Photo: Coolcaesar at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The California DMV knowledge test is a multiple-choice test on the California Driver’s Handbook, and you need 80% to pass. You get three attempts per application, and teens must wait 7 days after a fail. This guide covers the format, the rules on test day, the online option and how to prepare, for first-time permit applicants of any age.
Key facts
- Pass mark: 80%.
- Format: multiple choice, based on the California Driver’s Handbook.
- Attempts: three before you must reapply (and pay again).
- Retake wait for under 18s: 7 days, not counting the day you failed.
- In a DMV office, you must start the test before 4:30 p.m.
- You also take a vision test at the same visit.
How many questions are on the California knowledge test?
The DMV’s permit and handbook pages do not state a question count, only the 80% pass mark. Counts quoted on practice-test websites are not official, so don’t rely on them. Aim to score well above 80% on practice questions so a few unfamiliar questions on the day don’t sink you. For how other states compare, see permit tests by state.
What’s on the test
Questions come from the California Driver’s Handbook. The sections that matter most for a first-time driver:
- Section 6: lanes, turns, merging, passing, parking, colored curbs, hill parking. See California colored curbs and parking rules.
- Section 7: signals, signs, right of way, roundabouts, pedestrians, sharing the road, points and provisional license rules.
- Section 8: safe following, road conditions, seat belts, emergencies, phones.
- Section 9: alcohol and drugs, including the 0.01% BAC limit for drivers under 21.
- Section 10: insurance minimums and what to do after a collision.
Useful national refreshers: US road signs by shape and color, road lines and four-way stops.
How to apply and take the test
- Complete the California Driver’s License & ID Card Application online. Under 18s also need a parent or guardian to approve it, plus a driver education certificate (see teen permit requirements).
- Book a DMV office appointment.
- At the office: show your identity and residency documents, pay the non-refundable application fee, pass the vision test, have your photo taken, then take the knowledge test.
Test-day rules
- No testing aids. The handbook and cell phones are prohibited.
- Office tests are not available after 4:30 p.m.; testing must start before then.
- If you wear glasses or contacts for the vision test, your license will carry a corrective lenses restriction. If you fail the vision test, your eye doctor completes a Report of Vision Examination (DL 62).
Can you take the California knowledge test online?
Possibly. In December 2023 the DMV said its online knowledge test, first offered to eligible adults, had been opened to under 18s needing a license in September 2023. As described then, it needed a computer or laptop with a webcam (not a tablet or phone), identity checks and monitoring, and gave two online attempts before an office visit for the third. Your testing options appear after you complete your application on the DMV website, so check there for current eligibility.
Don’t confuse this with DMV eLearning: that no-fail course is only for Class C renewals, not first-time applicants.
If you fail
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fail once or twice | Retake; under 18s wait 7 days, not counting the day of the fail |
| Fail three times | You must reapply |
| Application older than 12 months | The application and fee expire; reapply |
How to prepare
- Read the handbook sections listed above, not just a summary. Questions use its wording.
- Use the official DMV practice tests linked from the DMV teen drivers page.
- Learn the numbers: 0.01% and 0.08% BAC limits, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. provisional limit, $30,000 / $60,000 / $15,000 insurance minimums, SR 1 within 10 days.
- Book an early appointment so you are well clear of the 4:30 p.m. cutoff.
Next step after passing: driver training and your 50 practice hours. Full roadmap: learning to drive in California.
Common questions
How many questions can I miss on the California permit test?
You need 80% correct. Check the question count with the DMV, since the exact number you can miss depends on your test.
Is the knowledge test in other languages?
The handbook PDF comes in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Armenian, Hindi, Punjabi and Chinese, with an ASL video. The December 2023 DMV release said the online test was offered in 35 languages. Ask your DMV office about languages for in-office tests.
How long do I wait to retake it?
Under 18: 7 days, not counting the day you failed. The DMV teen page phrases this as 8 days.
Do adults take the same test?
Yes, adults take a multiple-choice knowledge test on the same handbook with the same 80% pass mark. See getting a California license at 18 or older.
Do I need to retake the knowledge test if I move to California?
Out-of-state license holders take the knowledge test. See moving to California.
What does the application fee cost?
The DMV fees page lists $46 for an original Class C driver’s license (as of November 2026). Check the fees page before you go.
Sources
- California DMV, “Instruction and Learner’s Permits” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Section 3: The Testing Process” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Section 2: Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Teen Drivers” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Online Learning” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “More Californians Fulfilling DMV Testing Requirement Online” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Licensing Fees” (dmv.ca.gov)