Applying for Your CA Driver’s License? Here’s Everything You Need to Know:

You may apply for your learner’s permit starting at age 15 ½.

The following explains what you must have when applying for your license.

If you are Under Age 18	If you are Over Age 18
Form DL 44 driver’s license application, signed by your parent or legal guardian.	Form DL 44 driver’s license application
Your Social Security Number (It will be verified with the Social Security Administration)	Your Social Security Number (It will be verified with the Social Security Administration
Your Full Legal Name	Your Full Legal Name
An Original Birth Certificate/ Proof of Legal Presence Examples of this would be: Certified copy of US Birth Certificate from state or local vital statistics office US Certificate of Birth Abroad or Report of Birth Abroad Federal Proof of Indian Blood Degree USCIS American Indian Card Birth Certificate or passport issued from a US Territory US Passport or US Passport Card US Military Identification Cards Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship Permanent Resident Card Temporary Resident Identification Card Canadian Passport/Birth Certificate Non-resident Alien Canadian Border Crossing Card Permanent Resident Re-entry Permit Refugee travel document Certification from California Department of Corrections or California Youth Authority Employment Authorization Card Valid I-94 stamped “Refugee,” “Parole or Parolee,” “Asylee,” or Section 207, Section 208, Section 209, Section 212d(2), HP or PIP Valid I-94 with attached photo stamped “Processed for I-551 temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence” Immigration judge’s order granting asylum Mexican Border Crossing Card with valid I-94 U.S. Border Crossing Identification card with valid I-94	Original Birth Certificate/Proof of Legal Presence Examples of this would be: Certified copy of US Birth Certificate from state or local vital statistics office US Certificate of Birth Abroad or Report of Birth Abroad Federal Proof of Indian Blood Degree USCIS American Indian Card Birth Certificate or passport issued from a US Territory US Passport or US Passport Card US Military Identification Cards Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship Permanent Resident Card Temporary Resident Identification Card Canadian Passport/Birth Certificate Non-resident Alien Canadian Border Crossing Card Permanent Resident Re-entry Permit Refugee travel document Certification from California Department of Corrections or California Youth Authority Employment Authorization Card Valid I-94 stamped “Refugee,” “Parole or Parolee,” “Asylee,” or Section 207, Section 208, Section 209, Section 212d(2), HP or PIP Valid I-94 with attached photo stamped “Processed for I-551 temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence” Immigration judge’s order granting asylum Mexican Border Crossing Card with valid I-94 U.S. Border Crossing Identification card with valid I-94
Certificate of Completion of Driver’s Education or Certificate of Completion of Driver’s Education and Driver Training or Certificate of Enrollment In A Classroom Driver Education And Driver Training Program	Application Fee
Application Fee

Go to your local DMV office when you are ready to apply for your driver’s license.

The DMV office can be reached by either calling (800) 777-0133 or by going online to www.dmv.ca.gov.

Your parent, legal guardian, spouse, or licensed driving instructor age 25 or older must bring you for your exam.

No, a physical is not required in order to get a permit in the state of California.

Yes, a vision test is required when applying for the California driver’s license. You must have 20/40 acuity with or without glasses.

You are only allowed to have your photograph taken at the DMV office. You will take it once you pass your written test. So look your best!

There are no colors you should avoid. Wear what ever color you like!

You may wear your hair the same way you would normally wear it; however, it should not be covering your face or your eyes. The purpose of the photo is to be able to identify who you really are. Besides, you would not want to hide that amazing face!

Wear your normal make-up; however, the less make-up the better. As long as you are not wearing so much make-up to where you are unrecognizable, you will be fine!

Some states are moving towards face recognition technology that will be able to uniquely identify each individual. A straight face on the photo helps distinguish who you really are. This is all in an effort to stop fraud.

Look straight into the camera and keep a calm and relaxed face!

If you have applied for your CA license and passed the written exam, you will be issued a permit. It will be valid for 12 months. You must wait at least 6 months before scheduling an appointment for your road test. During this wait, you are required to complete 50 practice hours on the road with a licensed driver age 25 or older. You should also be completing driver’s education class and completing 6 hours of professional driver’s training.

