The day is fast approaching for you to take the California written permit test. (It’s the same test throughout the state.) And being the responsible Gen Z that you are, you want to be prepared for what’s to come. 

We get it, and we applaud your intellectual curiosity and desire to succeed! 

So Many Questions

The California written permit test comprises 46 multiple-choice or true/false questions. 

What will they cover? Good question about questions! 

Here’s a quick list:

• Rules of the road 

• Road signs 

• Traffic safety 

• Driving under adverse road conditions 

• Drug and alcohol awareness

• Distracted driving 

• Violations and fines 

• Road-ready car maintenance 

Passing the Permit Test  

You will need to get at least 38 of the 46 questions right to pass the permit test. And just like your hometown San Diego Padres baseball team gets three strikes when they come to bat, you’ll be given three tries to knock this written permit test out of the park! 

And if you fail the test? Well, you’ll have to wait a week before you can retake it. (Enough with the sports analogies, already.) 

Practice Makes Perfect

Spend enough time on the official California state DMV website, and you might come away thinking they want you to succeed. That’s because they do. 

In fact, the state’s website has a page with links to several FREE practice tests: five in English, five in Spanish, and three in American Sign Language (ASL). How cool is that? 

Scroll down to the bottom of that same page to find additional links to manuals, handbooks, and videos — all containing prep material to help you ace the test. 

Of course, one of the best resources for studying is the California Driver Handbook. 

Every question that will be on the written test is in this handbook. Reading and studying this handbook for a week or two will get you ready for taking the written test. Taking the DMV practice tests (see above) after you’ve studied the handbook will give you all the confidence you need going into test day. 

Where to Take the Test

You may have heard recently that the state of California has begun allowing customers to take their drivers license testing online. Unfortunately, this does NOT apply to permit testing. You newbies still get to do things the old-school way — in person. 

But that’s okay. There are five DMV locations in the San Diego area. Surely, one of them is not too far from you. 

Here’s where you can find them: 

• 3960 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103 

• 4375 Derrick Drive, San Diego, CA 92117

• 30 N Glover Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910

• 1450 Graves Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92021

• 6111 Business Center Court, San Diego, CA 92154

Other Things to Know About

Rather than repeat ourselves, we want to point you to another article we published to help you know what to bring on the day of your California permit test. 

There, you’ll find information about:

• How to schedule your permit test appointment 

• What to bring to the DMV 

• What to expect from the California permit test 

• What to expect after you complete the exam 

Permit Test Eligibility 

The focus of this article has been on preparing you for the written permit test. But do realize that before you can take that test, you need to show proof that you have completed the appropriate driver education coursework. 

If you haven’t done that yet, we’re here for you!