You approach an intersection with a flashing red traffic light. What must you do?

Stop completely, then go when it is safe

Slow down and continue without stopping if the road looks clear

Stop and wait until the light turns green

The traffic lights at an intersection are completely dark because of a power failure. How should you proceed?

Stop as if there were STOP signs in all directions, then go when it is safe

Slow down and go through if no one is coming

Yield only to vehicles coming from your left

Two sets of solid double yellow lines are painted two or more feet apart down the middle of the road. What does this mean?

They form a barrier: do not drive over them, turn left or make a U-turn across them except at a designated opening

You may cross them to make a U-turn when no traffic is coming

They mark a center left turn lane that you may use for up to 200 feet

What does a five-sided (pentagon-shaped) road sign warn you about?

You are near a school: drive slowly and stop for children in the crosswalk

The road ahead is a no-passing zone

What does a curb painted red mean?

No stopping, standing, or parking

Stop only long enough to load or unload freight

Parking for a limited time shown on a sign

You and another car reach an intersection with no STOP or YIELD signs at the same time. The other car is on your right. Who should go first?

You, because you are on the left

The posted limit on a highway is 65 mph, but thick fog has reduced visibility. Under California's Basic Speed Law, what is required?

You must slow down below 65 mph if 65 mph is not safe for the fog

You may drive 65 mph because it is the posted limit

You must drive exactly 55 mph whenever there is fog

In a residential district, when may you make a U-turn (where no sign prohibits it)?

When no vehicles are approaching within 200 feet

Only at an intersection controlled by a traffic light

Only between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

A 17-year-old with a provisional license is driving. When may the driver use a cell phone?

Only to make a call for emergency assistance

To answer calls if the phone is mounted on the dashboard

To read texts while stopped at a red light

Which rule does the handbook recommend for keeping a safe following distance?

One car length for every 20 mph

Your car starts to skid on an icy road. What should you do?

Ease off the accelerator, do not brake, and steer in the direction of the skid

Brake hard and steer the opposite way from the skid

Speed up to regain traction, then brake

California DMV Practice Test 2026 (Free, Explained)

California DMV Permit Test format

The DMV's current pages and the current handbook (DL 600, rev. 6/2025) give the 80% pass mark but not the number of questions. The only DMV document that gives a count is a December 2006 research report (46 questions for original applicants under 18, 36 for applicants 18 and older); the DMV's Provisional Licensing fact sheet (FFDL 19, rev. 7/2019) says minors may miss no more than 8. These are dated figures, not a current official statement.

California DMV Permit Test	Official rule
Passing score	80%. The multiple-choice questions are based on the California Driver's Handbook. source
Number of questions	Not published on the DMV's current pages or in the current handbook. The only DMV count is in a December 2006 research report: 46 questions for original applicants under 18 and 36 for applicants 18 and older. Treat it as dated background, not a current figure. source
Allowed misses (under 18)	The DMV's Provisional Licensing fact sheet (FFDL 19, rev. 7/2019, still on the DMV site) says you may miss no more than 8 questions. It does not say how many questions there are. source
Knowledge test attempts	Three attempts to pass the knowledge test before you must reapply. Minors wait seven days to retake a failed test, not counting the day of the failure. source
Application fee (Class C original)	$46, nonrefundable. The application and fee are valid for 12 months. source
Minimum age for a permit	15½ (under-18 applicants need a driver education certificate of completion or enrollment and a parent or guardian signature). From 17½ you may get the permit without driver education/training, but you cannot take the drive test until 18. source
Documents	Proof of identity, two proofs of California residency (exceptions may apply), a legal full name document if your name does not match, and your social security number (exceptions may apply). source
Driver education and training (under 18)	Driver education before the permit; driver training with an instructor, who validates the permit, before you use it; six hours of professional driver training before the drive test. source
Permit supervision	Practice with a California-licensed driver at least 18 (at least 25 for minors) who sits close enough to take control. A permit never allows you to drive alone. source
Holding period and practice (under 18)	Hold the permit at least 6 months (or turn 18) and be at least 16 before the drive test; 50 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night. source
Drive test retakes	Three attempts to pass the behind-the-wheel test before you must reapply, with a $9 retake fee. For minors the Teen Driver Roadmap lists a 15-day wait; the handbook puts it as 14 days, not counting the day of the failure. source
Test hours at the office	In-office knowledge tests must be started before 4:30 p.m. source
Provisional license (first 12 months, under 18)	No driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and no passengers under 20 unless a parent, guardian or licensed driver 25 or older rides along (exceptions with a signed note). source
Handbook edition	California Driver's Handbook DL 600, rev. 6/2025, free online and as a PDF; the DMV says it is available in nine languages. source

Checked on the official sources on September 30, 2026. Rules change: always confirm on the official site before test day.

