California Permit Test Practice 7

4.8 out of 5 (3460 votes)
80% Passing score
20 Questions
4 Mistakes allowed
The California DMV practice test you’re about to take is not here to lovingly tuck you in with bedtime stories from the California Driver’s Manual. It’s here to see whether the important stuff is actually sticking — traffic laws, road safety, DUI and substance abuse rules, road signs, proof-of-insurance basics, and those little driving details that seem obvious until the DMV asks them in a weirdly specific way. This CA DMV practice test has 20 multiple-choice questions, and you’ll need 16 correct answers to pass it. The real California DMV written test is different because the number of questions depends on your age. If you’re under 18, the official permit knowledge test has 46 questions, and you need 38 correct to pass, which means you can miss 8. If you’re 18 or older, the test has 36 questions, and you need 30 correct, so you can miss 6. The DMV states the passing threshold as 80%, but because the test uses whole questions, the required score works out slightly higher in practice: about 82.6% for applicants under 18 and about 83.3% for applicants 18 and over. Road signs are part of the deal, too, but California does not split them off into a separate road signs test. They’re mixed into the main knowledge test like raisins in a cookie you thought was chocolate chip. You may be asked about a sign’s color, shape, meaning, or what you’re supposed to do when one appears at the exact wrong moment. Those questions count toward your total missed-question limit, not some separate magical road sign allowance. You can take this California permit practice test as many times as you need, which is useful because one clean pass does not always mean your brain has fully agreed to keep the information. The questions pull from a larger pool, so repeat attempts may bring up different scenarios and fresh little traps. Even better, this DMV learners permit practice test gives immediate feedback and explanations after each answer, so you’re not just memorizing letters like a tired pigeon pecking at A, B, C, or D. Use this practice test for permit prep slowly, maybe even annoyingly slowly. Read the explanations. Notice what you keep missing. Then go into the official California DMV written test with fewer surprises, fewer panicked guesses, and ideally fewer conversations with yourself in the parking lot afterward.
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Sample California Permit Test Questions

Question 1

On a road with two lanes traveling in your direction and no special turn markings, where should you begin a right turn?

  1. A From the lane nearest the center of the road
  2. B From the lane closest to the right curb or roadway edge
  3. C From either lane when no traffic is approaching
  4. D From whichever lane has fewer vehicles

Correct answer: B – From the lane closest to the right curb or roadway edge

California law generally requires both the approach and the right turn to be made as close as practicable to the right curb or roadway edge. Complete the turn in the right lane without swinging into another lane. Different rules may apply where signs or pavement markings designate additional right-turn lanes or for certain turns from a one-way road.

Source: CVC § 22100(a), California Driver’s Handbook — § 6, “Right Turns”

Question 2

Before entering a highway from a private driveway, what must you do?

  1. A Sound the horn and enter immediately
  2. B Place the front of the vehicle in the traffic lane before stopping
  3. C Accelerate into the nearest lane without yielding
  4. D Yield to highway traffic close enough to present an immediate hazard

Correct answer: D – Yield to highway traffic close enough to present an immediate hazard

A driver entering a California highway from public or private property or an alley must yield to traffic approaching close enough to create an immediate hazard. The Vehicle Code definition of traffic includes pedestrians as well as vehicles and other conveyances. After yielding, the driver may proceed when the highway can be entered with reasonable safety; approaching drivers then have a related duty to yield to the entering vehicle.

Source: CVC § 21804(a)–(b), CVC § 620

Question 3

Vehicle trouble forces you to stop where you cannot get completely off the road. What should you do?

  1. A Activate the emergency flashers and stop where the vehicle is visible from behind
  2. B Park diagonally across the lane
  3. C Leave only one turn signal flashing
  4. D Stop just beyond the crest of a hill

Correct answer: A – Activate the emergency flashers and stop where the vehicle is visible from behind

If vehicle trouble requires you to stop, turn on the emergency flashers and pull away from traffic when possible. If you cannot get completely off the roadway, stop where approaching drivers can see you and the vehicle from behind. Avoid stopping just beyond a hill or around a curve, where others may not see the obstruction in time.

Source: California Driver’s Handbook — § 5, “Using Your Emergency Flashers”

Question 4

Before making a left turn across oncoming traffic, which vehicles must you yield to?

  1. A Only the first two approaching vehicles
  2. B Vehicles close enough to create a hazard during the turn
  3. C Every approaching vehicle, regardless of its distance
  4. D No vehicles once the signal begins changing

Correct answer: B – Vehicles close enough to create a hazard during the turn

A driver turning left must yield to oncoming vehicles close enough to create a hazard at any point during the turn. Continue yielding until the maneuver can be made with reasonable safety. After the turning driver has yielded and properly signaled, the law also requires approaching drivers to yield to the vehicle completing the turn.

Source: CVC § 21801(a)–(b), California Driver’s Handbook — § 7, “Intersections”

Question 5

Which event must a California vehicle owner report to DMV within five calendar days?

  1. A Leaving the country for a vacation
  2. B Receiving a routine traffic citation
  3. C Selling or transferring the vehicle and delivering possession
  4. D Changing the vehicle's paint color

Correct answer: C – Selling or transferring the vehicle and delivering possession

When a registered vehicle owner sells or transfers an interest in the vehicle and delivers possession to another person, the owner must notify DMV within five calendar days. The notice must include the transfer date, the parties' names and addresses, and identifying information about the vehicle. Required odometer information must also be reported unless a statutory exception applies.

Source: CVC § 5900(a)–(c), California Driver’s Handbook — § 11, “Buying or Selling a Vehicle”

Question 6

Without a locally authorized driveway-parking permit, where must you not park?

  1. A In front of a public or private driveway
  2. B Along a curb marked for unrestricted parking
  3. C In a marked stall after paying the required meter fee
  4. D On the right side of a street where signs allow parking

Correct answer: A – In front of a public or private driveway

California generally prohibits stopping, standing, or parking in front of a public or private driveway. A local authority may create a limited exception allowing an owner or lessee to park in front of that person's private driveway when the vehicle displays the required permit. That exception does not authorize parking on a sidewalk.

Source: CVC § 22500(e), CVC § 22507.2

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