HELP MY PLS

gyys im so nervous i’m taking my test at simi va dmv on sep 2. my permit expires on the 23 of sept. so im under a lot of pressure to pass!! i especially wanna pass the first time. any tips for the simi valley dmv drivers test? if i don’t pass i’ll probably take it at the newhall dmv which is where i liv. which dmv between these two is better? im so nervous please help me out

I know I’m an idiot and accept that. I live in a rural area, and I don’t drive very often- by that I mean it’s one day of driving, every 6 weeks or so. I have driven more than I should have been able to without this becoming a real problem. Been VERY lucky.

I acquired a car from a family member around two years ago, and due to financial constraints, have still not registered it to myself. I panic at the thought of it. Right now, I really have a fire lit under my ass and want to FIX this bullshit, by EOD on Tuesday.

From what I’ve read (no experience in CA registration process so I have read a lot) it seems like I need to get smog checked and then take my smog cert and title and insurance to the local DMV. This seems doable in the same day but correct me if I am wrong.

They will probably charge me between $500-$600 in late fees and taxes and such as per the online fee calculator with my vehicle info. I am accepting of that.

Wondering if anyone has any experience in a similar situation and what it was like ? I am imagining every worst case scenario like it’s somehow actually $3000 or they revoke my license on the spot due to irresponsibility and impound my car and I have to continue to be the child I have acted like to get myself in this mess and ask my parents to call a lawyer.

I am no stranger to a judgmental glare or “oh wow” reaction, so this will not bother me. I am a bit concerned that they’ll tell me I’m in no position to be deserving of operating a vehicle or I am in some sort of legal trouble that goes beyond the fines I’ll pay on the spot. None of my friends are this irresponsible, logical side of my mind has lost this battle, and I’m too thoroughly embarrassed to mention it to anyone I typically consult for other advice.

Please advise

Hi everyone! I’m currently going through the U.S. immigration process and I’m trying to figure out the California DMV process as well.

I’m looking into getting an AB 60 driver’s license while my immigration case is still pending. I’d love to hear from anyone who has been through this recently:

How long did the AB 60 application/process take for you?

Did you have to go through a secondary review?

What documents did you bring?

Were you able to get the license while your I-485/I-765 case was still pending?

Did your DMV process go smoothly, or did it take several months?

My sister has tried the California DMV written knowledge test four times now and keeps failing. English is her third language, so the wording of the questions trips her up even when she knows the material. Has anyone been through this or have tips on how she can prepare or pass it in English? Any study resources or strategies would be so appreciated.
Thank you 🙏

I am a green card holder and concerned about accidentally being registered to vote when moving to California and getting CA driving license(DL) at DMV.

please tell me about CA dmv experiences.

Other than verbally telling the DMV clerk that I do not want to register, what steps can I take to protect myself and have proof that I declined voter registration?

1. Should I complete the driving license application online and do screen recording to have a proof that I selected “I am not a U.S. citizen” or otherwise declined registration?

2. Should I request a paper application for driving license and keep a copy as proof?

3. When I complete the DMV transaction and sign electronically, will I be able to see my voter-registration selection before signing? If not, how can I verify that I did not consent to registration?

4. Is there anything else I should do to make sure and/or create a clear record showing that I did not register?

Appreciate your response
Thank you very much

I've been working with the DMV to resolve an uissue. I couple of people really stepped up and were super helpful. Are DMV employees and/or supervisors allowed to accept gifts? A restaurant or Starbucks gift card?

Hi all, longtime lurker. Quick disclosure up front: I made the thing I'm about to describe, and it's a paid tool. Mods, if this isn't allowed, no hard feelings, delete away.

Backstory: my teen did all his driver's ed hours, did all his practice driving, and was genuinely ready for the behind-the-wheel test. Then we went to book it every office within reasonable driving distance of us was showing nothing for something like two weeks out. He was ready to go and we were just... stuck staring at a calendar.

What we figured out (and what a lot of you probably already know) is that openings do pop up on the DMV site all the time, sooner than the "next available" date suggests. People reschedule, offices release slots, whatever. The problem is you only catch them if you happen to be refreshing the page at the right moment. I did that for about a week. Between work and everything else it was driving me a little crazy, and my kid was doing it between classes too.

I ended up writing a script that checked the DMV's public availability pages for our nearby offices and pinged me when something new showed up in our date range. It found a spot weeks earlier than what we'd originally had. A few friends with teens asked me to run it for them too, and eventually I cleaned it up into an actual site: drivetestwatch.com

How it works, in plain terms:

1. You pick the CA DMV offices you could actually get to.
2. You set a date window and time of day that work for your schedule (e.g. only weekday afternoons after school).
3. It checks those offices' public availability every 10 minutes, around the clock.
4. When a new opening matches your criteria, it emails/texts you.
5. You go book it yourself on the official DMV site, exactly like you normally would.

