California Learner's Permit Rules: What You Can and Can't Do

In California, a learner's permit is called an instruction permit. If you are under 18, you can only practice with a supervisor who holds a California license and is at least 25 years old, you need at least 50 supervised hours with 10 of them at night, and you must hold the permit for at least 6 months (or until you turn 18) before you can take the drive test. Drivers 18 and older must have a supervisor who is at least 18 with a California license, but official pages list no adult hour requirement.

This page covers how to get the permit, the knowledge test, supervision and night driving, the holding period, the drive test, and the provisional license that comes next. Rules change, so confirm details at dmv.ca.gov before you rely on them.

How to get a California learner's permit

Anyone without a California or other-state driver's license must hold an instruction permit before taking the behind-the-wheel test. The application steps for a Class C instruction permit are:

• Complete the DL/ID application
• Provide the required documents
• Pay the non-refundable fee
• Pass the knowledge test(s)
• Pass a vision test

The Class C original application fee is $46. The DMV's fee table does not list a separate permit fee, and the behind-the-wheel retest fee is $9. The DMV licensing fees page is the place to check current amounts.

Under 18, the requirements are different:

• You must be at least 15 and a half.
• You must complete a driver education program.
• A parent or guardian must sign the application. If parents share custody, both must sign.
• You may not use the permit until behind-the-wheel training with an instructor has started and the instructor has validated it.
• If you are over 17 and a half but under 18, you can get the permit without the driver education certificates, but you cannot take the driving test until you are 18.

Applicants 18 and older must be 18, complete the application, visit a DMV office, pay the fee, pass a vision exam, have a photo taken, and take the knowledge test. The official page lists no driver education step for adults.

If you got an instruction permit in another state, that permit does not count as proof of driver education in California. Out-of-state driver education schools must complete a DL 33 form.

How long does a permit last? Your application and fee are valid for 12 months after you apply. If that window closes before you have held the permit for six months, you must reapply, but time you already held still counts toward the six months. If your permit expires, keep it. Bring both the expired permit and the new one to the drive test so the DMV can confirm your total holding time. The lifespan printed on the permit card is not confirmed on official pages, so ask the DMV if you need that detail.

The California knowledge test

You need 80% to pass. The test is multiple choice and drawn from the California driver handbook, so reading the handbook closely is the best preparation. Practice questions help too. You can try the California permit practice test on GetMyPermit.

Some details to know before test day:

• In-office knowledge tests must start before 4:30 p.m.
• You get three attempts before you must reapply. Minors must wait seven days before a retake, not counting the day of the failed test. The wait for adults is not confirmed.
• You cannot use the handbook or a phone during the test.
• The DMV does not publish the number of questions. The 46 and 36 question counts you may see online are not on official pages.
• The in-office test's available languages are not confirmed. The handbook itself is offered in nine languages.
• No separate knowledge test fee is listed. Whether the $46 application fee covers every attempt is not confirmed.

Taking the test online. The DMV's online test is offered in 35 languages. You need an internet-connected computer or laptop with a webcam. It cannot be taken on a tablet or phone. It is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. In September 2023, the DMV expanded online eligibility to Californians under 18 who need a driver's license. You get two online attempts. If you fail both, you will be directed to a DMV office for a third try. This information comes from an older DMV news page, so confirm current terms at dmv.ca.gov/dl before you schedule.

Vision test. The DMV tests all applicants. If you wear corrective lenses, your license will carry a corrective-lens restriction. If you fail the vision test, you need a DL 62 from an eye doctor.

Can you drive at night with a permit in California?

The handbook does not set a night curfew for permit holders. That does not mean night driving is unrestricted. If you are under 18, 10 of your 50 required supervised hours must be at night, with a qualifying supervisor in the car. The DMV's Parent-Teen guidance recommends that a teen practice extensively at night in varied weather conditions, with a parent in the vehicle, before driving at night alone.

Headlight rules apply to all drivers. Turn your headlights on from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.

Who can supervise you, and what about passengers?

Your supervisor must be a California-licensed driver. For a minor permit holder, that supervisor must be at least 25. For an adult permit holder, the supervisor must be at least 18. The supervisor must sit close enough to take control of the vehicle.

For teens, the parent and the instructor must both sign the statement on the permit certifying that the supervised training is complete. The signed permit must reach the DMV before the drive test can be taken.

The passenger limits in the handbook apply to provisional licenses, not permits. Official pages do not confirm passenger limits for permit holders. The DMV also does not confirm where permit holders may not drive, such as highways, cities, or bridges, or whether a California permit can be used out of state. Check with the DMV before you assume either way.

Phone rules are stricter for minors. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone to make calls or send or respond to texts while driving, except to call for emergency help. Handheld phone use is illegal for all drivers.

How long you need to hold your permit before getting a license

If you are under 18, you must hold an instruction permit from California or another state for at least 6 months, or until you turn 18, before you can schedule the drive test. Your 50 supervised hours, including 10 at night, must be completed and proven. Driver education and driver training must both be completed. The number of professional behind-the-wheel training hours is not confirmed on official pages.

On the day of the drive test, bring:

• Your permit or license
• A qualifying licensed driver: 18 or older, or 25 or older for minors, unless you are already licensed
• A safe vehicle
• Proof of insurance and registration

Minors must wait 14 days to retake a failed drive test, not counting the day of the failure. Schedule your test at dmv.ca.gov/make-an-appointment.

After the permit: the provisional license

If you are under 18 and pass the test, your first license is a provisional license. For the first 12 months, these rules apply:

• You may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• You may not carry passengers under age 20 unless a parent or guardian, a licensed driver 25 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor is in the car. The handbook leaves out the instructor exception, but the DMV's Parent-Teen guide includes it.
• You may not drive for pay, or operate vehicles that require a Class A, B, or C commercial license.
• Exceptions to the night rule require a signed note from a physician (medical), a principal, dean, or designee (school), an employer (work), or a parent or guardian (immediate family).

The handbook gives no end date for the passenger limit beyond the 12-month restrictions, and that is not confirmed on official pages.

Violations and collisions can lead to action against a provisional license in the first 12 months. One at-fault collision or conviction can trigger action. Two can bar you from driving for 30 days unless a licensed adult 25 or older is with you. Three bring a six-month suspension and one year of probation. Turning 18 does not erase restrictions, suspensions, or probation that already apply.

A parent or guardian can cancel a teen's license with the cancellation or surrender form.

Adults getting a first license

Adults 18 and older need a California-licensed supervisor who is at least 18. The official pages list no adult hour requirement and no 6-month holding period, so confirm those details with the DMV before you schedule your drive test. Drivers 18 and older take on their own financial responsibility. For drivers under 18, parents take that responsibility on.

Sources

• California Driver Handbook (PDF)
• DMV Learner's Permits
• DMV Licensing Fees
• DMV Parent-Teen Guide (DL 603)
• DMV News: Online Knowledge Testing