Taking your driver’s license exam can be nerve-wracking, but it doesn’t need to be. Our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division aims to help calm your anxieties by making sure you know what to expect before, during and after your road test. 

“We know many people who come to take their test are nervous. Understanding the process can go a long way toward putting them at ease,” said DVS Director Pong Xiong.  

The first thing you should do is study the rules of the road. Specifically, read the Class D Driver's manual, which is on our forms webpage available in several languages. Fifty-six percent of people statewide who take the written test, fail. The more you study, the more likely you are to pass on the first try.  

After that, your second priority should be to practice driving. The more you practice, the better you’ll feel when its time to test. 

When you arrive at the exam station, you’ll walk inside or drive up to a window to receive a pink paper called an RX form. If it is your second attempt, the RX form will be yellow. You’ll give that to your examiner, along with proof that the vehicle you’re driving is insured. If you’re under 18, you’ll also need to hand over your signed course completion card and a driving log signed by your parent or guardian.  

Remember that only you and the examiner can be in the vehicle during the road test. 

Before you leave the parking lot, the examiner will have you demonstrate the following features: 

• Seat adjustment 
• Seat belt 
• Emergency brake 
• Headlights 
• Hazard lights 
• Turn signals 
• Horn 
• Windshield wipers 
• Windshield defroster and fan controls 
• Mirrors 
• Fuel gauge