California CDL Practice Tests - All Endorsements

If you are aiming to drive freight in California, the written exam is the first gate, and the practice test above is built to get you through it. Every commercial driver in the state starts with the General Knowledge test: 50 questions, with 40 correct needed to pass at the 80 percent mark. That standard comes from the federal FMCSA, so the core exam is identical whether you test in Redding or San Diego. It is also the written test for your Commercial Learner’s Permit, which means a California CDL practice test and a permit rehearsal are one and the same thing.

California work shapes which skills you will lean on. Drivers pulling containers out of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach live in stop-and-go drayage, so the Combination Vehicles endorsement and sharp space and speed management on the I-710 matter early. Fuel and chemical runs along the I-5 and I-10 push many drivers toward Tanker and HazMat, where load surge and placarding become daily concerns. In the Central Valley, seasonal produce and equipment hauls reward solid vehicle inspection habits and confident shifting on long grades. The endorsements are separate knowledge exams from the main written test, covering Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, HazMat, Tanker, Doubles and Triples, Passenger, and School Bus.

One point trips up a lot of new applicants: your license class is not set by the writing. Class A, B, and C candidates all sit for the same CDL general knowledge written exam. The class comes from the skills test and the actual vehicle you bring, so a future big-rig driver and a straight-truck driver answer the same questions on paper.

The California Commercial Driver Handbook is your source of truth, and it is worth reading cover to cover rather than skimming. Focus your study on the topics that repeat: pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, managing following distance, spotting hazards before they develop, and the right moves in an emergency such as brake failure or a skid. Run a sample CDL exam a few times until the format feels routine and your weak spots surface.

The free CDL practice tests need no login, so you can warm up right now. When your scores hold steady, schedule your CDL skills test with the California DMV and go earn the permit.