30th St and F St
On Stage 1.
Heading north on F St
Left, straight, straight
Heading south on F St
Left, straight, straight
Heading north, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
California › Driving test routes › Bakersfield DMV
California DMV
Bakersfield DMVDriving Test Practice Routes
3120 F Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Within two miles of Bakersfield DMV there are 123 sets of traffic lights, 5 all-way stops and 10 railroad crossings. About 9 miles of streets are one-way. Golden State Avenue runs close to the office, up to 4 lanes wide in places and signed at 50 mph.
Start with the practice routes just below, then see how far a test can reach and how you'll leave the office.
Bakersfield road test practice routes
Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Bakersfield's real streets and harder than the last.
These are practice loops we planned. They aren't official DMV test routes. Drive with a licensed supervisor, and follow the signs and conditions on the day, which may differ from the map.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Stage 1: Quieter streets
The quietest streets near the office, around H St. This area is busy, so even this loop meets some traffic lights.
- Length
- 2.6 mi
- Approx. time
- 9 min
- Turns
- 10
- 3 sets of lights, with 1 right turn at them
- 1.6 miles of residential streets
Open in Google Maps
Send it to your phoneScan to open this route in Google Maps, or open it here.
Google Maps can pick slightly different streets between our stops, so check it against the map here. It works best in the Google Maps app.
Turn-by-turn directions (13 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head south on F Street. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto 30th Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Alder Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto Drake Street. 0.3 mi
- Continue onto D Street. 0.4 mi
- Turn left onto 18th Street. 0.2 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- Turn left onto G Street. 0.3 mi
- Turn right onto 22nd Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Eye Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto 25th Street. 350 ft
- Turn right onto H Street. 0.4 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- Continue onto Golden State Road. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto F Street and return to the DMV. 400 ft
Stage 2: Traffic lights
Along H St and Golden State Ave, with 19 sets of lights.
- Length
- 5.2 mi
- Approx. time
- 18 min
- Turns
- 13
- 19 sets of lights, with 5 left turns and 2 right turns at them
- Multi-lane driving on 19th St
Open in Google Maps
Send it to your phoneScan to open this route in Google Maps, or open it here.
Google Maps can pick slightly different streets between our stops, so check it against the map here. It works best in the Google Maps app.
Turn-by-turn directions (19 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head north on F Street. 400 ft
- Turn right onto Golden State Road. 0.2 mi
- Continue onto H Street. 1.0 mi Straight through 7 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto Truxtun Avenue. 0.3 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto L Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto 18th Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto O Street. 350 ft
- Turn right onto 19th Street. 0.6 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto Golden State Avenue. 450 ft
- Continue onto Union Avenue. 0.4 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, turn right onto Monterey Street. 0.3 mi
- Turn left onto Alta Vista Drive. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto East Niles Street. 0.3 mi
- At the lights, continue onto West Niles Street. 0.4 mi
- Continue onto Espee Street. 0.3 mi
- Continue onto 30th Street. 350 ft
- Turn left onto M Street. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto Golden State Avenue. 0.5 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto F Street and return to the DMV. 0.1 mi
Stage 3: Test-ready loop
Everything together over about 6 miles, including Golden State Ave and Flower St.
- Length
- 5.8 mi
- Approx. time
- 17 min
- Turns
- 15
- 12 sets of lights, with 2 left turns and 3 right turns at them
- 1 all-way stop
- Multi-lane driving on Golden State Ave
- 1.1 miles of residential streets
Open in Google Maps
Send it to your phoneScan to open this route in Google Maps, or open it here.
Google Maps can pick slightly different streets between our stops, so check it against the map here. It works best in the Google Maps app.
Turn-by-turn directions (18 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head north on F Street. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto Golden State Avenue. 1.2 mi Straight through 3 sets of lights.
