How it works

1. 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.
2. See where you stand. Your score, whether it would pass, the topics you missed and a study plan up to your test date.
3. 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?

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.

Secure payment by Stripe. We email you the access link.

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. How to install

Pass guarantee. Reach "Ready for the test" in the pack and still fail, and we refund the $19.99. Conditions

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

Who it is for

How to pass the California DMV written test

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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