Free CA CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam 2025

Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements
Based on 2025 CA commercial driver's license manual
Triple-checked for accuracy
Updated for March 2025

In California, you may face a wide variety of challenging driving conditions, depending on which roads you drive on. Your commercial motor vehicle (CMV) may have to cope with the extreme heat of the California deserts. Or be ready to take on the steep grades and snowstorms on Interstate 80 and U.S. Routes 50 and 395, where they pass through the Sierra Nevada. Or handle the traffic jams on Interstates 10 and 15. These harsh driving conditions can stress your vehicle in different ways. To be sure it’s up to the challenge, Federal regulation 49 CFR § 396.13 requires you to be satisfied that your CMV is safe to drive before you drive it on public roads. This means conducting a comprehensive pre-trip inspection of the vehicle before your first trip of the day.

Before you can apply for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), you must obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) to practice operating CMVs under supervision. A key requirement for a CLP is to pass the official General Knowledge test on general driving theory. Your test will likely contain questions on pre-trip inspections, including identifying problems with your vehicle’s systems and components. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official California CDL manual (California CDL Handbook 2025). It discusses pre-trip inspections in detail, including the systems and components you must inspect and the minimum performance criteria for their safe operation. You should study the manual. However, there’s a vast amount of material to absorb, and it’s not always written in a form that’s easy to absorb.

Our practice tests can help clarify all that information and make it easier to understand and memorize. This California CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test, the first of several we offer, will help you master the material on pre-trip inspections in the official CDL manual and ace all the pre-trip inspection questions on the General Knowledge test.

Like the official knowledge test, this practice test is multiple choice. Each question comes with several answer options. You must choose the best or most complete answer. Our AI assistant accompanies each question. It can help you learn by supplying hints and answering your own questions about commercial driving theory. If you still miss a question, the AI assistant will immediately let you know and provide an explanation of the correct answer. This immediate feedback will help reinforce the correct answer in your mind.

After you get your CDL, thoroughly inspect your vehicle every day that you drive it. Otherwise, you may risk a breakdown – or worse.

4.45 out of 5 • 11 votes.

6 min to complete

Available in EN and ES

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What to expect on the actual CA DMV exam

questions

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

Helpful links

CA DMV website

Official California CDL manual (2025)

More CA DMV Written Exam Resources

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Written by Andrei Zakhareuski Updated over a week ago

At Driving-Tests.org, we understand the importance of reliable and accurate practice tests to help you prepare for your DMV exam. That's why we've developed a meticulous process to create and continually update our practice questions, ensuring they reflect the most current driving laws and regulations.

Here's an inside look at how we maintain the highest quality in our practice tests.

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Our thorough quality control process ensures that you have access to practice tests that are as accurate and up-to-date as possible. We believe in the power of well-prepared drivers and are dedicated to providing you with the best study tools to help you succeed on your DMV exam.

FREE CA CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam

After you get your CDL, thoroughly inspect your vehicle every day that you drive it. Otherwise, you may risk a breakdown – or worse.

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