Choose a topic to read its key rules, then practice its questions.
Free practice test
California DMV practice test 2026
Ten free questions from California traffic law, each answer explained. See your score and the topics you would miss, then get ready for the written permit test with the full Exam Pack.
About 3 minutes on a phone or a computer. No sign-up. If you stop, your answers are kept.
How it works
- Take the free test. Ten questions. After each answer you see the right one, why it is right, and the section of the California Vehicle Code it comes from.
- See where you stand. Your score, whether it would pass, the topics you missed and a study plan up to your test date.
- Practice until you are ready. The Exam Pack has every question, full-length mock tests and a readiness score that tells you when you are ready to book.
How many questions are on the California permit test?
| Questions | Correct to pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 46 | 38 |
| 18 and older | 36 | 30 |
This is the commonly reported format. There is no time limit. Each application includes three tries. Under 18 you wait 7 days after a fail; the DMV sets no waiting period for 18 and older. Check current rules on dmv.ca.gov before your appointment.
What is on the test, handbook summary, road signs with pictures.
What you get with the Exam Pack
$19.99 once, for 30 days. It never renews. You can buy without an account and save your progress to one later.
Exam simulator
46 questions if you are under 18 (pass with 38 right), 36 if you are 18 or older (pass with 30). Answers are shown at the end.
642 practice questions
Each with a plain explanation and the Vehicle Code section. Smart practice puts your mistakes first.
136 road sign questions
A gallery of the signs with what each one means and what to do, plus a sign quiz.
Flashcards and a marathon
Four flashcard decks, and every question in a row that remembers where you stopped.
Study guide for 22 topics
Speed, right of way, parking, alcohol, teen rules and more in plain English, with 52 legal words explained.
Two-page cheat sheet
Every number the test asks about: speeds, distances, BAC limits, deadlines. Print it or save it as a PDF.
Read aloud
Tap to hear any question and its explanation. Useful if English is not your first language.
Readiness score and a daily plan
How close you are to passing, how many questions to do each day until your test date, and a day streak.
Works like an app
Add it to your phone's home screen and practice offline. Sign in with Google or an email link to continue on any device.
Buying for a teen? After the free test, your teen can send you a payment link. The pack opens on their phone.
Free test and Exam Pack compared
| Free | Exam Pack | |
|---|---|---|
| Practice questions | 10 | 642 |
| Explanation and Vehicle Code section | Yes | Yes |
| Score and topics you missed | Yes | Yes, with progress per topic |
| Study plan to your test date | Preview | Yes |
| Full-length exam simulator | No | Yes |
| Road signs, flashcards, cheat sheet | No | Yes |
| Price | $0 | $19.99 once |
Who it is for
Teens 15½ to 17
You take 46 questions and need 38 right. A daily goal and a streak keep practice short. A parent can pay with a link you send them.
Adults and new California drivers
You take 36 questions and need 30 right. Short explanations in plain English, a read-aloud button and a list of legal words help when English is your second language.
How to pass the California DMV written test
- Learn the rules one topic at a time. Most questions come from a few areas: road signs, right of way, lanes, passing and turns, sharing the road, parking and alcohol and drugs. Our handbook summary covers each one in a few minutes.
- Memorize the numbers. Many wrong answers are close numbers: 25 mph near a school, 15 mph at a blind intersection, 15 feet from a fire hydrant, a 0.08% BAC limit at 21 and over and 0.01% under 21. See speed limits and collisions and penalties.
- Read every option. Watch for questions with NOT or EXCEPT, and for two answers that are both partly true. Pick the one the law says.
- Take a full-length practice test. Do 46 or 36 questions in one sitting without looking anything up. If you pass with room to spare twice in a row, you are ready to book.
Every topic on the California permit test
- Road signs
- Signals and signs
- Right of way
- Speed limits
- Lanes, passing and turns
- Lane markings and lane types
- Freeways
- Parking
- Sharing the road
- Buses, light rail and streetcars
- Railroad crossings
- Work zones
- Weather and slippery roads
- Night driving and emergencies
- Defensive driving
- Phones and distraction
- Alcohol and drugs
- Seat belts and children
- Vehicle control and equipment
- Police stops and road rage
- Insurance, collisions and penalties
- Permits and licensing rules
Questions
Is the practice test really free?
Yes. The 10-question test, the explanations, your score and the study plan are free, with no sign-up and no card. The Exam Pack is optional.
Are these the actual DMV test questions?
No. We are not affiliated with the California DMV, and the DMV does not publish its question bank. Our questions are original, written from the California Vehicle Code, and cover the rules the test asks about. Each one shows the code section it is based on.
How many questions can I miss?
Under 18 you can miss 8 of 46. At 18 and older you can miss 6 of 36. That is the commonly reported format.
Is the Exam Pack a subscription?
No. You pay $19.99 once and get 30 days of access. Nothing renews and there is nothing to cancel.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. It works in any phone browser. You can add it to your home screen and practice without internet after the first visit.
Can a parent pay for a teen?
Yes. After the free test, the teen taps "Ask a parent to pay" and sends the link. The parent pays, and the pack opens on the teen's phone.
Find out where you stand in 3 minutes
Ten questions, every answer explained. Free.
Keyboard: press 1–3 to answer, Enter for next
Test finished. Your result is ready.
Two quick questions for your study plan
Who is taking the test?
Under 18 the test is commonly reported as 46 questions, from 18 as 36.
When is your knowledge test?
Your score
California Exam Pack
$19.99 once, for 30 days. Never renews.
- 642 California questions with explanations, including road signs
- Exam simulator in the commonly reported DMV format (46 or 36 questions)
- Study guide for every topic and a printable cheat sheet
- Readiness score, smart practice of your mistakes, and a day-by-day plan to your test date
- Works on phone and computer. No sign-up needed to buy
Secure checkout by Stripe. Apple Pay and Google Pay accepted. Not affiliated with the California DMV.
Buying for your teen? One payment covers 30 days on their phone and your computer.
One payment that never renews. Other prep sites charge up to $29 for a single week. Every answer last checked against the California Vehicle Code in October 2026. How we write our questions · Everything in the pack
Payment received
Your Exam Pack is ready
Save your pack to an account
Then you can open it on your phone and your computer, and get back in if this browser forgets you. No password.
For a parent
Your teen asked you to pay for their permit test prep
They took our free California practice test and want the full Exam Pack to get ready for the DMV knowledge test.
Tap the card or press Space to flip it. Then press 1 for still learning, 2 for I knew it.