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At 27 million, the state of California has the highest number of licensed drivers in the United States, accounting for more than 11.6% of the country’s drivers. If you want to join them, the first step is to complete the California permit test, one that has frustrated countless CA drivers over the years.
But what kind of questions can you expect to encounter on this test, what’s the passing grade, and how many questions are there in total?
What Does the California Permit Test Cover?
The goal of the permit test is to ensure that all drivers are ready for the road and understand the laws and dangers while also recognizing traffic signs and road markings.
The questions are not released by the DMV but they all relate to information discussed in the California Driver Handbook. Technically, a driver who knows the handbook back-to-front should pass the test with flying colors. But it’s over 90 pages long, and it’s hard to retain all of that information.
Practice tests are often used alongside the handbook to adequately prepare the driver for the test. These tests draw from a large databank of questions that have either been pulled directly from the handbook or from drivers who have recently sat the DMV permit test. The questions are presented at random and give the driver an idea of their level while also teaching them important rules of the road.
DMV Cheat Sheets is one of the biggest DMV practice test providers, but there are others. Services like Aceable are also useful in preparing drivers for upcoming tests. Not only do they utilize practice tests, but they offer complete online drivers ed courses to ensure all of the essentials are covered.
How Many Questions Are on the California DMV Permit Test?
There are 46 questions on the permit test, all of which are either multiple-choice or true/false. You will be presented with a question, example, or scenario, and then asked to respond with the correct answer.
You need at least 38 correct answers to pass, equating to a passing mark of 83%.
As with all state permit tests, traffic signs account for a sizeable portion of the test. Around a quarter of all questions depict specific signs and ask you to identify them. The remaining questions are distributed among other key areas relating to driving skills, driving laws, and safe driving habits.
Permit Test Questions and Passing Grades Across the US
As road signs and road laws differ from state to state, the DMV permit test also varies by location. The number of questions you face, the passing score, and the type of questions you encounter will vary depending on your location.
State
Number of Questions
Correct Answers Needed
Alabama
30
24
Alaska
30
24
Arkansas
25
20
California
46
38
Colorado
20
16
Connecticut
25
20
Delaware
30
23
Florida
50
40
Georgia
40
30
Hawaii
30
23
Idaho
40
34
Illinois
35
28
Indiana*
30
24
Iowa
35
28
Kansas
25
20
Kentucky
30
24
Louisiana
30
24
Maine
30
24
Maryland
25
21
Massachusetts
25
18
Michigan
50
40
Minnesota
40
32
Mississippi
30
24
Missouri
25
20
Montana
33
27
Nebraska
25
20
Nevada
50
40
New Hampshire
40
32
New Jersey
50
40
New Mexico
25
18
New York**
20
14
North Carolina
25
20
North Dakota
25
20
Ohio
40
30
Oklahoma
50
40
Oregon
35
28
Pennsylvania
18
15
Rhode Island
25
20
South Carolina
30
24
South Dakota
25
20
Tennessee
30
24
Texas
30
21
Utah
50
40
Vermont
20
16
Virginia***
35
30
Washington
40
32
West Virginia
25
19
Wisconsin
50
40
Wyoming
25
19
*At least 14 of 16 road signs
**At least 2 of 4 road signs
***At least 10 road signs
What to Do When Preparing for a Permit Exam
1. Do read the handbook
The permit test is designed to test your knowledge of the handbook. Unlike your high-school history teacher, it won’t spring random questions on you to make sure you’re paying attention and thinking outside the box. Everything it covers and everything you need is in the book, so read it and re-read it.
2. Do take practice tests
There’s no guarantee that the questions you see in practice tests will be in the real test. However, they draw upon the same source and often use re-worded versions of questions you will encounter in the test.
Complete as many tests as you can and pay attention to the things you’re getting wrong.
3. Do get assistance from licensed drivers
If you have a parent, neighbor, or friend who drives, ask them to test you. The process will be a little less tedious if you have someone with you and it may also help some of the information to stick.
4. Do learn the process
What happens on test day? What happens when you pass or fail the permit test? Learn all of these things so you know what to expect. The first few pages of the handbook contain some useful info on applications, tests, and more.
5. Do study your road signs
Road signs are one of the biggest sticking points for learner drivers. There are a lot of images to remember, and not all are self-explanatory. Section 7 contains some information on lights, signals, and signs, and you should read through this section as many times as you can before testing yourself with practice tests.
What Not to Do When Preparing for a Permit Exam
1. Don’t assume you will pass
Confidence is essential as a learner driver. It means you’ll be more inclined to get behind the wheel and less likely to make a mistake during your road test. But if you start thinking that you’re too good to fail and already know everything, it will work against you.
Everyone should assume they are starting from a blank slate and everyone needs to go through the same process of reading the handbook, completing practice tests, and studying hard.
2. Don’t think you’ll pass the second time after failing the first
Tell someone that you’ve failed an exam/test and one of the first things they’ll say is, “Don’t worry, you’ll pass the next time.” You might be thinking that yourself. But that’s not how it works. It doesn’t matter how close you were the first time, as the next set of questions could be completely different.
Even if it’s your second or third exam, you should always prepare as if it’s your first.
3. Don’t skip ahead after a single practice test
You take a permit test and get 100%. You might as well just wait for the big day, right?
No, definitely not. One test isn’t enough, as you might not encounter any of those same questions. If you want your learner’s permit, you need to take the preparation and examination process seriously.
FAQs
What is a permit practice test?
A practice test is an online written knowledge test that uses multiple-choice questions and simulates the real DMV exam. It is provided by third-party service but draws from crowdsourced information and the freely available handbook.
How much does the California permit test cost?
The permit test costs $33.
How old must I be to get a learner’s permit in CA?
You must be at least 15 and a half. If you are younger than 17 and a half, however, then you must take a drivers ed course online or in person.
Conclusion: How many questions are on the permit test in California?
In summary, there are 46 questions on the permit test in California and you must answer 38 questions correctly to pass the test. Here are some key points to remember:
The questions relate to a variety of road rules and road signs.
All information can be found in the Driver Handbook.
A permit practice test can help to prepare you for the real permit test.
The test costs $33 and you need to be 15 ½ or older to sit it.
