Passing Your Driver’s Test: How Hard It Is In California

LOS ANGELES, CA — Handing the car keys to the kid is a frightening rite of passage for parents no matter where they live, but some states are more rigorous than others in driver’s license tests. California ranked 15th in terms of overall difficulty. That means the trek along the Golden State (5) Freeway could actually be worse.

The study by the personal injury law firm Siegfried & Jensen reviews the variations in the minimum knowledge states require on written tests, how drivers are judged in road tests, whether applicants over 18 are required to get learner permits, and the cost of licenses and tests. Each area was weighted, with 100 possible points.

Here’s what the study showed about California:

To get a driver's license in California, you first have to get a learner's permit for six months, so you can practice before your test. Applicants can take three passes at the test, which requires 83 percent proficiency to pass. Drivers have a whopping 15 elements to master including maneuvers, driver behavior, adherence, and vehicle control. By comparison Washington, which has the toughest standards, tests skills in 19 areas — and the state’s overall score was only 66, compared with 80 points for Washington State.

Joining Washington among the top five states with difficult driver licensing standards are Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina and Kansas, respectively. On the other end, just above South Dakota were Ohio, Arkansas New York and Nebraska.

The study used information from driver handbooks issued by each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or equivalent agency and from comparison websites Driving-Tests.org and DMV.org. The study’s authors said the information about licensing, driving tests, and associated requirements was collected on the assumption the applicant is 18 years old and doesn’t have any mitigating circumstances, such as a veteran status or disability.

Read more about the methodology here.

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