Katsu

I have my CA driving test next week and have just read in the handbook that the car must display front and rear license plates. We've got a new car and are waiting for the proper license plates to turn up so are driving round with plates from the dealership still...Will these be OK? I think we received the registration paperwork in the last week so can take that along.

FinnDiego

I did my test on a newly purchased car, and had no issues. You'll need to have the temp tag/sticker in the window and note down the number there, but I got the impression people do that quite frequently at my local DMV and it didn't phase people. I ended up talking cars with the examiner when he saw it was new.

TimNiceBut

The license plate rule is more to "catch" people who have plates and don't run both - my cousin was sent home from the DMV because the car he was trying to take the test in (a friend's, not his) was only running a rear plate. They're really funny like that in CA, you also tend to get tickets if you only run a rear plate.

FinnDiego

Oh, and if it's a new car make sure you know where the different controls are. In particular you'll be asked to show how to activate the hazards and the rear window defroster.

Michael

I've had my car for 10 years now and I've never used the rear window defroster so I'd probably fail the test since I don't know where it is. In my car, the hazard button can't be missed unless you are blind but again I've never used it so I could probably screw up that one also.

helpmeplease123

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't fail you on the CA test! When he asked me about lights I got confused and turned on my high beams... had no idea what the hand turn signals were, so he had to tell me them and then bumped the curb backing up in a "straight" line because i'd pulled in too close thinking we were done. I think it's pretty hard to fail unless you hit someone! Also make sure indicator and break lights are all working, they check that... and obsessively check your mirrors and over your shoulder in a completely unrealistic way

As for the license - I waited until I had plates for that same reason (the handbook) and the DMV did want my registration but if it's not too far away and you've already booked I guess it's worth a shot!

Katsu

Just to follow up on this, the examiner asked about the plates but I said we hadn't received them yet and that was the end of the matter. A guy in front of me in the queue when I arrived had failed before leaving the car park as one of his rear brake lights was faulty (I say guy but he looked about 15...)

I passed though and it was a very straightforward test, the worst part was waiting just under a hour in the car, in boiling hot sun, in the queue waiting for the next examiner. Oh, and some of the examiners wore lab coats too which I found highly entertaining!

ian-mstm

They just didn't want to get blood on their shirt!

Ian