Free study book from DMV

California DMV Handbook

Which handbook you need, where to get it, and how to study it

The California DMV handbook, officially the California Driver’s Handbook, is DMV’s free guide to the state’s traffic laws and safe driving. DMV says the knowledge test’s questions are based on it. You can read it online in 14 sections, download it as a PDF in several languages, or watch it in American Sign Language.

By California DMV Appointments Editorial TeamUpdated November 2026Source: California DMV (dmv.ca.gov)

Build My Study Plan ↓ Read It on dmv.ca.gov ↗
One handbook per license class
Class C · carDriver’s Handbook
Class M · motorcycleMotorcycle Handbook
Class A or B · CDLCommercial Driver’s Handbook

Which Handbook Should You Read?

Pick what you’re studying for to see the right book and where to begin.

Your book

Choose an option above

DMV publishes a separate handbook for each license class:

  • Driver’s Handbook
  • Motorcycle Handbook
  • Commercial Driver’s Handbook
Main tool · Study planner

How Should You Study the California Driver’s Handbook?

Tell the planner how many days you have and why you’re testing. It spreads all 14 sections across your days, marks what to read closely and what to skim, and links each one to the official handbook page on dmv.ca.gov.

Days until my test
I’m studying for
Your 7-day reading planFirst license, as an adult
  1. Day 1§1The California Driver’s LicenseSkim
Inside the book

What’s in the California Driver’s Handbook?

The online handbook has 14 numbered sections, and the longest ones are split across several web pages. Here’s what each one is for, grouped by the job it does. Our guide to the DMV written test explains how the test itself is scored.

  1. Part one · Getting licensed
    The California Driver’s License§1

    License classes, REAL ID and card designations.

  2. Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License§2

    Steps for minors and adults, and the rules for teen drivers. Our California driver’s license roadmap covers each route.

  3. The Testing Process§3

    Knowledge and drive tests, attempts and wait times. Ready for the road? See our road test booking guide.

  4. Changing, Replacing, and Renewing Your Driver’s License§4

    Keeping your license current after you have it.

  5. Part two · Rules of the road
    An Introduction to Driving§5

    Steering, signals, the horn and headlights.

  6. Navigating the Roads§6

    Lanes, turns, merging, passing and parking.

  7. Laws and Rules of the Road§7

    Signals, signs, right-of-way and speed limits.

  8. Safe Driving§8

    Following distance, hazards, weather and emergencies.

  9. Part three · Responsibilities
    Alcohol and Drugs§9

    Legal limits and what a DUI costs you.

  10. Financial Responsibility, Insurance Requirements, and Collisions§10

    Insurance minimums and reporting a crash.

  11. Vehicle Registration Requirements§11

    Keeping a car legally on the road. Our vehicle registration guide covers registering a car, and the registration renewal guide covers yearly tags.

  12. Driver Safety§12

    Points, suspensions and hearings.

  13. Seniors and Driving§13

    Changes that come with age.

  14. Glossary§14

    Terms used throughout the book.

Ways to read it

Where Can You Get the California DMV Handbook?

All versions are free on dmv.ca.gov. Pick the one that suits how you study, and skip third-party copies that may be out of date. Once you’re ready, our California DMV appointment guide explains how to book the test visit.

Online, by section

Each section has its own web page, which is the easiest way to read on a phone and jump straight to one topic.

Open the online handbook ↗

PDF download

The handbook page has a language menu for the PDF, including:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Chinese
  • Vietnamese
  • Russian
  • Armenian
  • Hindi
  • Punjabi

American Sign Language

DMV publishes the handbook as an ASL video playlist, linked from the handbook page and from each section.

Motorcycle and commercial

The Class M and Class A or B handbooks are separate PDFs, posted next to DMV’s sample tests for each license. Going for Class M? Our motorcycle license guide covers the full route, and the California CDL license guide covers Class A and B.

Find them on dmv.ca.gov ↗

The handbook is a plain-language summary of the California Vehicle Code, not the law itself. DMV notes that it, law enforcement and the courts follow the full, exact wording of the code, so check the code when a precise legal detail matters.

Worth memorizing

Which Handbook Numbers Should You Memorize?

Distances, speeds and limits are easy to mix up, and they’re easy to test. These come straight from the current handbook. Curb colors and hill parking are in the chart below them.

100 ftSignal at least this far before a turn
5 secSignal before changing lanes on a freeway
3 secMinimum following distance
10 secScan this far ahead of your car
500 ftDim high beams for oncoming traffic
300 ftDim high beams behind another car
25 mphNear a school, within 500 feet, when children are present
15 mphBlind intersections and alleys
3 ftSpace when passing a bicyclist
200 ftMost you can drive in a center left-turn lane
300 ftNever follow an emergency vehicle this closely
15 ftStop at least this far from the nearest rail when a train is coming
0.08%BAC limit for drivers 21 and older
0.01%BAC limit for drivers under 21
10 daysTo report a crash with injury or over $1,000 in damage
4′9″Under this height or age 8, a child rides in a car seat in the back

Test yourself on these with our free California DMV practice test.

Chart of California curb colors and what each allows, plus which way to turn your wheels when parking uphill or downhill, with and without a curb, and no-parking distances

Tap the chart to open it full size.

Handbook chart of traffic signal meanings, from solid and flashing red to flashing yellow arrows, and what each road sign shape tells a driver

Tap the chart to open it full size.

Section 7 at a glance

How Do You Learn Signs and Signals Fast?

Section 7 packs signals, signs and right-of-way into one long chapter. Learn the patterns, not every single sign.

  • Shape comes first. You can often tell a sign’s job from its outline before you can read it.
  • Flashing changes the meaning. A flashing light rarely means the same thing as a steady one, so learn them in pairs.
  • Crosswalks belong to pedestrians. Pedestrians have the right-of-way in marked and unmarked crosswalks, and you must slow down or stop for anyone in the road.
Study method

How Do You Remember What You Read in the Handbook?

Reading the book once rarely sticks. These four habits turn reading into recall, and they work with the planner above.

  1. Read with a question

    Before each section, ask what a test could ask about it. You’ll notice the rules and numbers instead of skimming past them.

  2. Write the numbers down

    Keep a single page of distances, speeds and limits. Copying them by hand helps them stick.

  3. Quiz, then go back

    After each day’s reading, try a few practice questions and reread the exact paragraph behind every miss.

  4. Finish with a full run

    On the last day, take a full practice test, then book your written test visit once you score 80% or better at a DMV office near you.

Quick answers

California DMV Handbook FAQs

Where can I get the California DMV handbook for free?

On dmv.ca.gov. You can read it online section by section, download the PDF, or watch the American Sign Language video playlist.

Is the DMV written test based on the handbook?

Yes. DMV says the knowledge test’s multiple-choice questions are based on the California Driver’s Handbook.

What languages is the California Driver’s Handbook in?

The PDF menu includes English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Armenian, Hindi and Punjabi. There’s also an American Sign Language video version.

How many sections does the California Driver’s Handbook have?

It has 14 sections, from the driver’s license itself through the rules of the road to a glossary.

Which handbook do I study for a motorcycle license?

The California Motorcycle Handbook. DMV posts it as a PDF with the motorcycle sample tests.

Is there a separate handbook for a commercial license?

Yes. Class A and Class B applicants study the California Commercial Driver’s Handbook, which DMV also posts as a PDF.

Is the DMV handbook the same as the law?

No. It summarizes the California Vehicle Code. DMV, law enforcement and the courts follow the full, exact language of the code.

Can I use the handbook during the knowledge test?

No. DMV doesn’t allow any testing aids during knowledge tests, and that includes the handbook.