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California CDL practice test

Getting a commercial driver's licence in California starts with the CDL knowledge tests. The content is federal: every state, California included, writes its tests from the FMCSA CDL manual, so the general knowledge test has 50 questions, the endorsement tests have 20 to 30, and the passing score is 80% on each. The California driver licensing agency administers the test; the rules behind it are published by the FMCSA. Try the free California CDL practice questions below, then pick a full test.

Free California CDL practice questions

Five questions from the general knowledge, air brakes and combination vehicles banks, the three tests most California Class A applicants take first. Show the answer to read the explanation.

  1. What is the most important reason to inspect your vehicle before a trip?

    • To save fuel on the trip
    • To keep the dispatcher informed
    • To find out how old the tires are
    • Safety for you and for other road users
    Show answer
    Answer: D. Safety for you and for other road users

    A defect found during an inspection can be fixed before it causes a breakdown or a crash. Federal and state laws also require inspections, but safety is the main reason the manual gives.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1 (Vehicle Inspection: Why Inspect)

  2. After you begin a trip, when should you first re-check your cargo and its securing devices?

    • After the first 10 miles
    • After the first 150 miles
    • Only at the end of the trip
    • Within the first 50 miles
    Show answer
    Answer: D. Within the first 50 miles

    Loads settle as the vehicle moves, so the first check comes within 50 miles. After that, re-check every 3 hours or 150 miles and after every break, and make any needed adjustments.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.6 and 3.1 (Inspection During a Trip)

  3. During a trip, how often should you re-check cargo and tie-downs after the first check?

    • Every 3 hours or 150 miles, whichever comes first
    • Every hour or 50 miles
    • Every 8 hours or 500 miles
    • Only when you stop for fuel
    Show answer
    Answer: A. Every 3 hours or 150 miles, whichever comes first

    The manual sets a routine: check cargo within the first 50 miles, then every 3 hours or 150 miles, and again after every break. Shifting cargo can change how the vehicle handles and can fall onto the road.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.6 (Inspection During a Trip)

  4. A written inspection report says the vehicle has a safety defect. Before that vehicle is driven again, the motor carrier must:

    • Get a new driver to test drive it
    • Wait at least 24 hours
    • Report the defect to the state DMV
    • Repair the defect, or certify that the repair is not needed
    Show answer
    Answer: D. Repair the defect, or certify that the repair is not needed

    The report starts the repair process. The carrier must fix anything affecting safety or certify that no repair is needed, and the next driver reviews the report and signs it to confirm the work was done.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.7 (After-Trip Inspection and Report)

  5. How much free play in the steering wheel is too much?

    • More than 10 degrees, which is about 2 inches on a 20-inch wheel
    • More than 2 degrees
    • More than 30 degrees, about 6 inches
    • Any play at all
    Show answer
    Answer: A. More than 10 degrees, which is about 2 inches on a 20-inch wheel

    A little looseness is normal, but more than about 10 degrees of play makes the vehicle hard to steer and points to worn or loose parts in the steering system.

    Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.1.2 (Steering System Defects)

Every CDL test for California drivers

Each page has ten free sample questions, the real question count, the 80% pass mark and what the test covers.

How the California CDL knowledge test works

You take the general knowledge test first; it is required for every CDL class. Class A drivers add the combination vehicles test. Almost everyone takes the air brakes test, because skipping it puts an air brake restriction on the licence. Endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples, passenger, school bus) each have their own knowledge test. Pass the tests and you hold a commercial learner's permit; the skills test in a truck comes later.

Fees, appointment rules and test centre locations are set by California and change over time, so check the state driver licensing agency before you go. What does not change is the content, and that is what PassRig drills.

California CDL test questions

How many questions are on the California CDL test?

The California CDL general knowledge test follows the federal model: 50 questions, 40 correct to pass. Endorsement tests are shorter: air brakes 25, hazmat 30, and combination vehicles, tanker, doubles/triples, passenger and school bus 20 each.

What is the passing score on the California CDL permit test?

80% on every knowledge test, the same pass mark used across the United States.

Where do I take the CDL knowledge test in California?

At the California state driver licensing agency (the DMV, DOT or equivalent). Check its website for locations, appointments and current fees; the test content itself comes from the FMCSA CDL manual.

Does PassRig have California CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick California in the app and you get practice sets and mock exams built from the knowledge test content your state uses, with the real counts and the 80% line.

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