California DMV Sample Test Class C 2026 UPDATED

California DMV Sample Test Class C 2026. Passing the knowledge test is California’s way of proving you can translate textbook rules into real-world decisions before they turn you loose on a six-lane boulevard.

Even if you aced driver’s ed, the official exam’s wording, timer, and small legal twists can undo anyone who treats it casually. Practising with the DMV’s sample tests is the fastest route to seeing—and thinking—precisely the way Sacramento will grade you.

Test basics for 2026

Applicant	# of Questions	Correct to Pass	Time Limit
Under 18	46	38 (≈83 %)	60 min
18 and older	36	30 (≈83 %)	45 min

California DMV Sample Test Class C

/36

California DMV Sample Test Class C
Total Items: 36 Questions
Passing Percentage: 83%
Time Limit: 60 Minutes

1 / 36

1) Which statement is true about motorcyclists and motorists?

A) Motorcyclists have the same rights/ responsibilities as other motorists

B) Motorcycles are heavier than other vehicles and are less affected by wind/ rain

C) Motorcyclists are not allowed to drive faster than other traffic during congested road conditions

2 / 36

2) You should always turn on your emergency flashers when:

A) You stop near a curb painted red

B) You are driving in heavy fog

C) Your vehicle has broken down on the road way

3 / 36

3) When you enter traffic from a stop (e.g. pulling away from the curb), you:

A) Should drive slower than other traffic for 200 feet

B) Should wait for the first vehicle to pass, then pull into the lane

C) Need a large enough gap to get up to the speed of traffic

4 / 36

4) When passing another vehicle, it is safe to return to your lane if youL:

A) Have passed the other vehicle's front bumper

B) Cannot see the vehicle directly to your right

C) See the vehicle's headlights in your rearview mirror

5 / 36

5) Before driving into an intersection from a stop, you should look:

A) Left, right, and left again

B) Left and right only

C) Straight ahead and to the left

6 / 36

6) You want to make a right turn at the corner. A pedestrian with a guide dog is at the corner ready to cross the street in front of you. Before making your right turn, you should:

A) Turn off your engine until the person crosses the street

B) Tell the pedestrian when to cross the street

C) Wait until the person crosses the street

7 / 36

7) You are going to make a left turn from a dedicated left-turn lane when a yellow arrow appears for your lane. You should:

A) Speed up to get through the intersection

B) Be prepared to obey the next signal that appears

C) Stop and not turn under any circumstances

8 / 36

This red and white sign means:

A) The road ahead is closed to traffic in your direction

B) Do not enter the road ahead unless it is safe to do so

C) The road ahead is closed to traffic in all direction

9 / 36

9) If the roadway is wet and your vehicle starts to skid, you should:

A) Slowly ease your foot off the gas pedal

B) Slow down by pumping the brakes quickly and firmly

C) Slow down by shifting to a lower gear

10 / 36

10) Following closely behind another vehicle (tailgating):

A) Increases fuel efficiency

B) Helps keep traffic moving

C) Is a common cause of rear-end collisions

11 / 36

11) If you have a collision, the law requires you to exchange your driver license information with:

A) Others involved in the collision

B) Witnesses

C) Security guards

12 / 36

12) When passing another vehicle, it is safe to return to your lane if you:

A) Cannot see the vehicle directly to your right.

B) Have passed the other vehicle’s front bumper.

C) See the vehicle’s headlights in your rearview mirror.

13 / 36

13) Two sets of solid double yellow lines spaced two feet or more apart:

A) May only be crossed to make a left turn or U-turn

B) May be used to begin or end left-hand turns

C) Should be treated like a solid wall and not be crossed

14 / 36

14) To make a right turn onto a two-way street from a two-way street, start in the right-hand lane and end in:

A) Any lane that is available

B) The left lane

C) The lane closest to the curb

15 / 36

15) Which way should your front wheels be turned when parked uphill next to a curb?

A) Away from the curb

B) Parallel to the curb

C) Toward the curb

16 / 36

16) A law enforcement officer notices that one of your passengers is not wearing a seat belt and writes a citation. Which of the following is true?

