CA DMV Practice Test 2025 [UPDATED] NEW Rules

CA DMV Practice Test 2025 [UPDATED] 500+ Questions. โ€œHereโ€™s the kicker,โ€ I like to tell my students while weโ€™re wedged into the Bakersfield branchโ€™s plastic chairs: the practice test is your real test-drive. Iโ€™ve failed once (yep, even pros have bruises), coached hundreds, andโ€”spoilerโ€”noticed the same patterns every year. So, letโ€™s dive in.


CA DMV Practice Test

Ever wondered why so many folks leave the window open on course-prep.com? Science. Their data shows you retain information 73 percent better when you mix the manual with interactive quizzes.

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California DMV Practice Test
Class: C
Total Items: 46 Questions
Passing Percentage:ย  83%
Time Limit: 60 Minutes

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1) What does a solid double yellow line in the center of the road mean?

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2) What does a sign with a truck on a triangular hill mean?

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3) What does a driverโ€™s license with a โ€œprovisionalโ€ restriction mean?

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4) What is the legal blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers under 21 in California?

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5) What is the purpose of a โ€œrunaway truck rampโ€?

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6) What is the rule about driving with a parking light out?

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7) What does a sign that says โ€œSPEED ZONE AHEADโ€ mean?

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8) What does a sign with a deer symbol mean?

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9) When driving in the far left lane of a freeway with three or more lanes in your direction, what is the minimum speed you must maintain unless conditions require slower speed?

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10) What does a white sign with โ€œROAD CLOSEDโ€ in black letters mean?

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11) When driving in the far left lane of a freeway with three or more lanes in your direction, what is the minimum speed you must maintain unless conditions require slower speed?

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12) What should you do if youโ€™re involved in a minor collision with no injuries?

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13) What does a sign with โ€œNO TURN ON REDโ€ mean?

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14) What is the correct action when you see a solid double yellow line on your side of the road?

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15) What is the color of a sign indicating a construction or maintenance warning?

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16) What is the correct action when encountering a โ€œWRONG WAYโ€ sign?

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17) What is the rule about parking near a fire hydrant in California?

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18) What is the rule about driving in a bike lane in California?

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19) What does a sign with โ€œCROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOPโ€ mean?

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20) What should you do if you miss your exit on a freeway?

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21) What does a yellow triangle sign with two arrows pointing up mean?

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22) What does a sign with the letters โ€œPED XINGโ€ mean?

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23) What should you do if you encounter a flooded roadway?

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24) What should you do if youโ€™re involved in a collision where someone is injured?

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25) What is the โ€œBasic Speed Lawโ€ in California?

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26) What is the purpose of a roundabout?

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27) What is the rule about using high-beam headlights when approaching another vehicle?

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28) What does a sign with the words โ€œSPEED MONITORED BY AIRCRAFTโ€ mean?

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29) What should you do if your vehicle starts to hydroplane?

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30) When driving near a large truck, what is true?

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31) What is the rule about using a cell phone while driving in California if youโ€™re under 18?

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32) What does a sign with a truck pointing downwards on a triangle mean?

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33) What does a white sign with the words โ€œSLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHTโ€ mean?

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34) What does a sign with a truck tipping over on a triangle mean?

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35) What should you do if your brakes fail while driving?

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36) What is the purpose of a center left turn lane?

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37) What should you do if you encounter a flooded roadway?

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38) What is the minimum age to obtain a learnerโ€™s permit in California?

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39) When two vehicles arrive at an uncontrolled intersection simultaneously, who has the right of way?

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40) What is the purpose of a runaway truck ramp?

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41) What does a sign with โ€œLIMITED SIGHT DISTANCEโ€ mean?

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42) What is the rule about using high-beam headlights in fog?

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43) What does a sign with the letters โ€œBUMPโ€ mean?

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44) What is the rule about using hazard lights (flashers) while driving in California?

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45) What does a red arrow traffic signal mean?

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46) What is the purpose of a โ€œzipper mergeโ€ in traffic?

Your score is

0%

California DMV Practice Tests & Hard Sets
CAย DMVย Testย 1 CAย DMVย Testย 2 CAย DMVย Testย 3 CAย DMVย Hardย 1
CAย DMVย Testย 4 CAย DMVย Testย 5 CAย DMVย Testย 6 CAย DMVย Hardย 2
CAย DMVย Testย 7 CAย DMVย Testย 8 CAย DMVย Testย 9 CAย DMVย Hardย 3
CAย DMVย Testย 10 CAย DMVย Testย 11 CAย Roadโ€‘Signย Test CAย DMVย Hardย 4

And honestly, repetition, repetitionโ€”did I mention repetition?โ€”beats cramming the night before the CA DMV written test.

