California Instruction (Learner's) Permit

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

In California, the document you'll often hear called a "learner's permit" is officially the instruction permit. It's the first stage of the California Graduated Driver Licensing program, and it lets a teenage driver legally practice on public roads with a licensed adult before progressing to a provisional license.

Eligibility

You can apply for a California instruction permit at age 15½, but only after you've completed (or are concurrently enrolled in) a state-approved Driver Education course. The course can be classroom-based or completed online through a California-approved provider. You'll need the original DE certificate of completion (not a printout) at your DMV appointment.

Documents and forms

DL 44 — driver license application, signed by both parents (or legal guardians) at the field office. Both signatures are required if both parents have legal custody.
Driver Education certificate — issued by your DE provider after course completion. The course must be at least 30 hours of classroom or online time.
Identity and residency documents — for a REAL ID-compliant permit, the same document stack required for an adult California driver's license.
Application fee — $45, which covers the permit, knowledge test, and the eventual road test.

The knowledge test

California issues the instruction permit knowledge test as 46 multiple-choice questions for applicants under 18 (it's 36 for adults seeking their first California license). You can miss no more than 8 to pass. The questions are drawn from the current California Driver Handbook. If you fail, you can retake the test at the same field office — most California offices allow up to three attempts on the same fee. After three failures the application closes and you re-apply.

Permit restrictions

Once you have your California instruction permit, you can drive only:

With a California-licensed driver who is at least 25 years old seated in the front passenger seat.
Anywhere in the state, but cell-phone use of any kind is prohibited while driving.
The instruction permit alone does not authorize you to drive without an accompanying adult — practice driving with a fully-licensed adult is the only legal use of the permit.

Behind-the-wheel training

California requires 6 hours of professional behind-the-wheel training with a licensed driving instructor (typically taken in three 2-hour sessions through a state-approved driving school) plus 50 hours of practice with a parent or guardian, including 10 hours at night. Track every hour on the official log; the DMV examiner will ask for it before issuing your provisional license.

Permit duration

You must hold the instruction permit for at least 6 months before applying for the provisional license, and you must be at least 16 years old at the time of the provisional application. Permits are valid for 24 months total. If you don't progress to a license within that window, you'll need to re-test and re-pay.