California Permit Practice Test (2026)
20 questions on rules people mix up. You need 16 right: the same 80% the DMV requires.
You're driving up a steep, narrow mountain road. A car is coming down, and there's no room for both of you. Who has the right of way?
For first-time drivers of any age. Works in your phone's browser, no app or account.
Better to get these wrong here than at the DMV.
The first 3 questions warm you up. The other 17 come from the parts of the handbook people mix up, like 300 vs 500 feet or 15 vs 20 feet.
A car you're following
A car coming toward you
A fire hydrant
A crosswalk
Who makes this
Drive with Flamo is a small independent company, [LLC legal name], based in [city]. We write every question from the California Driver Handbook and link each answer to the page it comes from. Spot a mistake? Tap Report. Questions or refunds: [email].
What people wrote, and what we do about it
"Why would you say it's a free app when really is a free trial"
1,744 reviews complain about price, paywalls or subscriptions. YouTube comment under a permit app's sponsored video. You pay $14.99 once. There's no trial and nothing renews, so there's nothing to cancel."I realized I was correct and the app was wrong."
264 reviews report wrong answers. App Store review of a permit test app. Under every explanation there's a link to the handbook page it comes from, so you can check us. If we got one wrong, press Report and we'll fix it."there's so many ads you never actually get an opportunity to study anything"
897 reviews complain about ads. Google Play review of a permit test app, 2026. We don't run ads. The $14.99 plan is how we make money."please, for the love of God, don't lock everything behind a paywall!"
165 reviews complain about a paywall in the middle of a test. App Store review of a permit test app. You see your whole score and every answer for free, without giving us an email."I aced every practice test… didn't recognize half the questions. I did not pass."
49 reviews say the practice questions didn't match the real test. Google Play review of a permit test app, 2026. When you miss a question, it comes back later worded differently, until you get it right."I got 100% on their exam 3 times and failed the act[ual test]"
150 reviewers blamed an app after failing the real test. App Store review of a permit test app, 2026. A topic only shows Ready after you get it right in wording you haven't seen. Memorized answers don't count.
Quotes and counts from public App Store and Google Play reviews of permit test apps (the first quote is a YouTube comment), October 2026.
What you get in the plan
Book your test when all 9 topics show Ready.
5 of 9 topics are Ready.
Ready Check
A topic shows Ready after you get it right in two wordings you haven't seen. Getting it right just after reading the explanation doesn't count. When every topic shows Ready, book your test.
You missed this on TuesdayHow close to a crosswalk can you park?
Same rule, new wordingThere's no paint on the road, but the corner has an unmarked crosswalk. Can you park 12 feet from it?
Mistake Replay
Questions you miss come back later, worded differently, until you get them right.
Your test is Saturday. 4 days left.
- TodayParking · Mistake Replay
- ThuSpeed and alcohol
- FriPractice exam
- Finish: your testTest day · Sat
Test-Day Plan
Tell us when your test is and you get a short list for each day until then.
The California Ready Plan
$14.99 once.
Lifetime access. It stays open if you need a retake.
- 575 California questions
- Each rule asked several ways, with every answer linked to the handbook.
- Ready Check
- Shows which topics you've really learned.
- Mistake Replay
- Brings back the questions you miss, in new wording.
- Exam Simulator
- A full practice exam at the real test's 80% pass mark.
- Numbers and Fines drill
- The distances, speed limits and fines people mix up.
- Test-Day Plan
- What to study each day until your test.
- Retake plan
- If you need one, at no extra cost.
Never renews. Full refund within 14 days, one per customer. Works in your phone's browser; we email you a sign-in link, no password.
If you pass this test easily, you probably don't need the plan. Keep your $15.
Cheat sheet vs. subscription vs. us
Compare apps
| PDF cheat sheet | Study app subscription | Drive with Flamo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $15.99 to $17.99 once | $6.99 to $29 a week, or $39.99 a month, until you cancel | $14.99 once, never renews |
| What you get | A list of questions and answers to read | Practice tests with explanations | Practice tests with explanations, plus a plan to your test date |
| Practice in the real test's format | No | Yes | Yes, at the real test's 80% pass mark |
| Questions you miss come back | No | Some apps | Yes, reworded |
| Tells you when you're ready | No | Some show a pass score | Only counts topics you've answered in new wording |
| If you fail | Refund, usually with proof you failed | Refund only if you meet the conditions | Plan stays open, retake plan included, no extra cost |
Typical prices and features of popular options, checked October 2026.
The California permit test in numbers
- The questions
- Multiple choice, all based on the California Driver Handbook.
- The fee
- The $46 application stays valid for 12 months. Fail the knowledge test 3 times and you apply and pay again.
- What to bring
- Proof of identity, two proofs of California residency and your Social Security number (exceptions may apply to both). The full checklist
- 18 or older
- You don't need driver education or a parent's signature.
- Under 18, you also need
- To be at least 15½, a driver education certificate, and a parent or guardian's signature on the application.
- After you pass, under 18
- Hold the permit 6 months and log 50 hours of practice, 10 of them at night, before the drive test.
- First year with a provisional license
- No driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., and no passengers under 20 unless a parent, guardian or licensed driver aged 25 or older rides along.
Checked against the California DMV website on October 19, 2026: Instruction and Learner's Permits, Driver's Licenses, Licensing Fees, and the California Driver Handbook, Section 2 and Section 3.
DMV visit checklist
Everyone
- Proof of identity.
- Two proofs of California residency (exceptions may apply).
- Your Social Security number (exceptions may apply).
- The $46 application fee, if you haven't paid it yet.
- Glasses or contacts, if you drive with them: there's a vision test.
- Get there well before 4:30 p.m. Offices don't start knowledge tests after that.
Under 18, also
- You're at least 15½.
- Your driver education certificate (completion or enrollment).
- A parent or guardian to sign the application.
Questions people ask
Why is your test so hard?
The first 3 questions warm you up. The other 17 come from the parts of the handbook people mix up, like 300 vs 500 feet or 15 vs 20 feet. Better to get those wrong here than at the DMV.
Is this the official DMV test?
No. We're an independent study site, not the DMV and not connected to any government agency. You take the real test with the California DMV.
Are these the real test questions?
No. The DMV doesn't publish its real test. We write our own from the California Driver Handbook and ask each rule several ways, because the real test may word it differently.
Is the free test really free?
Yes. You get all 20 questions, your score and every answer without an email or a card.
Is this a subscription?
No. You pay $14.99 once and it never renews, so there's nothing to cancel.
What if I fail the real test?
Nothing more to pay. Your plan stays open for good and a retake plan opens. Failed already? Get a retake plan
I'm under 18. Can my parent pay?
Yes. Tap "Send the bill to a parent" and they can pay from their own phone. Your progress stays with you. What parents see
How do refunds work?
Email us within 14 days of buying and we'll refund the whole $14.99. One refund per person. Refund policy
How long does it take?
The free test takes about 5 minutes. The plan fits the days you have left before your test.
Is it different if I'm 18 or older?
The pass mark is the same 80%. At 18 or older you don't need driver education or a parent's signature to apply.
How do I get back in?
We email you a sign-in link. No password. Sign in
Who is Flamo?
Flamo is our cartoon coach, voiced by text to speech. He's a drawing, and he never claims results.