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Based on official California exam questions

CA CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test 2025

  • Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements

Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements

To preserve public safety and comply with federal transportation regulations, commercial drivers are required to perform pre-trip inspections. In the time it takes to run through a checklist to inspect the brakes, the coupling devices (if so equipped), the lights and reflectors, the tires, and other items, drivers can reduce the chances of their vehicles being involved in an accident or experiencing untimely malfunctions. Up in the Sierra Nevada and down in Silicon Valley, drivers need to be prepared for hazardous road conditions and mechanical problems. If you’re planning on getting a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP), you should become familiar with the vehicle pre-inspection process. The importance of this process cannot be overstated, and it’s covered on the official DMV Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) General Knowledge Test.

While there are several other requirements you need to meet to obtain a CLP, a portion of the official general knowledge test assesses your ability to perform a pre-trip inspection. Our California DMV Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test uses questions similar to those on the official knowledge test for you to study and expand your understanding of the process. To pass the official knowledge test, you must answer 80% of the 20 questions correctly. By making sure that you have a thorough understanding of the pre-inspection process, you can increase your chance of meeting this requirement. There are various on-line resources to choose from, but the practice test outperforms all the rest.

This Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test provides an in-depth discussion of the systems and components of the vehicle that you are required to inspect. It is based on the most recent California DMV CDL manual (California CDL Handbook 2025) and up to date as of October 2025. Using this authoritative source, the practice test provides 20 multiple-choice questions to help you excel in confidently answering the questions about pre-trip inspections on the official knowledge test. Even if you get a question wrong, the practice test will provide a detailed explanation of the correct answer. Study guides won’t provide this type of information. They will train you to memorize the answers to the questions, but you won’t learn the information that supports them. Suddenly, you’ll find yourself resorting to guesswork, which you shouldn’t do when safety is concerned. You can depend on the practice test to equip you with expert knowledge that supports your driving safety.

You may dream of hanging ten on Venice Beach, but you can discover a bright future with practice tests for other U.S. states and Washington D.C. at https://driving-tests.org/academy/drivers-license.

6 min to complete
Available in EN and ES
CA commercial driver's license
Real exam-style pitfalls you’ll practice:
Common Traps
Distractors
Trick Wording
Double Negatives
This test is a Premium member exclusive. You'll get

All 650 exam-like questions specific to California

Interactive learning with AI personal tutor

Unique 360° Virtual Road Simulations

Get your money back if you don’t pass

Verified for accuracy: October 2025

Reviewed by Steven Litvintchouk, M.S.
Chief Educational Researcher (ACES member)
Methodology & Editorial Policy

What to expect on the actual CA exam

20

questions

16

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

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