What the California permit test is

To get a learner's permit (the DMV calls it an instruction permit) in California, you pass the Class C knowledge test: a multiple-choice test on traffic laws, road signs and safe driving. Every question comes from the California Driver's Handbook, and the DMV sets the passing score at 80%. Adults who have never held a license, and people moving from another country, take the same kind of test.

The current handbook is DL 600, revision 6/2025. It is free online and as a PDF, and the DMV says it is available in nine languages.

Format and scoring

	What the DMV says
Question type	Multiple choice. The DMV's advice page says each question has one correct answer and two other choices, and there are no trick questions.
Passing score	80%
Number of questions	Not published. Neither the DMV's current pages nor the current handbook give a count. The only DMV figure is in a 2006 research report (46 questions for first-time applicants under 18, 36 for adults), and the Provisional Licensing fact sheet (rev. 7/2019) says minors may miss no more than 8. Treat these as dated background, not a promise of today's length.
Attempts	Three attempts before you must reapply
Testing aids	None allowed, including the handbook or a cell phone

If you miss a question at the office, the DMV says staff can tell you which handbook page has the answer.

Step by step: getting your permit

If you are under 18

Be at least 15½. You must be at least 15½ and under 18.
Finish driver education. Bring a certificate of completion of driver education, or proof of enrollment in an integrated driver education/driver training program. From 17½ you may get the permit without it, but you cannot take the drive test until 18.
Apply online. Start the Driver's License & ID Card application. A parent or guardian signs to approve it and accept financial responsibility (both parents if they share custody).
Visit the DMV office. Bring proof of identity, two proofs of California residency, your social security number and a name-change document if your names do not match. Pay the fee, pass the vision test, have your photo taken and take the knowledge test. In-office tests must be started before 4:30 p.m.
Wait for driver training. The permit is not valid until you start behind-the-wheel training with an instructor, who validates it.

If you are 18 or older

You need to be at least 18, complete the application, bring your identity and residency documents, pay the fee, pass the vision test, have your photo taken and pass the knowledge test. You do not need driver education. With the permit, you practice with a California-licensed driver who is at least 18.

Fees

The Class C original application fee is $46. It is nonrefundable, and the application and fee are valid for 12 months. The same fee page lists a $9 behind-the-wheel retest fee.

If you fail the knowledge test

You get three attempts per application. Minors must wait seven days before retaking, not counting the day they failed. After a third failure, the application is no longer valid and you must reapply.

From permit to license (under 18)

Before the behind-the-wheel test, the handbook requires you to:

be at least 16;
have held your permit for at least 6 months (or turn 18);
prove you completed driver education and driver training (six hours of professional training);
log at least 50 hours of practice with a California-licensed driver who is at least 25, 10 of them at night.

If a minor fails the drive test, they wait 14 days (not counting the day of the failure) before trying again.

Provisional license restrictions

For the first 12 months of a provisional license you may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. You also may not carry passengers under 20 unless a parent, guardian or California-licensed driver aged 25 or older rides with you. When reasonable transportation is not available, the law allows exceptions (medical need, school, work, or transporting an immediate family member), each with a signed note explaining the need (FFDL 19); they do not allow carrying other passengers under 20. Minors may not use a cell phone to call or text while driving, except to call for emergency help. Collisions or convictions can bring a 30-day restriction or a six-month suspension, and turning 18 does not end them.

Can I test online?

In a December 2023 news release, the DMV said its online knowledge test was open to under-18 applicants, new residents and adults. It was offered in 35 languages on a computer with a webcam (no phone or tablet), and you got two online attempts before a third in an office. The current handbook says your testing options appear once you complete your application, so check there.

The no-fail eLearning course is only for noncommercial Class C renewals, not first-time applicants.