If you can’t find the answer to your question above, please use our Beginner Driver Q & A Section to get a professional answer from our experts! If you need any further assistance, you’re welcome to contact us directly at drivingtestsorg@gmail.com.

You will need to know the California Driver’s Manual.

Take our FREE CA Permit Practice Test as many times as you want until you’re 100% ready! You may also study at home, school, library or any place where you can easily concentrate. Tools such as the driver’s manual or the driving knowledge tutorial found at www.dmv.ca.gov will be useful, too.

YES you do if you are under 18 years old. You DO NOT need it if you are over age 18.

You may easily get one from the local DMV office or access it online at www.dmv.ca.gov. You can also check out the California driver’s manual on our website.

Yes, you should read the entire manual. The manual is filled with all of the information you are required to know for the written test.

Yes there is. We are currently working on finalizing it and will be launching it shortly! It’s a great way to study for your CA written test.

The questions will differ and will cover the rules of the road. It is necessary to know about speed limits, blind intersections, crossings, line colors, road signs, parking distances, passing lanes, parallel parking, center left turn lanes, sharing the road and more. There are several websites around that offer sample test questions. Most of them will offer you a low-quality free test, but will charge you for the full test. Take our FULL 100% FREE CA Permit Practice Test – it’s a proven way to help you prepare, and the questions are amazinly similar to what you’ll get at the real DMV Test!

You may practice tests by going online to www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/interactive/tdrive/exam.htm. We also invite you to take our FREE CA Permit Practice Test here.

You may take your permit test at your local DMV office. Be sure to schedule an appointment by either calling 1-800-777-0133 or going online to www.dmv.ca.gov.

The absolute most important thing to do the night before the written test is RELAX! By the time the night before your written test comes, you should be very familiar with the California Driver’s manual/handbook. Get a good night’s rest and remain positive.

According to CA DMV in 2008, about 26% of people failed their test the first time.

When you are familiar with the manual and can easily take the practice test, you are ready. If you have taken the practice test available for free at http://driving-tests.org/california/california-permit-practice-test/ and feel comfortable with your score, you are ready!

Now that you have prepared yourself by studying and taking the practice test, your next step is to contact your local DMV office and schedule an appointment!

You must sign up for your California permit through the DMV office . Call or go online to www.dmv.ca.gov in order to schedule an appointment.

You may get your permit in the state of California as early as age 15 ½.

When you go in to apply for your permit test, you will need:

1. Form DL 44
2. Your Social Security Number (It will be verified with the social security administration)
3. Your Full Legal Name
4. Original Birth Certificate/Legal Presence Document
5. Application Fee

In order to apply for a license, you must pay a $31 application fee. This fee covers the cost of exams inside a 12 month period and pays for both the permit test and road test.

Your parents are not required to go with you. You just need a responsible California licensed driver age 25 or older to bring you.

You are expected to know all of the rules of the road. These topics include but are not limited to: line colors, following distances, driving in bad weather, intersections, crossings, road signs, parking, speed limit, problem drivers, freeways and much more.

There are 46 questions on the exam.

You must get 39 questions out of 46 correct.

You can not miss more than 7 questions.

After putting so much effort into studying, you definitely don’t want to make mistakes that you can easily avoid! The biggest error to avoid is rushing through questions. The DMV explicitly states that they are not trying to “trick” you. Just take your time and remember what you have studied.

Absolutely NOT! This is not an open book test. The purpose of the test is to make sure you understand and apply the rules of the road.

Yes you do. You agree to submit a chemical test when you sign the application for your learner’s permit and driver’s license. The drug test determines the alcohol and drug content in your blood stream.

There is no “easy” place. The ONLY place to take a permit test is at the DMV office. The easiest thing to do is be prepared. The test is computerized and the questions are randomly picked.

Check out all the Facebook comments below the test here! This is written by real people who have taken the test.

You may reschedule to take it again. You get 3 shots to take it before having to pay another $31 application fee.

