At-home DMV test now available for California teens applying for a driver’s license

With online options extended to under-18 applicants, teens no longer have to go to a California DMV office to take the knowledge test.

The online knowledge test, formerly available only to adults, can now be selected by teenagers filling out the online driver’s license application, the Department of Motor Vehicles said. The option has also been extended to people moving from out of state who need to take the test.

The consent of a parent or guardian is required for online test interactions with an under-18 applicant. The test is proctored, so it requires a computer with a webcam — not a tablet or a phone — and it can only be taken between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.

The test for under-18 applicants is 46 questions, and a passing score is 38 or better. An applicant is allowed three tries; anyone who fails the at-home test twice must go to a DMV office for the final try.

Once the online application is filed and the test is passed, the applicant must go to a DMV office to complete the process, including providing identity and residency documents and getting a photo taken.

Under the usual under-18 procedure, a teenager age 15½ to 17½ takes the knowledge test, then gets an instructional permit to practice driving with adult supervision for at least six months, starting with a driver training course. The applicant can then take the behind-the-wheel test to get a driver’s license.

More information on California driver’s licenses:

• How to renew a driver’s license if you’re over 70, including information on the eLearning video as an alternative to the traditional test.

• On the DMV site: driver handbook and practice tests.

• How to get an official driver’s license on your phone through California’s mDL pilot program.