California permit test: road signs
About one in five questions in our bank is a road sign. Learn the shapes, colors and sign families and you can answer most at a glance.
Key rules
- Regulatory signs (white, red or black) are laws: Stop, Yield, Speed Limit, Do Not Enter, Wrong Way, One Way, No Turn, Do Not Pass. (MUTCD)
- Most warning signs are yellow diamonds: curves, merges, lane ends, signals or stops ahead, slippery road, crossings. Some warning signs have other shapes, like the round railroad sign and the no-passing pennant. (MUTCD)
- A yellow plate with a speed under a warning sign is an advisory speed for that hazard, not the legal limit. (MUTCD W13-1)
The full study guide for this topic, 136 practice questions and a printable cheat sheet are in the Exam Pack.
Sample questions
This sign means:
Answer: Come to a complete stop. A red octagon always means stop. Stop at the limit line, before the crosswalk, or before entering the intersection. (MUTCD sign R1-1)
This sign means:
Answer: Slow down and yield, stopping if needed. Yield: let vehicles and pedestrians go first, and stop if they are close. (MUTCD sign R1-2)
Other topics
- Speed limits: California has one rule above all others: never drive faster than is safe for the conditions.
- Signals and signs: Lights and signs tell you who goes and who waits.
- Road signs: About one in five questions in our bank is a road sign.
- Right of way: The law says who must yield, never who may force their way.
- Lane markings and lane types: Paint tells you which way traffic moves and what you may do in each lane.
- Lanes, passing and turns: Lane lines tell you where you may move.
- Freeways: Match the speed of traffic, keep right unless passing, and never stop in the lanes.
- Parking: Where and how you park is tested with exact distances.
- Sharing the road: Bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcycles, trucks and buses all have rights on the road.
- Buses, light rail and streetcars: Trains and buses are big, heavy and slow to stop.
- Work zones: Orange signs mean workers and equipment are close to traffic.
- Railroad crossings: Trains cannot stop quickly.
- Defensive driving: Leave yourself space and time.
- Weather and slippery roads: Rain, ice, fog and wind call for lower speeds than the posted limit.
- Night driving and emergencies: See and be seen at night, and know the first steps when something goes wrong.
- Alcohol and drugs: Impairment starts with judgment, before you feel drunk.
- Phones and distraction: Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel.
- Seat belts and children: Everyone buckles up, and children ride in the back in the right seat for their age and size.
- Vehicle control and equipment: Know your car's controls and keep it legal: clear windows, working lights, secure loads.
- Police stops and road rage: Stay calm, stay visible and keep your hands where they can be seen.
- Insurance, collisions and penalties: Every driver must carry insurance, stop after a crash, and keep a clean record.
- Permits and licensing rules: Rules for drivers under 18 are tested often.
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