After 7 days, you may schedule an appointment for your permit retest. During this time, you should take the practice test available at www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/interactive/tdrive/exam.htm. We also encourage you to take our FREE CA Permit Practice Test available here

You must have a California licensed driver age 25 or older sitting next to you at all times. You are allowed to have others in the car as well; however, they must be seated in the back wearing a seat belt.

You may drive any place as long as you have a licensed driver age 25 or older in the car with you.

Congratulations! You have passed your permit test. You must wait at least 6 months before applying for your road test. During this time, you must complete 50 practice hours on the road with a California licensed driver age 25 or older. At least 10 of those hours must be done at night. You must also complete driver’s education class and complete 6 hours of professional driver’s training.

You should practice all of the skills required in order to handle a vehicle safely. You should know how to:

• Back up
• Pull off smoothly
• Accelerate and brake steadily
• Change lanes
• Drive on the freeway
• Drive through intersections
• Parallel Park
• And Much More…

You may practice driving anywhere. Ideally, you will want to drive on streets you are familiar with.

Without practice, there is no way you would be prepared for the pressures of the road let along a road test. Practice prepares you for the actual exam as well as keeps you and others safe, and most importantly ALIVE!

It is best to learn how to drive on streets that you are familiar with before branching off into other places. If you’re looking for a driving school, you can find dozens of schools online. Make sure the school you choose has behind the wheel training.

You should expect this exam to test your ability to drive safely and accurately. The first thing the examiner will do is ask to see your instruction permit, driver education and driver’s training completion certificate (if you are under age 18), and proof of vehicle insurance.

This test will be hard to those who are NOT well prepared. It may also be difficult to those who are extremely nervous because they aren’t sure of what to expect. The test only lasts about 20 minutes. The instructor will not try to trick you (the last thing he or she wants to do is trick you and cause an accident). The instructor will be testing your ability to obey traffic laws and drive safely.

After you have prepared yourself by completing at least 50 hours on the road with a California licensed driver age 25 or older, completed driver’s education class and completed 6 hours of professional driver’s training, you should be ready for your exam. The best thing to do at this point is RELAX and look forward to the following night as a licensed driver. You may also want to see this article: 7 Things NOT To Do The Night Before Your DMV Test

California DMV is proud to announce their online appointment system. You may schedule there through their website www.dmv.ca.gov or you may call 1-800-777-0133 to schedule.

You must take your California road test at your local DMV office .

You are required to supply your own car for the driving test. The vehicle must be safe to drive. The examiner will check for the following:

• Two license plates
• Front signal and back signal lights
• Working brake lights
• Good tires
• Emergency parking brake
• Two rear view mirrors
• A windshield without cracks in the field of vision

Anyone age 25 or older with a valid California driver’s license should bring you.

The only way you will pass this test is by showing the examiner that you can drive safely and effectively. The examiner will observe you to see if you watched for pedestrians, judged the traffic and used your mirrors. Be sure to also:

• Signal when merging into traffic
• Do not drive too fast or too slow
• Stay in control of the vehicle

You may also want to check out the following article: You Can Do It! How To Pass A DMV Driving Test On Your FIRST Attempt and this Road Test Tips: Your Ultimate Guide To Passing Your Driving Test on our sister site Find-a-driving-school.ca.

You have to show the examiner that you are a good enough driver to drive alone. So, when taking the test, remember what you’ve learned during your road practice. Additional things to remember include:

• Adjusting your mirrors when getting in the car
• Buckling up your seat belt
• Looking in the mirror and over your shoulder before merging into traffic
• Keeping both hands on the steering wheel
• Stopping behind crosswalks and limit lines

We also recommend you study this guide: Road Test Tips: Your Ultimate Guide To Passing Your Driving Test.