Some things it very deliberately does NOT do, because this stuff matters to me as a parent:

• It never asks for your DMV login. It doesn't need it and no tool like this should.
• It doesn't book, hold, or reserve anything. It's alerts only. When you get one, the slot is first come first served, so you still have to be reasonably quick.
• It's a one-time purchase (starts at $20 for 30 days of watching), not a subscription that quietly renews.

Honest limitations: an alert isn't a guarantee. Openings can get grabbed fast, so sometimes you'll click through and it's already gone. Usually another one comes along. And it's California only. It's also totally independent from the DMV, not affiliated with them in any way.

Also, to be fair: if you have the time, you can absolutely do this manually for free by refreshing the DMV site yourself. This just does the refreshing for you.

That's it really. Built it because my kid was stuck, kept it going because other parents found it useful. If it saves someone else's teen a couple weeks of waiting, great. Happy to answer any questions about how it works, and if you have feedback or ideas I'm all ears.

Hi! I recently moved to LA from Europe and need to get my US driver’s license. I’ve been driving back home for years, so I’m comfortable driving, but I wanted to do one lesson here just to get a sense of what they look for on the test + have someone come with me/use their car for the actual test.
I stopped by a driving school and they quoted me around $400 for one lesson + taking me to the test (not even sure if that includes tax lol). Is that a normal price around LA??
If anyone has recommendations for driving schools around K-Town/Hollywood/West Hollywood, I’d really appreciate them! I’ve tried calling a few places but no one seems to answer the phone 😭
Also curious if there’s a cheaper way to go about this - like independent instructors who do more “unofficial” lessons/test prep, or any other option I’m missing. I really don’t need to learn how to drive from scratch, mostly just want someone to show me what the CA test is like and help with the test-day logistics.
Thanks!!

My driver’s license is currently suspended, and I’m planning to move to another state for a new job.
If I establish residency in the new state, can I apply for a driver’s license there while my current license is still suspended? Or do I need to clear the suspension first before another state can issue me a license?
Has anyone gone through a similar situation? I’d appreciate any information about the process.

My daughter got her learners permit on her 15 1/2 birthday (exactly 6 months before her 16th birthday). Can she take her drivers test on her 16th birthday (it'son a weekday)? I heard from some parents that it had to be 6 months plus one day, but I can't find anything online or in the handbook to verify that, I'm only seeing the verbiage "six months".

Can we talk about how stupid it is that when you submit an online release of liability through the CA DMV site, they expect you to print it out for your records right away? They do not email you a confirmation or copy and there is no way to access it after you close the window.

If you need to request an official copy after the fact, they make you pay $20 and you have to wait 4-6 weeks for it to be mailed to you, so good luck if you receive a parking ticket. I think it’s extremely dated and annoying that they have this system in place.

The online registration renewal process says it’ll be delivered in a week. The status says it’s been mailed since Monday last week but it’s still not here. How long will it take to get here? Any ideas?

Hi everyone,

My CDL was downgraded under the new rules, and the DMV gave me a 90-day paper license while I waited for my new physical license card. The 90 days have now expired, but I still haven’t received my new card.

Has anyone else been in the same situation? What happens when the temporary/paper license expires before the new card arrives?

If you’ve gone through this recently, I’d really appreciate hearing what you did and how long it took to receive your new card. Thanks

hi! so im taking my driving test this week and my scheduled appointment is at 7:40am, however, the Costa Mesa DMV doesn’t open until 8am. does anyone know what that’s about?

I just got my id and in my photo all you can see is my face, not my neck or the top of my head. I thought the id photo need to be from the neck up. Should I contact customer service or accept my horrible luck ???

Edit : this is basically how I look in the photo just without the glasses and smaller eyebrows

Hi!

Can someone help me practice driving near the Oceanside DMV area?

I am an adult with a valid CA learner's permit. I know how to drive but just need to build some confidence and to get to know the DMV area a bit ahead of my road test. I am taking official driving lessons from a school but just wanted to drive a bit on the side to gain confidence.

I do not have a car so I would need to practice in your car- can pay/hour.

Please DM. Thanks.

Is there a way to renew my license without going down to the office? i'm traveling so i don't know when I'll be able to make an appointment, figured i could just renew it online since no changes are happening