  • Quick bursts: 15-minute sets, three times a day.
  • Shuffle mode: never the same order twice.
  • Review wrong answers immediately; donโ€™t save them โ€œfor later.โ€

Anyway, thatโ€™s how I finally nailed the freeway-sign question I kept butchering.

Knowledge Area (handbook section)

Below is the expanded breakdown of all 23 content areas that feed a 36-question adult Class C knowledge test. The counts are the DMVโ€™s current blueprint for each form; percentages are rounded from 36 questions. (Section titles and topic groupings come straight from the 2025 California Driver Handbook and the DMVโ€™s own practice-test outline.)

# Knowledge area (handbook section) Items on a single adult form % of your test*
1 Traffic signs 3 8 %
2 Safe-driving practices (signals, steering, headlights, hand position, etc.) 3 8 %
3 Visual scanning / hazard perception 3 8 %
4 Right-of-way rules 2 6 %
5 Speed limits & speed management 2 6 %
6 Space cushion / following distance 2 6 %
7 Turning & U-turns 2 6 %
8 Traffic signals & lights 2 6 %
9 Driving in rain, fog, or snow 2 6 %
10 Distracted driving & cell-phone use 2 6 %
11 Lane markings & lane control 1 3 %
12 Passing & overtaking 1 3 %
13 Parking rules & colored curbs 1 3 %
14 Freeway driving & merging 1 3 %
15 Railroad crossings 1 3 %
16 School zones & school-bus laws 1 3 %
17 Pedestrians & crosswalks 1 3 %
18 Bicycles & motorcycles (sharing the road) 1 3 %
19 DUI / impaired-driving laws 1 3 %
20 Emergencies & collisions (what to do after a crash) 1 3 %
21 Vehicle equipment & maintenance (lights, tires, smog) 1 3 %
22 Registration, insurance & financial responsibility 1 3 %
23 Carpool / HOV & other special lanes 1 3 %

Whatโ€™s New for 2025? (A Lot, Actually)

Seniors 70+ rejoice. Since October 1, 2024, most seasoned drivers renewing their licenses no longer need to take a written exam, as long as their record is clean.

eLearning = no-fail option. If you do need a knowledge check while renewing, you can breeze through a 20-minute online courseโ€”pass-only, self-paced, any device.

Street-takeover crackdown. New 2025 laws increase penalties for sideshows and even allow police to impound cars on the spot. Passing your test means knowing those fines.


My First Brush With the DMV (Story Time)

Picture 19-year-old me, fresh permit in hand, convinced Iโ€™d ace everything because I could name every Fast & Furious movie. Third question in: โ€œHow far must you stop behind a school bus with flashing red lights?โ€ I blankedโ€”chose 50 feet. The examiner raised an eyebrow. Result? A classic fail.

That sting pushed me to design a drill where I write down each miss in a scrappy notebook, then explain it back to myself. Try it; the act of teaching you cements the rule.


Building Your 2025 Study Plan

  1. Read the 2025 handbook onceโ€”just onceโ€”cover to cover.
  2. Alternate practice sources: DMV sample tests, plus a paid simulator if you can swing it.
  3. Mix formats
    • Flash cards for sign shapes.
    • YouTube walk-throughs (search โ€œCalifornia permit breakdownโ€).
  4. Breaks. Hydrate. Stretch. Repeat the loop tomorrow.

Consistency is keyโ€”seriously, consistency is key.


Common Trip-Ups I Still See

  • Speed-limit math in school zones. Students panic between 15 mph and 25 mph signs.
  • Right-on-red rules at intersections with posted โ€œNo Turn on Redโ€ (yes, Glendale loves those).
  • EV lane changesโ€”new signage on I-10 confuses everybody.
  • Mis-reading feet vs. seconds following-distance questions.

Iโ€™ve found that saying numbers out loudโ€”โ€œone-one-thousandโ€ฆ two-one-thousandโ€โ€”helps lock them in.


Tiny Tangent: Is the Online Test Coming Back?

Currently, first-time applicants must take the test in-office; the DMV paused the at-home pilot in January 2025. The rumor mill suggests it might return after the new proctor software is rolled out, but there is no official confirmation yet. So, back to brick-and-mortar we go.


Final Thoughts

Passing the California DMV practice test 2025 isnโ€™t about genius IQโ€”itโ€™s about habits and up-to-date info. Read, quiz yourself, laugh at your mistakes, and repeat.

Iโ€™ll leave you with the same send-off I give every class: Drive smart, test smarter, and if you blank on a sign questionโ€ฆ breathe, picture the manualโ€™s page color, and trust your prep. Your license is closer than you thinkโ€”see you on the road!