the first available turn

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

6 / 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.

7 / 36

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

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

In rural areas

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

Never

8 / 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.

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

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

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

9 / 36

When driving on a multilane street with two way traffic:

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

You should drive ahead or behind the other vehicles

Always stay in the farthest left lane

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

10 / 36

If your vehicle has broken down but you are unable to move it from the road, where should you stop?

Near a stop sign

In a spot where your vehicle can be seen from behind

In the middle of the road

In an intersection

11 / 36

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

Better visibility.

Increased risk of skidding.

Shorter stopping distance.

Improved traction.

12 / 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

13 / 36

With an instruction permit you may drive alone:

During daylight hours.

In no situation.

With a licensed adult.

With a special permit.

14 / 36

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

50 mph.

60 mph.

75 mph.

65 mph.

15 / 36

If weather conditions require the use of windshield wipers, you must also

have your headlights on.

stay five car lengths from the car in front of you.

reduce your speed by half.

slow down.

16 / 36

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

The vehicle that is merging

The freeway traffic

The vehicle on the left

The vehicle on the right

17 / 36

When you see this sign you:

Are approaching a railroad crossing; prepare to stop

No railroad is ahead, proceed freely

Stop and wait for a signal before crossing the railroad tracks

No trespassing

18 / 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

Parallel to

On top of

Away from

19 / 36

As you approach a school bus from behind it displays yellow flashing lights at the top. You must:

Pass quickly.

Stop immediately.

Be prepared to stop.

Drive alongside the bus until it stops.

20 / 36

Drivers are required by law to obey instructions from

flaggers (also known as signal persons) at construction sites

drivers using roadside flares

security guards patrolling parking lots

any person in an official uniform

21 / 36

When you see this sign you should stop and:

Let all vehicles that arrive before or after you go first

Look for vehicles to your right

See if someone is quickly approaching from behind

Check traffic in all directions before proceeding

22 / 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?

200 ft.

300 ft.

400 ft.

500 ft.

23 / 36

In which of these situations should you leave extra space between your vehicle and the one in front of you?

When driving on slick roads

When the driver behind you is trying to pass

All of the listed answers are correct

When following a semi

24 / 36

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

paying close attention for pavement markings.

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

following a counter-clockwise path.

using turn signals to change lanes.

25 / 36

You should signal for at least _____ before changing lanes on the freeway.

5 seconds

3 seconds

1/4 mile

50 feet

26 / 36

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

Come to a complete stop before turning.

Make sure to signal as you begin to turn.

Signal the last 100 feet before you reach the turn.

Always stop before making the turn.

27 / 36

If you receive a phone call and you do not have a hands free device what should you do?

Let the call go to voicemail

Answer the call if you think it may be an emergency

Check the number and send them a text

Check the incoming number before answering the call

28 / 36

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

200 feet

50 feet

75 feet

100 feet

29 / 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?

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

Discuss your options with the other driver.

Park your car and walk.

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

30 / 36

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

Get out of their way.

Make eye contact.

Focus on your own driving.

Ignore any gestures from the other driver.

31 / 36

If you start to skid,

ease off the gas pedal.

stop braking.

all answers are correct.

turn in the direction of the skid.

32 / 36

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

15 mph unless otherwise posted.

10 mph unless otherwise posted.

5 mph unless otherwise posted.

25 mph unless otherwise posted.

33 / 36

During which of the following situations should you turn on your headlights?

You should only use your headlights at night.

On hilly or mountain roads, as well to help avoid head-on collisions.

You should turn on your headlights whenever it is past noon.

You should turn on your headlights only when it's foggy outside.

34 / 36

How much space does an airbag need to safely inflate?

10 inches.

5 inches.

None.

24 inches.

35 / 36

What does this sign mean?

A hospital is ahead.

There is a side road ahead.

You must turn left or right ahead.

Prepare to stop.

36 / 36

When you see this sign:

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

Be prepared to stop if children are in the crosswalk

Prepare for a delay

Always stop at the crosswalk

Your score is

The average score is 0%

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