California only · verified 2026-08-17
Numbers worth memorizing.
A compact reference, not a substitute for the handbook. Conditions can require a safer choice than a default number.
Speed limits
- Residential district
- 25 mph unless another limit is posted
- Business district
- 25 mph unless another limit is posted
- Alley
- 15 mph
- Blind intersection
- 15 mph when the statutory view condition applies
- School zone default
- 25 mph when children are present unless posted otherwise
- Local school-zone posting
- 20 mph only where posted
- Special school-zone posting
- 15 mph only where posted
- Most highways
- 65 mph
- Authorized posting
- 70 mph
- Two-lane undivided road
- 55 mph
- Towing
- 55 mph
Space and signaling
- Ordinary following recommendation
- 3 seconds use more when risk rises
- Signal before a turn
- 100 feet
- Enter bike lane before right turn
- within 200 feet
- Pass a bicycle
- at least 3 feet otherwise slow and pass only when safe
- School-bus opposite-roadway exception
- Opposite-direction traffic need not stop when the bus is on another roadway of a divided highway or a highway with at least two lanes in each direction.
Parking distances
- Fire hydrant
- 15 feet default no-parking distance
- Crosswalk approach side
- 20 feet
- With curb extension
- 15 feet
- Parking beside nearest railroad rail
- 7.5 feet
- Parallel parking from curb
- within 18 inches
- Downhill with curb
- Turn the front wheels into the curb.
- Uphill with curb
- Turn the front wheels away from the curb.
- No curb
- Turn the front wheels right, away from the center of the road.
BAC tiers
- General driver
- 0.08%
- Commercial vehicle
- 0.04%
- Passenger for hire
- 0.04%
- Driver younger than 21
- 0.01%
- DUI probation
- 0.01%
- Below a listed tier
- Impaired driving can still be illegal
Provisional drivers
- Permit minimum age
- 15 years, 6 months
- Hold permit
- 6 months
- Supervised practice
- 50 hours
- Practice at night
- 10 hours
- Provisional license minimum age
- 16 years
- Passenger restriction
- 12 months passengers younger than 20, subject to supervisors and exceptions
- Night restriction
- 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. documented exceptions apply
Knowledge test and phone
- Published passing score
- 80%
- Attempts before reapplying
- 3
- Minor knowledge-test wait
- 7 days do not count the day of failure
- Testing aids
- Not allowed
- Handheld phone while driving
- Hands-free use only
- Mounted-device activation
- 1 action
- Driver younger than 18
- Device use prohibited except an emergency
Negligent-operator points
- Warning threshold
- 2 points in 12 months
- Warning threshold
- 4 points in 24 months
- Warning threshold
- 6 points in 36 months
- Notice of intent threshold
- 3 points in 12 months
- Notice of intent threshold
- 5 points in 24 months
- Notice of intent threshold
- 7 points in 36 months
- Probation and suspension stage
- 4 points in 12 months
- Probation and suspension stage
- 6 points in 24 months
- Probation and suspension stage
- 8 points in 36 months
Insurance and collisions
- Injury to one person
- $30,000
- Injury to multiple people
- $60,000
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Report to licensing agency
- within 10 days injury, death, or damage over $1,000
- Report injury or death to police
- within 24 hours