California DMV Practice Test 2026

1. 15 years old
2. 15.5 years old
3. 14 years old
4. 14.5 years old

Correct answer: 15.5 years old. In California, a resident becomes eligible to apply for a learner's permit at 15.5 years old.

1. A commercial delivery van
2. A school bus
3. A motorcycle
4. A farm vehicle

Correct answer: A motorcycle. Motorcycles may generally use an HOV lane unless a sign specifically excludes them.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Navigating the Roads

1. High beams use noticeably more fuel than low beams do over a long drive
2. Using high beams at any time of day or night is completely against the law
3. Low beams make your car more visible to other drivers from farther away
4. High beams reflect off the fog and create glare that reduces visibility

Correct answer: High beams reflect off the fog and create glare that reduces visibility. High-beam light reflects off fog droplets back toward the driver, creating glare that makes it even harder to see. Low beams give better visibility in fog.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Driving Hazards-Driving in Fog or Heavy Smoke, p.98 (2020 handbook PDF)

1. A warning that a road is merging ahead
2. Slow down and yield the right-of-way if needed
3. An area where parking is not permitted here
4. An advance warning that a school crossing zone is near

Correct answer: Slow down and yield the right-of-way if needed. The triangle shape pointing downward is used only for the YIELD sign, meaning slow down and give the right-of-way to crossing traffic if needed.

Source: California Driver Handbook, PDF p.36, Equilateral Triangle: Exclusively for yield signs

1. 20 hours
2. 40 hours
3. 50 hours
4. 60 hours

Correct answer: 50 hours. California generally requires 50 total hours of supervised practice before a young driver can advance past the permit stage.

1. Stop completely in your lane
2. Flash your headlights at it
3. Slow down as you pass
4. Follow closely behind another car passing it

Correct answer: Slow down as you pass. If changing lanes isn't safely possible, California law requires you to slow down as you pass the stopped vehicle.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Laws and Rules of the Road, cont.

1. Only right turns are allowed
2. U-turns are the only movement allowed
3. The intersection ahead is completely closed to all vehicle traffic
4. No turns are allowed in any direction; only going straight is permitted

Correct answer: No turns are allowed in any direction; only going straight is permitted. This sign prohibits every turning movement at the intersection; drivers in that lane may only continue straight through.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2B.18

1. 30 days
2. 10 days
3. 60 days
4. 3 days

Correct answer: 10 days. California drivers must file the SR-1 crash report with DMV within 10 days.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Financial Responsibility, Insurance Requirements, and Collisions

1. Nothing, the shoulder may always be used to pass.
2. It's required whenever the left lane has traffic.
3. Passing there is unsafe and against the rules.
4. It's only illegal for large trucks and buses.

Correct answer: Passing there is unsafe and against the rules.. The shoulder isn't a travel lane, and other drivers don't expect a vehicle to pass there, so using it to pass is both unsafe and prohibited in most states.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Ch6 Passing p.38 (do not pass on the right off the pavement)

1. In the front seat of a vehicle with an active airbag
2. In the middle of the back seat
3. On the passenger side of the back seat
4. Anywhere without a top tether strap

Correct answer: In the front seat of a vehicle with an active airbag. A rear-facing car seat should never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with an airbag. If the airbag deploys in a crash, it can strike the back of a rear-facing seat with enough force to seriously injure the child.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Occupant Protection-Child Restraint System, p.27

1. It is only a concern for the pet's own comfort, not driver safety
2. Pets are not considered a distraction under any driving law
3. It only matters if the pet is larger than the driver
4. An unsecured pet can distract the driver and interfere with vehicle controls

Correct answer: An unsecured pet can distract the driver and interfere with vehicle controls. An unsecured pet moving around inside a vehicle is a recognized driving distraction, since it can pull the driver's attention away from the road or physically interfere with the pedals or steering.

Source: Florida Driver Handbook, Distracted Driving-Categories of Distraction, p.42

1. This plaque below a crossing sign shows that a trail crosses the road at that point
2. Trucks frequently enter or cross the road at a point ahead
3. Emergency vehicles may be entering the road ahead from a nearby station
4. Wheelchair users may be crossing the road at a point ahead

Correct answer: Wheelchair users may be crossing the road at a point ahead. Seeing this sign means wheelchair users may be crossing the road at a point ahead. Drivers should reduce speed and stay alert for this condition.

Source: MUTCD 2009 Sec. 2C (Warning Signs)

1. The driver and passengers, as defined by the state's seat belt law
2. Only the driver behind the wheel, no matter who else is riding along
3. Only front-seat occupants, never anyone riding in the back seat
4. Only passengers under the age of 12 sitting anywhere in the vehicle

Correct answer: The driver and passengers, as defined by the state's seat belt law. Seat belt laws generally require both the driver and covered passengers to buckle up, though the exact scope (all seats vs. front only) can vary by state.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Occupant Protection-Seat Belts p.27 - 'You and your passengers must wear seat belts...You can get a ticket if you do not.'