What to study

The DMV writes every question from the handbook, so read the whole thing. The sections that matter most for the test are:

Section 6, Navigating the Roads: lane markings, turns, U-turns, merging, passing, parking on hills and curb colors.
Section 7, Laws and Rules of the Road: signals, signs, right-of-way, roundabouts, school buses, railroad crossings and California speed limits (for example, 15 mph at blind intersections and in alleys, and 25 mph near schools).
Section 8, Safe Driving: following distance, headlights, skids, bad weather, emergencies, seat belts and child seats, and the Basic Speed Law.
Section 9, Alcohol and Drugs: BAC limits of 0.08%, 0.04% and 0.01% depending on age and license, open-container rules and DUI penalties.
Section 10: insurance minimums and when to report a collision.

Then try the DMV's free sample knowledge tests. They come in English and several other languages, including Spanish and Chinese.

How to prepare, honestly

Give yourself a few days with the handbook, as the DMV suggests. Don't cram it the night before.
Learn the exact numbers. Many questions hinge on a distance or a limit, such as 100 feet, 15 feet from a hydrant or 300 feet behind an emergency vehicle.
Take a full practice test under test conditions. If you score below 80%, go back to the handbook section for each question you missed, not just the answer.
Our practice questions are original. They are written from the current handbook to cover every section, and each one explains the rule and names the handbook section it comes from. They show whether you know the material. They are not the DMV's own questions.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the knowledge test online?

The DMV announced on December 28, 2023 that its online knowledge test was open to applicants under 18 and to new residents as well as adults. It needed a computer with a webcam (no tablet or phone), ran 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, was offered in 35 languages and allowed two online attempts before a third attempt in an office. The handbook says the testing options open to you appear once you complete your application at dmv.ca.gov/dl. Source

Can I use the handbook or my phone during the test?

No. The handbook says no testing aids are allowed during knowledge tests, including the California Driver's Handbook or a cell phone. Source

I am almost 18. Do I need driver education to get a permit?

If you are over 17½ but under 18, you may get your instruction permit without the driver education and driver training certificates, but you cannot take the driving test until you are 18. Source

What if my permit application expires before I have held the permit for six months?

The application and fee are valid for 12 months. If it expires first, you reapply at a DMV office and get cumulative credit for the time you already held the permit; bring both the expired and the valid permit to the drive test. Source

Do I have to retake the knowledge test when I renew my license?

Most renewals do not need it. Since October 1, 2024 drivers 70 and older no longer take it unless their record requires it (for example two or more accidents in two years, a DUI suspension in two years, or more than one violation point in two years). Renewal applicants who do need a test can choose the no-fail eLearning course, offered in English, Spanish and Traditional Chinese. Source

What happens if I fail the drive test?

You get three attempts to pass the behind-the-wheel test before you must reapply, and the DMV lists a $9 retake fee. Minors must wait before retrying: the handbook says 14 days, not counting the day of the failure (the Teen Driver Roadmap puts it as 15 days). Source

What insurance do I need?

California requires at least $30,000 for a single death or injury, $60,000 for death or injury to more than one person and $15,000 for property damage. You must have proof of insurance when you drive and for the drive test. Source

Sources

California Driver's Handbook (DL 600, rev. 6/2025), web edition and PDF — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
California Driver's Handbook, PDF (DL 600 English, rev. 6/2025) — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Instruction and Learner's Permits — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Driver's Licenses — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Licensing Fees — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Teen Driver Roadmap — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Fast Facts FFDL 19: Provisional Licensing (rev. 7/2019) — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Knowledge and Drive Tests Preparation — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Online Learning (eLearning for renewals) — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Sample Driver's License Knowledge Tests — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
More Californians Fulfilling DMV Testing Requirement Online (news release, December 28, 2023) — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Written Knowledge Test Requirement Eliminated for Most California Driver's License Renewals (news release, September 30, 2024) — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)
Evaluation of the Class C Driver License Written Knowledge Tests (DMV Research and Development Branch, December 2006) — California DMV (checked September 30, 2026)

passmock is an independent practice resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by the California Department of Motor Vehicles or the State of California. Our questions are original practice questions written from the California Driver's Handbook. Our questions are original practice questions written from the official test description and study materials; they are not questions from the real test.

California DMV practice test

Free California DMV Permit Test practice test (20 questions)