A) You can receive the citation if the passenger is younger than 16

B) Both you and your passenger will receive a citation

C) Your passenger will receive the citation, regardless of his or her age

17 / 36

17) You are at a red traffic signal. The traffic light turns green, but there are still other vehicles in the intersection. You should:

A) Wait until the vehicles clear the intersection before entering

B) Move ahead only if you can go around the other vehicles safely

C) Enter the intersection and wait for traffic to clear

18 / 36

18) If a pedestrian is in a crosswalk in the middle of a block:

A) Vehicle have the right-of-way, but drivers must legally take

B) The pedestrian must yield the right-of-way

C) The pedestrian has the right-of-way

19 / 36

19) Before getting out of you parked vehicle on the traffic side of the street, you should:

A) Turn on your left turn signal

B) Give an arm signal that you are exiting your vehicle

C) Look for passing vehicles, bicyclists, and motorcyclists

20 / 36

20) If you see orange construction signs or cones on a freeway, you must:

A) Be prepared for workers and equipment ahead

B) Slow down because the lane ends ahead

C) Change lane and maintain your current speed

21 / 36

21) Parking is NEVER permitted:

A) Twenty feet from a railroad track

B) In a bicycle lane, unless otherwise posted

C) In a crosshatched (diagonal) pattern space

22 / 36

22) You must yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle by:

A) Moving into the right lane and driving slowly until it has passed

B) Driving as near to the right edge of the road as possible and stopping

C) Stopping immediately, even if you are in an intersection

23 / 36

23) Always look carefully for motorcycles before changing lanes because:

A) It is illegal for motorcycles to share traffic lanes

B) Their smaller size makes them harder to see

C) They usually have the right-of-way at intersections

24 / 36

24) Generally speaking, you are in a large truck's blind spot if you:

A) Follow no closer than ten feet behind the large truck

B) Drive close to the large truck's left front wheel

C) Cannot see the truck driver in the truck's side mirrors

25 / 36

25) If your cell phone rings while you are driving and you do not have a hands-free device, you should:

A) Answer the call go to voice mail

B) Let the call go to voice mail

C) Check the incoming number before answering the call

26 / 36

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

A) Only if a collision has occurred

B) Whenever you drive in California

C) Only if you have been drinking alcohol

27 / 36

27) This road sign means:

A) A road join from the right

B) The road ahead turns sharply right then sharply left.

C) Sharp right turn ahead.

28 / 36

28) You may legally drive in any freeway carpool lane if:

A) All the other lanes are stopped with heavy traffic

B) You carry the minimum number of persons shown on the sign

C) It is between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

29 / 36

29)

This red and white sign means:

A) Other drivers must yield to you

B) Give the right-of-way to other drivers

C) Make a complete stop before asserting your right-of-way

30 / 36

30) When driving in fog or mist, never put your headlights on the high beam setting because:

A) The light will reflect back into your eyes.

B) Vehicles behind you may follow too closely.

C) Approaching vehicles might not see you

31 / 36

31) At night, if an oncoming vehicle fails to dim its high beams, look:

A) Toward the right edge of your lane

B) Toward the center of the roadway

C) Straight ahead in your lane

32 / 36

32) You should dim your lights for oncoming vehicles or when you are within 300 feet of a vehicle:

A) You have already passed

B) You are approaching from behind

C) Approaching from behind

33 / 36

33) What is a safety zone?

A) The meridian strip on a divided highway

B) A space set aside for pedestrians

C) An empty lane next to the freeway dividers

34 / 36

34) When driving in traffic at night on a dimly lit street, you should:

A) Drive slowly enough so you can stop within the area lighted by your headlights

B) Keep instrument lights bright to be more visible to other drivers

C) Turn on your high beam headlights to better see the vehicles directly ahead of you

35 / 36

35) When you back up in a passenger vehicle:

A) Only use your side and rearview mirrors

B) Look over your right shoulder through your rear window

C) Rely on your rearview mirror

36 / 36

36) The "three-second rule" applies to the space _______ of your vehicle.

A) In back

B) Ahead

C) To the sides

Your score is

California DMV Practice Tests & Hard Sets

CA DMV Test 1	CA DMV Test 2	CA DMV Test 3	CA DMV Hard 1
CA DMV Test 4	CA DMV Test 5	CA DMV Test 6	CA DMV Hard 2
CA DMV Test 7	CA DMV Test 8	CA DMV Test 9	CA DMV Hard 3
CA DMV Test 10	CA DMV Test 11	CA Road‑Sign Test	CA DMV Hard 4

All questions are multiple-choice or “mark-all-that-apply.” The exam is administered on a touchscreen kiosk; audio and large-type modes are available upon request. You get three attempts within 12 months; each failure triggers a retest fee and a minimum one-day wait.

Read the 2026 Driver Handbook once, cover to cover.
It’s dry, but every question the pool writers use must trace back to a handbook sentence.
Run the four official Class C sample tests.
They use real retired questions and the same touch interface. Each run shuffles the order, so loop until you consistently hit 95%+ accuracy.
Switch to “Exam Mode” on a third-party simulator.
Sites like Driving-Tests.org mirror the 46/36-question formats and lock the clock—a perfect dress rehearsal.
Use the CA DMV Mobile App in idle moments.
Daily micro-quizzes are more effective than cramming; the app syncs with your MyDMV account and identifies weak areas. California DMV
Drive shotgun and narrate.
Ride with a licensed driver, describe every sign, hazard, and rule you see; it wires the static text into moving traffic.