Photo: Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
On the California DMV drive test, the examiner scores you on parking lot driving, backing, intersections, turns, lane changes and city and residential driving. To pass, the official score sheet allows no more than 15 scoring errors and no critical driving errors. This guide breaks down what earns a mark in each area so you can practice exactly what is scored.
Key facts
- The test has two parts: the Pre-Drive Safety Check, then the Driving Performance Evaluation (DPE).
- Pass: no more than 3 errors on pre-drive items 9 to 14, no critical driving errors, and no more than 15 scoring-maneuver errors (DMV sample DPE score sheet).
- Backing is scored: 3 vehicle lengths, within 3 feet of the curb, no more than 1 correction.
- Driver-assist features such as automated parking, lane departure and adaptive cruise control are not permitted. Backup cameras and blind spot monitors may be used, but not instead of looking.
- Under 18: wait 14 days to retake after a fail, not counting the day of the test.
How the California drive test is scored
The examiner marks each error on the DPE score sheet (DL 32). Small errors on scored maneuvers add up; you can make up to 15 and still pass. A single critical driving error is an automatic fail. The critical errors have their own guide: California drive test critical driving errors. The vehicle check is covered in the pre-drive safety check checklist.
What the examiner looks for, area by area
Parking lot driving
- Checking traffic ahead, behind and to both sides, including cyclists and pedestrians.
- Yielding when needed and reacting safely.
- Safe speed and full control.
Backing (pull to the curb, back straight, pull away)
- Check traffic all around before entering, backing and exiting; look over your right shoulder while backing.
- Signal before pulling to the curb and before pulling away, then cancel it.
- Back in a straight line for 3 vehicle lengths, staying within 3 feet of the curb.
- No more than 1 correction (any forward movement counts as one).
- Use the rear window. Mirrors, cameras and self-parking can’t be the only thing you use.
Three attempts to back the vehicle is a critical driving error.
Intersections
| Scored item | What earns a pass |
|---|---|
| Driving through | Check left, right and ahead; keep a suitable speed; yield when necessary; no unnecessary stops |
| Stopping | Brake smoothly; no coasting; a full stop with no rolling; stop about half a car length behind the car ahead (you can see its rear wheels); stop within 6 feet of the limit line or corner; never in the intersection or past the limit line |
| Starting | Check left and right; take right of way only when safe and clear; accelerate smoothly |
Turns
- Approach: check all directions and your blind spot before moving into a bike lane or center left turn lane; signal at least 100 feet before the turn; brake smoothly.
- Lane use: for a right turn, enter the bike lane within 200 feet of the turn, or a right turn lane at its opening. For a left turn, enter a two-way center left turn lane within 200 feet, or a left turn lane at its opening.
- Stopped for a left turn: keep your wheels straight.
- Completing the turn: yield as needed, steer smoothly without cutting the turn or swinging wide, end in the correct lane, cancel your signal.
Turning right on a red light? Stop fully first; rolling through faster than a brisk walk (4 mph) is a critical error. Rules: right on red in the US.
Business, urban, residential and rural driving
- Scan for pedestrians, cyclists, cars pulling in or out and parking cars.
- Stay at or under the limit and slow for hazards. Driving 10 mph over or under the limit without good reason is a critical error.
- Keep a space cushion ahead and to the sides; stay near the center of the lane.
Lane changes
- Mirror, then over-the-shoulder blind spot check.
- Signal before, cancel after.
- Wait for a proper gap; keep safe distances during and after the change; steer smoothly to the center of the new lane.
- You do not need to slow down before changing lanes.
Freeway (supplemental tests only)
Freeway driving is part of the Supplemental DPE, a referral test, not the standard first-time test. Freeway skills are still worth practicing: see how to merge onto a freeway.
Car and test-day rules that affect your score
- Bring your permit, a California-licensed driver (25 or older for under 18s), proof of insurance and registration, and a safe vehicle.
- Rental car: your name must be on the contract and the contract must not exclude drive tests.
- Only the examiner rides with you (limited exceptions). Interpreters can help only with the pre-drive check.
- Recording devices are prohibited; block any you can’t turn off.
- The examiner may give two or more instructions at once.
Common questions
How many points can you miss on the California driving test?
The DMV sample score sheet says you pass with no more than 15 errors on the scoring maneuvers, no more than 3 errors on pre-drive items 9 to 14, and no critical driving errors.
Is parallel parking on the California drive test?
The scored backing maneuver is straight-line backing along a curb. The DPE scoring criteria call it “parallel backing”: 3 vehicle lengths, within 3 feet of the curb.
Can I use my backup camera on the California drive test?
Yes, along with blind spot monitors, but they don’t replace looking over your shoulder and checking mirrors. Automated parking, lane departure and adaptive cruise control are not allowed.
How long until I can retake the drive test?
Under 18: 14 days, not counting the day of the fail (the DMV teen page says 15 days). The teen page lists three attempts per application and a $9 retest fee (as of November 2026).
Where can I see the score sheet?
Sample DPE score sheets are on the DMV teen drivers page. Practice with your supervising driver marking it. The DMV also publishes a Driving Test Criteria booklet (DL 955).
Why do people fail most often?
See common reasons people fail the US driving test and compare states in US road tests by state.
Full California roadmap: learning to drive in California.
Sources
- California DMV, “Driving Performance Evaluation (DPE) Scoring Criteria” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “DMV Driving Test” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Driving Performance Evaluation Score Sheet Sample” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Section 3: The Testing Process” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Teen Drivers” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Licensing Fees” (dmv.ca.gov)