California DMV Fines and Limits Permit Practice Test 2025

You’re likely here because you wanted to take some of our practice tests to help you pass the official knowledge test for an instruction permit. We sure hope you’ve been doing that! Our other practice tests focus on the rules of the road and other traffic laws in California. But this practice test, which you’re about to take, is different.

This free California Fines and Limits permit practice test is mainly about the official penalties you may face if you violate the rules of the road or other traffic laws. These practice questions are among the most challenging we offer. They also serve to remind you that violating the traffic laws can have serious consequences.

This practice test is up to date as of May 2025. The 55 questions on this practice test are based on California’s official driver’s manual (California DMV Driver's Handbook 2025: Interactive Manual w/Audio) and the California Code.

Some of the practice questions and answers deal with the consequences of failing to pay the fine for a traffic ticket; the number of points on your driving record that can lead to license suspension; the length of time that traffic convictions or collisions stay on your driving record; the penalties for a first offense of driving under the influence (DUI); the possible penalties for leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run), depending on whether anyone was injured; and the jail sentences for a conviction of fleeing a police officer in a vehicle, depending on whether there were injuries and whether there was also a conviction for manslaughter.

As with all the permit practice tests we offer, each question on the California Fines and Limits permit practice test comes with an optional hint and an explanation of the correct answer, courtesy of our automated assistant.

In California in 2022, there were about 147,500 total crashes: 0.81 crashes per million vehicle miles (MVM). About 52,800 of these total crashes (0.29 crashes per MVM) involved injuries or fatalities. There were about 1,770 fatalities (0.97 fatalities per 100 MVM). These fatalities included 406 pedestrians, 294 of whom were killed on expressways and freeways; and 30 bicyclists, 19 of whom were killed on expressways and freeways.

The most frequent contributing factors in these total crashes were speeding (about 63,900), an improper turn (about 30,800), and the influence of alcohol (about 11,600). The most frequent contributing factors in fatal crashes were an improper turn (394), the influence of alcohol (388), and failure to yield (289).

Violating the traffic laws doesn’t just invite administrative or criminal penalties. It also risks a serious accident.

Good luck with your instruction permit test, and please drive safely!