Free California DMV Permit practice questions

Answer: C, A no-passing zone. A pennant-shaped sign (a sideways triangle) on the left side of the road marks the start of a no-passing zone. It is not a school zone, railroad crossing, or hospital sign. When you see the pennant, do not pass until you are past the zone and it is legal and safe.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Traffic Signs

Answer: B, Yield and look for trains. A crossbuck (the X-shaped railroad sign) marks a crossing where you must yield and look for trains before crossing. It does not always require a full stop by itself, mean no trains ever, or mean speed up. Slow down, check both ways, and stop if a train is near or the signals activate.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Traffic Signs

Answer: A, You are going against traffic; turn back. A 'Wrong Way' or 'Do Not Enter' sign means you are heading against traffic; stop and turn back safely. It is not a signal to slow down, detour, or stop for tolls. If you see it, you are about to drive into oncoming cars, so back out or turn around immediately.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Traffic Signs

Answer: D, 65 mph. The maximum speed on most California highways is 65 mph unless a sign posts a different limit (some freeways allow 70 mph only where posted). 55 mph is the default for two-lane undivided highways, not standard highways, which is why it is a common wrong choice. Always obey a posted sign when it differs from this default.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Speed Limits

Answer: A, 0.08%. A driver 21 or older can be arrested for driving under the influence at a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. This is the 'per se' limit, meaning no other proof of impairment is needed. 0.05% is below the adult limit, while 0.10% and 0.15% also count but are not the legal threshold.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Alcohol and Drugs

Answer: B, 3 seconds. Keep at least a 3-second following distance in good conditions. Pick a fixed point on the road; you should reach it no sooner than 3 seconds after the car ahead passes it. One or two seconds leaves too little time to react and brake at normal speeds, and you should add more seconds in rain, fog, or heavy traffic.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Space to Merge / Following

Answer: B, Within 18 inches. When you finish parallel parking, your wheels must be within 18 inches of the curb. Parking farther out leaves your car sticking into traffic, while the 6-inch and 12-inch options are stricter than the law actually requires. Eighteen inches is the maximum allowed gap from the curb.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Parking

Answer: A, The pedestrian. Pedestrians have the right-of-way in any crosswalk, marked or unmarked, and an unmarked crosswalk still exists at most intersections even without painted lines. 'The driver always' and 'whoever arrives first' are wrong because the law puts pedestrian safety first. Slow down, yield, and let the pedestrian finish crossing.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Right-of-Way

Answer: D, 100 feet. Signal at least 100 feet before you turn so drivers behind and around you have time to react. 50 or 75 feet gives too little warning at normal speeds, and 200 feet is more than the law requires. On faster roads it is smart to start signaling even earlier than 100 feet.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Signals

Answer: C, Half hour after sunset to half hour before sunrise. You must use headlights from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise, and any time you cannot see at least 1,000 feet ahead. 'Only at night' is too narrow, because headlights are also required in rain, fog, or smoke, not just one of these. Using them also makes your car easier for others to see.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Visibility

Answer: B, Back seat in a car/booster seat. Children under 8 must ride in the back seat in a car seat or booster that fits their size and age. A regular seat belt alone, or a spot in the front seat, does not meet the law for a young child. Narrow exceptions exist (for example, a vehicle with no back seat), but the back seat in a proper restraint is the rule.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Occupant Protection

Answer: C, Not at all while driving. Drivers under 18 may not use any phone or electronic device while driving, not even hands-free. That is stricter than the adult rule, which does allow hands-free use, so 'hands-free only' and 'only for GPS' are both wrong for a 17-year-old. For a driver under 18 the only legal choice is no device use at all.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Distractions

Answer: B, Stop from either direction. When a school bus flashes red lights on an undivided road, drivers in both directions must stop until the lights stop flashing or the bus moves. You are only excused when a raised divider or median separates you from the bus. Passing it, or stopping only behind it, risks hitting a child crossing the road.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Sharing the Road

Answer: C, 10 days. You must file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days of a crash that causes injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage. The 24-hour and 48-hour options are stricter than the law, and 30 days is too late. This DMV report is separate from any police report made at the scene.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Collisions

Answer: C, 30/60/15. Since January 1, 2025 (SB 1107), California's minimum liability coverage is 30/60/15: $30,000 for one person's injuries, $60,000 for all injuries in one crash, and $15,000 for property damage. 15/30/5 was the old minimum and is no longer legal; 25/50/25 and 50/100/25 are above the requirement, not the minimum.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Insurance

Answer: C, A vehicle is within 200 feet. In a residential district you may make a U-turn only when no vehicle is approaching within 200 feet. 'Always illegal' is wrong, because U-turns are allowed when the road is clear, and the limit is about approaching traffic, not the time of day or the day of the week. Wait for a clear 200-foot gap before turning.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Turns

Answer: B, 3 feet. California's Three Feet for Safety law requires at least 3 feet of space when you pass a bicyclist. If 3 feet is not possible, you must slow down and pass only when it is safe. One or two feet is too close and illegal; six feet is more than required but always welcome.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Sharing the Road

Answer: A, 15 feet. When you must stop at a railroad crossing, stop no closer than 15 feet, and no farther than 50 feet, from the nearest rail. Stopping at 5 or 10 feet puts you dangerously close to a passing train, which can overhang the rail. Wait until the gates rise and the crossing is clear before you drive across.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Railroad Crossings

Answer: C, Every 2 years. Most vehicles need a smog check every 2 years (biennially) to renew registration, and often when the vehicle changes ownership. Once a year is more often than required, while every 5 years or only once is too infrequent. Some newer and electric vehicles are exempt for a set number of years.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Vehicle Registration

Answer: D, A felony. Leaving the scene of a crash that injures or kills someone is a felony hit-and-run in California. Reporting it later does not undo the crime, and it is far more serious than an infraction or a plain misdemeanor. At any injury collision you must stop, help the injured, and exchange information.

Source: CA Driver Handbook — Collisions