Believe it or not, people some times make critical driving errors that result in automatic failure. Some of the errors you should avoid include:

• Driving 10 miles over or under the speed limit.
• Not looking over the shoulder when pulling into traffic or changing lanes.
• Running a red light.
• Lingering beside a truck while passing
• Hitting the brakes too aggressively
• Not driving defensively

The first thing the examiner will do is ask to see your instruction permit, driver education and driver’s training completion certificate (if you are under age 18), and proof of vehicle insurance. Afterwards, the examiner will check for working brake and signal lights as well as secure seat belts. Once this is done, the instructor will ask you questions about common parts of your vehicle such as the horn, gear shift, windshield wipers and etc. You will then be asked to demonstrate arm signals for right and left turns and for stopping and slowing down. If you have made it to this point, then the next step is the actual driving part. The examiner will ask you to pull out of the driving test line and at this point you will be given instructions while driving.

You will have to show the instructor that you know how to control your vehicle while:

• Backing up
• Driving through intersections
• Making left and right lane changes
• Driving through residential and business neighborhoods.

Yes, you may wear contacts or glasses if that is what you use to see with.

No, once you have taken the permit test, there is no need to take the written exam again.

You are not allowed to have anyone else in the car with you during your driving test. Only you and the instructor will be in the car.

You have 3 times to pass your driver’s test. If you fail all three times, you will have to complete another application. That means…

1. You will have to fill out another Form DL 44
2. You will have to pay another Application Fee
3. You will have to take another picture and thumb print
4. You will have to pass the written exam and vision test.
5. You will have to provide your proof of birth date and legal presence
6. You will have to provide your Social Security Number and True Full Legal Name

Some people develop a fear for driving after they have had an accident. The human brain has realized there is a danger involved and as a result your subconscious blows this phobia out of proportion. Websites such as www.fear-of-driving.org can help you further explore ways of overcoming the fear. Also taking driver’s courses may help build confidence.

Hooray! You passed! Once you return to the DMV and the examiner tells you that you have a satisfactory (passed), you will be given an interim license that will be valid for 90 days. Your actual license will arrive in the mail in about 2 weeks.

Yes, if you are under 18 there are limitations within the first year of you getting your license. You must have a licensed driver age 25 or older in the car with you when you are carrying passengers in the car under the age of 20. You must also be accompanied by a licensed driver age 25 or older between 11pm and 5am. There are a few exceptions such as medical emergencies and employment. In these cases, you must have a note signed by your legal guardian.

Whether you are new to California or not, the driving rules are similar to driving any where else. You should know that the average speed limit is 25 mph on suburban and city roads and 55 mph on highways and freeways. Speed limits increase on larger freeways to about 70 – 75 mph. If you aren’t familiar with bicycle lanes, then be sure to watch out for them in California. These lanes are painted on some streets and it is illegal for a car to enter these lanes. If you are involved in an accident that is worth more than $750, you must file a traffic accident report with the California DMV. Another thing you should know is that a DUI is a serious offense in California, so don’t drink and drive.

In California, you must be financially responsible. That is why this state requires you to have insurance that will:

• Cover $15,000 per person for bodily injuries to those in the other vehicle
• $30,000 in bodily injury per accident
• $5,000 worth of property liability coverage for the car and possessions of the other vehicle.

California offers low cost automobile policies that you can get if you live in these counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus counties. Just contact a reputable agent for more information.

You need a car, a license and any possible driver’s education certificates in order to show that you have had proper training.

How much you will pay for car insurance will all depend on the following: which insurance company you go with, how old you are, how many people will be on your policy, what type of car you will drive, and your driving record.

There are several car insurances out there. You will have to do your research. Some insurance companies will give discounts if you are a student or if you have taken a driver’s education class. Some of the not-so-big name car insurance companies offer the best competitive rates such as Safeco. You can end up paying less by choosing a car that is in a low insurance group. California offers low cost automobile policies that you can get if you live in these counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus counties. Just contact a reputable agent for more information.
You begin by researching different insurance companies and seeing if they offer the best deal for you. Once you have narrowed it down to about 5 companies, begin calling and go from there.

According to the California DMV, about 50% of drivers ages 15-19 get some sort of traffic violation within their 1st year on the road. The most common mistake is speeding. Speeding can cause a car to loose control. Because new drivers (especially teens) have a higher risk of being in an accident, insurance companies charge more to cover them.

Sorry about that. If you have failed, you must wait at least 2 weeks before you can reschedule your road test. Remember, after 3 shots you will have to start your application process all over again.

