California DMV permit practice test
The California permit test (the California DMV Class C knowledge test) has 46 multiple-choice questions, and you need 38 right to pass (83%). Applicants 18 and older get 36 questions and need 30. Passlane runs practice tests in exactly this format inside ChatGPT, written from the California Driver's Handbook with every answer cited to its section and page.
Updated · The Open Apps, Inc.
The California test format
| Test | California DMV Class C knowledge test |
|---|---|
| Questions | 46 (36 at 18 and older) |
| Correct answers to pass | 38 (83%); 30 at 18 and older |
| Time limit | None published; Passlane's mock test allows 46 minutes |
| Study from | California Driver's Handbook (rev. 6/2025) |
The handbook says the knowledge test is multiple choice and allows three attempts. The question counts and pass marks (46 and 38 under 18, 36 and 30 at 18 and older) are the DMV's test as given, not printed in the handbook.
Key numbers from the California Driver's Handbook
These come up again and again. Each links to the page of the handbook that states it.
| Rule | Answer | Handbook |
|---|---|---|
| Blood alcohol limit, drivers under 21 | 0.01% or higher | Section 9. Alcohol and Drugs, PDF p. 79 |
| Blood alcohol limit, 21 and older | 0.08% or higher | Section 9. Alcohol and Drugs, PDF p. 79 |
| Following distance | At least three seconds | Section 6. Navigating the Roads, PDF p. 29 |
| Speed limit in business and residential districts | 25 mph | Section 7. Laws and Rules of the Road, PDF p. 58 |
| Speed limit near schools | 25 mph (some school zones are as low as 15 mph) | Section 7. Laws and Rules of the Road, PDF p. 56 |
| Highway maximum | 65 mph | Section 8. Safe Driving, PDF p. 73 |
| Signal before a turn | At least 100 feet | Section 5. An Introduction to Driving, PDF p. 17 |
| Parking near a fire hydrant | No closer than 15 feet | Section 6. Navigating the Roads, PDF p. 34 |
| Parallel parking distance from the curb | Within 18 inches | Section 6. Navigating the Roads, PDF p. 32 |
| Passing a bicyclist | At least three feet | Section 7. Laws and Rules of the Road, PDF p. 54 |
| Provisional license, first 12 months | 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. | Section 2. Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License, PDF p. 10 |
| Supervised practice before the drive test | 50 hours, 10 of them at night, with a licensed driver at least 25 | Section 2. Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License, PDF p. 9 |
Sample questions
What should you do when you reach this sign?
- ASlow down and be ready to stop for traffic and pedestrians, then go when the way is clear (right answer)
- BAlways come to a full stop
- CSpeed up to merge ahead of other traffic
- DStop only if a police officer is present
Yield means let other traffic and pedestrians go first. Slow down, stop if you must, and continue only when you will not interfere with anyone.
Source: California Driver's Handbook (rev. 6/2025), Section 7. Laws and Rules of the Road, PDF page 41
In which direction does traffic travel in a roundabout in the United States?
- ACounterclockwise, to the right around the center island (right answer)
- BClockwise, to the left around the center island
- CEither direction
- DWhichever way the first car goes
Traffic in a U.S. roundabout always moves counterclockwise, so every entry and exit is a right turn.
Source: California Driver's Handbook (rev. 6/2025), Section 7. Laws and Rules of the Road, PDF page 46
How many tries do you get to pass the California knowledge test before you must reapply?
- AThree (right answer)
- BOne
- CFive
- DUnlimited
You have three attempts per application. A minor who fails must wait seven days to try again.
Source: California Driver's Handbook (rev. 6/2025), Section 3. The Testing Process, PDF page 11
How to study
- Read the handbook once. Skim the California Driver's Handbook end to end; the test is written from it.
- Take a mock test. In ChatGPT, say “Give me a California DMV permit practice test”. You get the state's question count, pass mark and a clock.
- Fix your misses. Every miss shows the right answer and the handbook page. Read that page, then say “Retake my missed questions”.
- Drill road signs. Say “Quiz me on road signs” for questions with real sign images.
- Pass twice in a row. When you pass two mock tests in a row, Passlane marks you as ready. Take one more right before your appointment.
Practice in ChatGPT
Passlane DMV Permit Test is a ChatGPT plugin. Type one of these:
- “Give me a California DMV permit practice test”
- “10 practice questions for the California permit test”
- “Quiz me on road signs”
- “Retake the questions I missed”
Questions
- How many questions are on the California permit test?
- 46 multiple-choice questions for a first-time permit applicant. Applicants 18 and older take 36 questions and need 30. The handbook says the knowledge test is multiple choice and allows three attempts. The question counts and pass marks (46 and 38 under 18, 36 and 30 at 18 and older) are the DMV's test as given, not printed in the handbook.
- What score do I need to pass the California permit test?
- 38 correct out of 46 (83%).
- Is the California permit test timed?
- California DMV does not publish a time limit for the knowledge test. Passlane's mock test gives you 46 minutes (one minute a question) so you practice at a steady pace.
- What should I study for the California permit test?
- The California Driver's Handbook (rev. 6/2025). The test covers the rules of the road, road signs, safe driving and alcohol and drug laws described there.
- Are Passlane's questions the real test questions?
- No. Passlane writes its own questions from the handbook, and each one cites the handbook section and page that states the rule. It never copies test banks or the handbook's own review questions.
- Is Passlane free?
- Yes. No account, no ads and no in-app purchases.