California Permit Test 2026
What to expect on the California DMV knowledge test for an instruction permit, how many questions you need to get right, and how to get ready.
Updated October 2026
At a glance
| Minimum age | 15½ (under 18 needs driver education and a parent or guardian signature) |
|---|---|
| Test | Multiple-choice knowledge test plus a vision test, at a DMV office |
| Questions | The DMV doesn't publish a current count. Applicants under 18 have traditionally had 46 questions, and adults 36. |
| To pass | 80%. For the 46-question test that means at least 38 correct (no more than 8 wrong). |
| Attempts | 3 attempts per application |
| If you fail (under 18) | Wait 7 days before retaking, not counting the day you failed |
| Fee | Paid with your driver's license application (listed at about $46 when we checked); retakes on the same application are free |
How to get your permit (under 18)
- Finish driver education. Complete a California driver education course and get your completion certificate.
- Fill out the application online and have a parent or guardian approve it. They accept financial responsibility for your driving, and with joint custody both must sign.
- Gather your documents: proof of identity, two proofs of California residency, a legal name document if your name differs across records, and your Social Security number.
- Visit a DMV office to pay the fee, have your photo and thumbprint taken, and pass the vision test.
- Pass the knowledge test. Start it before 4:30 p.m. if you test at the office. Online testing at home is not available for a first license.
What's on the test
Questions come from the California Driver's Handbook. Expect road signs and signals, right of way, speed limits and following distance, lane changes and turns, parking (including on hills), sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and large trucks, and alcohol and drug laws, including California's zero-tolerance rules for drivers under 21.
After you pass
Your permit becomes valid once you begin behind-the-wheel training with an instructor. To take the driving test you must be at least 16, have held the permit for at least 6 months, and have completed both driver education and driver training, plus at least 50 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night, with a California-licensed driver aged 25 or older.
For the first 12 months of a provisional license you can't drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. or carry passengers under 20 without a licensed driver aged 25 or older, with limited exceptions for school, work, medical needs and family.
How to prepare
- Read the handbook once, end to end. Every question comes from it.
- Learn the signs by shape and color. They're quick points if you know them cold.
- Memorize the numbers: speed limits, following distances, blood alcohol limits, parking distances.
- Take full-length practice tests and aim for 90% or better before your appointment, so a few unlucky questions can't sink you.
- Review every question you miss until you get it right twice in a row.
Common questions
How many questions are on the California permit test?
The DMV doesn't publish a current number. Applicants under 18 have traditionally received 46 questions and adults 36. You need 80% to pass, which is 38 correct on the 46-question test.
How many times can I take the California permit test?
You get three attempts per application. If you are under 18 and fail, you must wait 7 days before trying again, not counting the day you failed.
Can I take the California permit test online?
Not for a first license. The at-home online test was closed to new driver's license applicants in January 2025, so the knowledge test is taken at a DMV office.
How old do you have to be to get a permit in California?
At least 15 and a half. Applicants under 18 must also complete driver education and have a parent or guardian sign the application.
Practice with the real format
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