If you fail your test, the examiner will tell you the areas you need to improve on. Take the advice and practice. You must wait two weeks before you can take a retest. Once you feel you are ready you may pay the retest fee and schedule to retake the test again.

You will need to submit a new Form DL 44 driver’s license application. Your renewal notice will tell you if you have to take the written test again or not. If you have to take the written test again, you will only be required to answer the first 18 out of 36 correct.

You may renew your driver’s license:

1. Online If you:
   • Have a renewal notice in the mail with a Renewal Identification Number
   • Have the same address
   • Have a Social Security Number on record at the DMV
   • Have a valid credit card
2. By mail if:
   • Your driver license doesn’t expire in more than 60 days from the date you are renewing
   • You are under age 70
   • Not on any driving probation or suspension
   • Have not violated a promise to appear in court in the past two years
   • Do not have two consecutive five year extensions by mail
   • Do not have a driver’s license from more than one state or jurisdiction
3. In Person any time

No, it isn’t required unless otherwise specified by a physician.

You have 10 days after becoming a resident to apply for your license. There is no need to pass a driving test in California if you already hold a valid driver’s license in another state, as long as you are prepared to surrender your out-of-state license. If you do not have your out-of-state license, you will have to take the driver’s test.

Your out of state permit will NOT be accepted unless you can provide proof from your driver’s education and training in the other state.

You can prove this by showing either:

• Form DL 33 “To Secondary Schools Other Than California Schools”. You may get this form from your local DMV office or by calling the DMV at 1-800-777-0133. All you have to do is send Form DL 33 to your out-of-state secondary school to complete.
• A letter from the out-of state secondary school on the out-of-state secondary school’s stationery signed by a school official saying that the courses you have taken are equivalent to a California secondary school course.

The waiting times depend on how long it takes to have these forms filled out and turned in. If you can not provide this, then you are obligated to take the written test in California.

As long as you are a visitor age 18 or older with a valid driver’s license from your home state, you may drive in California as long as you like without getting a California drivers license. If you are between the ages of 16 and 18 then you may only drive with your out-of-state license for 10 days. After 10 days, you must have either a California driver’s license or a Nonresident Minor’s Certificate (issued by the DMV office) with proof of financial responsibility.

California recognizes a valid driver’s license from other counties. You may drive with it as long as you are a visitor and it is valid.

You can easily find all of the answers to your driving related needs by logging on to www.dmv.ca.gov.

You may legally drive in the state of California at the age of 15 ½ as long as you have a learner’s permit and a driver age 25 or older is in the car with you. You may not drive in California alone until you have your driver’s license.

Please understand that drinking and driving is dangerous and foolish. There is ZERO TOLERANCE for drinking and driving if you are under the age of 21. You are in criminal violation if your blood and alcohol content is:

• 0.08% or higher and you are over age 21
• 0.01% or higher if you are under the age 21

Defensive driving is when you are driving for yourself and others. You are looking out for potential dangers ahead of time and avoiding them. According to the Safe Practices for Motor Vehicle Operations, defensive driving is “driving to save lives, time and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others“. Studies show that 90% of accidents are caused by driver errors.
Although these skills are often taught in a driver’s education course, here are some ways you can begin defensive driving now:

• Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front
• Check all of your mirrors often and look at conditions way ahead of you
• Keep your speed down
• Position your vehicle so you can see and be seen
• Don’t depend on other drivers to drive safely

States that don’t commonly require drivers to parallel park generally do not require driver’s to Parallel Park for the road test. The roads and streets in some places aren’t designed for common parallel parking therefore it isn’t on the road test.

Anyone who chooses not to get a driver’s license has there own personal reasons. Some people choose not get behind the wheel out of fear of the road, some choose not to because they may have a person who drives for them.

The reason the DMV gives different routes on road test is because if there is only one route people would be familiar with it and not be challenged while driving. Different routes allow for the instructor to see if you as a driver can really handle yourself on the road in different situations. Different routes have different circumstances all of which you are required to know in your day to day driving. Different routes on the road test allow for the examiner to see if you know how to drive well and can do it alone.