California Driving Permit Process
01. Take this Driver Education Course
In order to take our course, you must be between the age of 15½ and 18. Our course contains 10-Chapters and comes with unlimited course retakes. Upon completion of this course, your certificate will be mailed to you. Please make sure this certificate is pink in color. You may also want to take a picture of this certificate for your records.
02. Take the DMV Written Test
Take our DMV DL 400C certificate and head on over to your nearest DMV Location. There you will need to take in-person permit test. The permit test is 46-questions long and usually takes about 30 minutes to complete. You will also need to provide following details to the DMV:
- Complete a Driver License or Identification Card Application (DL 44) form, which includes your social security number, if eligible.
- Have your parents or guardians sign the DL 44.
- If both parents or guardians have custody, both must sign.
- Present an acceptable birth date/legal presence document or identity document.
- Provide a certificate of completion of driver education or enrollment in an integrated driver education/driver training program issued by the school providing the instruction.
- Pay the required application fee.
- Pass a vision exam.
- Have your photograph taken.
- Give a fingerprint.
- Pass a knowledge test.
- To pass the knowledge test, you may miss no more than 8 questions.
- If you fail the knowledge test, you must wait 7 days (1 week), not including the day the test was failed, before retaking the test.
03. Begin Your Driving Lessons
Once you get your driving permit. Start hunting down a driving instructor who can take you out for you first lesson in a safe car that is equipped with dual-brakes (on drivers side as well as passenger side) for your safety. Your instruction permit is not valid until you begin driver training; your instructor will sign the permit to validate it. You may use your instruction permit to practice with a licensed:
- Parent or guardian.
- California driver 25 years old or older.
- Or certified driving instructor.
04. Schedule Your Road Test
Once you have started driving with a parent or a driving instructor, you will need to wait at-least 6 months before you can schedule your road test. You will also need to provide a parent(s) or guardian(s) and instructor(s) signature(s) on your instruction permit verifying that you have completed 50 hours of driving practice (10 hours must be night driving). Refer to the Parent-Teen Training Guide, available at any DMV office or online at www.dmv.ca.gov, for more information. Schedule a driving test online at www.dmv.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-777-0133 during normal business hours. If you fail, you must wait 2 weeks, not including the day the test was failed, before taking the driving test again and pay a retest fee for each subsequent driving test.
05. DL Restrictions for Minors
During the first 12 months, a minor cannot:
- Drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- Transport passengers under 20 years unless accompanied by a licensed:
- Parent or guardian.
- California driver 25 years old or older.
- Or certified driving instructor.
NOTE: Local laws may further restrict or prohibit driving during specified hours.
It is against the law for drivers under 18 years old to use a cellphone or other wireless electronic communication device while driving, including a hands-free device, unless making a call for emergency services or on private property.
Need More Help?
Should you need further information on how to get a California drivers license, please visit California’s Official DMV Website.
