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California Permit Test — State Rules flashcards

6 of 60 questions free to study here · 11 topics · the whole deck is built into Willys

Only what is specific to California: provisional license rules, alcohol limits including under 21, phone law, speed limits, headlight and signaling distances, curb colors and parking distances, school-bus and move-over rules, the point system. Pair with the national core.

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Practice deck · part of California permit test — state rules · written against: California Driver's Handbook, online edition (© California DMV 2025), checked 2026-10-09, and against state law in force on 2026-10-18 (where the two differ, the cards follow the law and name the handbook's figure); state-specific figures only — pair with the national core. Updated 2026-10-10.

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  1. How old must you be to apply for a California instruction permit as a minor?

    A) 15
    B) 16
    C) 15½
    D) 17
    C) 15½

    A minor applies at 15½ after completing driver education, or while enrolled in an approved integrated driver education and training program; the license itself comes at 16.
    Permit & Provisional License
  2. How may a California driver aged 18 or older use a phone while driving?

    A) Handheld for calls only
    B) Handheld at red lights
    C) Hands-free only
    D) Any way, if below 25 mph
    C) Hands-free only

    Holding and using a phone while driving is illegal for adults; hands-free use is allowed, and a phone mounted on the windshield, dashboard or console may be worked with a single swipe or tap.
    Phones & Distraction
  3. From when until when must headlights be on in California at night?

    A) Sunset to sunrise
    B) From one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise
    C) 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
    D) From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise
    D) From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise

    The rule also applies whenever you cannot see 1,000 feet ahead or your wipers are on for weather.
    Headlights & Signals
  4. What does a red curb mean in California?

    A) No stopping, standing or parking
    B) Loading only, within the posted time
    C) Short-term parking
    D) Passenger pick-up and drop-off only
    A) No stopping, standing or parking

    Red means no stopping at all; buses may use red zones marked for them.
    Parking & Curbs
  5. In California, when may you turn left on a red light?

    A) Never, not even after a full stop
    B) At any intersection after a complete stop
    C) Only when the red light is flashing
    D) From one one-way street onto another
    D) From one one-way street onto another

    After stopping, you may turn left on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street unless a sign forbids it; right on red is allowed unless signed otherwise.
    Turns & Lanes
  6. Under California law, which children must ride in a rear-facing car seat?

    A) All children under 4
    B) Children under 1 only
    C) All children under 8
    D) Children under 2
    D) Children under 2

    Rear-facing until age 2 is the rule, unless the child weighs 40 pounds or more or is 40 inches or taller.
    Occupant Safety

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About these cards

Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.

Checked against:

  • Facts checked against the California Driver's Handbook, online edition (© California Department of Motor Vehicles 2025; the handbook text is CC BY-NC 4.0 and none of it is reproduced), checked 2026-10-09; wording is original.
  • Facts also checked against current state law (the statutes and regulations in force on 2026-10-18); where the handbook and the law differ, the card follows the law and says what the handbook says.
  • Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the California DMV or any other agency; not legal advice. Figures change — confirm against the current handbook before your test.

These are independent study notes written for Willys. They are not official exam material, may contain mistakes, and are no substitute for your course, your teacher or the exam owner's own publications. Found an error? Tell us — corrections ship as a new version of the deck.

Not legal advice, and not affiliated with any DMV. These cards prepare you for the knowledge test. Traffic laws differ between states and change every year, so check your state's current official driver handbook, which is the only authority for your test. No state seal or agency logo appears here; sign drawings follow the federal MUTCD designs.

Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any state DMV, department of public safety or motor-vehicle agency, and not legal advice. Laws and handbooks change: check your state's current official driver handbook before the test. Road-sign pictures are taken from the figures of the FHWA MUTCD (a public-domain US government work); no state seal or agency logo is used.

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