What to bring for the California permit test if you are under 18
An applicant under 18 in California needs to be at least 15 years and 6 months old and needs a certificate of completion or enrollment for driver education, which the California Department of Motor Vehicles requires before it will issue an instruction permit at that age. A parent or guardian signature is required as well. Plan the rest of the timeline before you go, because the permit is the start of a fixed sequence rather than the end of one: the permit application is valid for 12 months, the permit must be held at least six months before the drive test, and the under-18 path also requires 6 hours of professional behind-the-wheel training and 50 hours of supervised practice with 10 at night. If you fail the knowledge test you wait seven days before retaking it, which adults do not. Checked in September 2026.
Source: California Driver's Handbook (DL 600), getting an instruction permit; California DMV instruction permits page, checked September 9, 2026.
What does California DMV not publish on this?
DMV's identity, social security and California residency document list is not restated here: it is outside the source set checked on September 9, 2026, and this page covers the age and driver education prerequisites only.
Other questions about California
- How many questions can you miss on the California permit test?
- What happens if you fail the permit test in California?
- What to bring for the California permit test if you are 18 or over
- Can you take the permit test online in California?
- California supervised driving hours, and whether the log is turned in
Ready to practice for the California test?
How this works in other states
The under-18 list and the 18-and-over list, side by side for three states, with the statute behind each line. Read the guide.
Written by Vikas. Checked against the source above on September 9, 2026. California DMV does not run this site and does not endorse it.