1. Drive the posted speed limit exactly, since it already fully accounts for weather and road surface conditions today
2. Drive 10 mph under the posted limit and no slower
3. Speed does not need to change if you have good tires
4. There is no fixed safe speed for snow or ice; reduce speed, judge traction, and increase following distance

Correct answer: There is no fixed safe speed for snow or ice; reduce speed, judge traction, and increase following distance. There is no single safe speed for snow or ice. Drivers must be extremely cautious, reduce speed substantially, and increase following distance until they can judge how much traction their tires have.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Driving Hazards-Slippery Roads, p.97 (2020 handbook PDF)

1. Speed up to get out of its way quickly
2. Stop immediately wherever you are, even in an intersection
3. Continue at the same speed and let it pass around you
4. Move to the right side and stop, unless told otherwise

Correct answer: Move to the right side and stop, unless told otherwise. You must yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle using a siren and flashing lights by pulling to the right edge of the road and stopping until it has passed.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Sharing the Road-Emergency Vehicles, p.86 (2020 handbook PDF)

1. Open the door quickly so bicyclists can see it in time
2. Look behind for an approaching bicyclist before opening the door
3. Nothing extra, since bicyclists must watch for parked cars
4. Only check mirrors, since a bicyclist would be heard first

Correct answer: Look behind for an approaching bicyclist before opening the door. Opening a car door into the path of a passing bicyclist can cause a serious crash. Before opening the door, a driver (or any occupant) should look behind for approaching bicyclists.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Parking, p.72 (2020 handbook PDF)

1. The number of cars allowed to turn during that time
2. The number of seconds until the traffic light turns green for drivers
3. The current speed limit for that crosswalk area
4. The seconds left to finish crossing, not to start one

Correct answer: The seconds left to finish crossing, not to start one. A countdown signal shows how many seconds remain to finish crossing; once it starts, a pedestrian should not begin a new crossing.

Source: California Driver Handbook, PDF p.42, if the signal begins blinking, you may continue across the street

1. 10 mph
2. 25 mph
3. 15 mph
4. 20 mph

Correct answer: 15 mph. California's default speed limit in an alley is 15 mph.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Laws and Rules of the Road, cont.

1. 4:00 a.m.
2. 5:00 a.m.
3. 2:00 a.m.
4. 7:00 a.m.

Correct answer: 5:00 a.m.. California's GDL nighttime restriction generally lifts at 5:00 a.m., after which the teen driver can drive again without needing an exception.

1. Nothing at all - only crashes that involve an injury ever legally need to be reported
2. File a written crash report with the state motor vehicle agency within about 10 days
3. Wait a full 30 days to see if the other driver involved files a claim first
4. Only report it to the state if a lawyer specifically advises them to do so

Correct answer: File a written crash report with the state motor vehicle agency within about 10 days. Most states require drivers to self-report a crash above a certain damage threshold within about 10 days when police did not investigate the scene.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Financial Responsibility-Collisions on Your Record p.120 - 'you must report it to DMV within 10 days if...more than $1,000 in damage.'

1. 25 mph
2. 15 mph
3. 10 mph
4. 35 mph

Correct answer: 25 mph. While the school zone is active in California, the posted maximum speed is 25 mph, no matter what the regular road speed limit is.

1. It matches the direction traffic moves in a roundabout
2. It lets the fastest car go first
3. It gives every driver a fair and predictable order to follow
4. It is only a suggestion, not an actual rule

Correct answer: It gives every driver a fair and predictable order to follow. Taking turns in the order vehicles arrived gives drivers a fair, predictable system that avoids confusion about who should go.

Source: Texas Driver Handbook, PDF p.38, stop in order you arrived

1. 1,000 feet
2. 500 feet
3. 1,500 feet
4. 200 feet

Correct answer: 1,000 feet. California requires headlight use whenever visibility drops so a person or vehicle can't be clearly recognized from about 1,000 feet away, regardless of the time of day.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Introduction to Driving

1. It saves time and is actually a good technique.
2. It raises crash risk without any real benefit.
3. It is required whenever traffic gets heavy.
4. It has no effect on other nearby drivers.

Correct answer: It raises crash risk without any real benefit.. Frequent, unnecessary lane changes make a driver's movements unpredictable to others and raise the chance of a crash without actually saving meaningful time.

Source: California Driver Handbook, Lane Control-Choosing a Lane p.58

1. Because the signal is broken and cannot run normally
2. Because driving at night needs no traffic control at all
3. Because it only saves money on red light bulbs
4. Traffic is lighter at night, so a simpler signal works fine

Correct answer: Traffic is lighter at night, so a simpler signal works fine. With less traffic overnight, some intersections switch to flashing mode, letting the main road flow more freely while still requiring cross traffic to stop or use caution.

Source: California Driver Handbook, PDF p.42, Traffic Signal Light Not Working