- Turn left onto West Sumner Street. 0.1 mi
- Continue onto Sumner Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto Sonora Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto East 19th Street. 0.5 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, continue onto East Truxtun Avenue. 50 ft
- At the lights, turn left onto Beale Avenue. 0.7 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- Turn left onto Pacific Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto Baker Street. 0.1 mi
- At the all-way stop, turn left onto Flower Street. 0.4 mi
- Turn left onto Alta Vista Drive. 150 ft
- Turn right onto Flower Street. 0.4 mi
- Turn left onto Union Avenue. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto 30th Street. 0.7 mi
- Turn left onto M Street. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto Golden State Avenue. 0.5 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto F Street and return to the DMV. 0.1 mi
Where the Bakersfield DMV drive test can go
Every drive test starts and finishes at the office, so the closer a road is, the more likely you are to drive it. The shading shows how long each road takes to reach from the DMV.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within a 6-minute drive
- 98sets of traffic lights
- 1all-way stops
- 6schools
Main roads in the area: Truxtun Ave, Chester Ave, Union Ave, Golden State Ave, 24th St, West 21st St, Q St and H St.
Drive times are our estimates from speed limits, with time added for lights and stops. They aren't DMV figures.
Leaving and returning to Bakersfield DMV
The parking lot and the first junction are the only parts of the route you can be sure of. The office is on F Street.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
P
In the parking lot
The test sheet scores how you drive through the lot, so watch for people and cars, keep it slow, and take extra care reversing out of your space.
1
North to Golden State Rd
400 ft along F St to Golden State Road.
2
South to 30th St
0.1 mi along F St to 30th Street, where there are lights.
The roads around Bakersfield DMV
What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.
123
Sets of traffic lights
Most are on Chester Ave and California Ave.
5
All-way stops
Stop fully behind the limit line, then go in the order you arrived.
12
Schools
The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.
9 mi
One-way streets
Check the arrows before every turn, and start from the correct side of the road.
10
Railroad crossings
Look both ways, never stop on the tracks, and wait if there isn't room on the other side.
3
Roundabouts
Give way to traffic already in the roundabout and signal as you leave.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, downloaded 2026-10-07. Counts cover public roads within 2 miles of the office.
Where to practice each part of the California drive test
The DMV's drive test score sheet (form DL 32) marks you on parking lot driving, backing, intersections, turns, lane changes, and business and residential driving. Here's where to practice near Bakersfield DMV.
- Every loop
Parking lot driving
The DMV lot itself, at the start and end of every test - Stage 2
Lights you drive straight through
H St: 7 sets of lights in 1.0 mi - Stage 2
Left turn at lights
From H St onto Truxtun Ave - Stage 2
Left turn without lights
From 18th St onto O St, giving way to oncoming traffic - Stage 2
Right turn at lights
From Union Ave onto Monterey St - Stage 2
Lane changes
19th St, a multi-lane road - Stage 1
Residential streets
D St and the streets around it - Not on a loop
Freeway merging
Only scored on supplemental (referral) tests. For practice, the nearest on-ramp is on Golden State Ave
Score sheet sections from California DMV form DL 32. Places from OpenStreetMap.
Which lane do I need near Bakersfield DMV?
Lane layouts at the junctions with lights on our practice routes, as you'd see them approaching. Arrows show which way each lane can go.
H St and Truxtun Ave
On Stage 2.
Heading north on H St
Left, straight, straight
Heading north, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
28th St and Golden State Ave
On Stages 2 and 3.
Heading southeast on Golden State Ave
Left, straight, straight, straight
Heading southeast, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
F St and Golden State Ave
On Stages 2 and 3.
Heading north on F St
Left, straight, straight
Heading north, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
Lane layouts from OpenStreetMap. Road markings can change, so always follow the arrows painted on the road.
What causes crashes on Bakersfield's roads
Recorded causes of the 4,479 crashes on local roads within 2 miles of the office from 2021 to 2025, leaving out freeways. Unsafe turn or lane change and too fast for conditions top the list.
Share of the 4,423 crashes where a cause was recorded. Other causes made up the remaining 9%. About 39% of these crashes happened after dark. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.
Bakersfield junctions worth practicing
The junctions within 2 miles of the office with the most crashes from 2021 to 2025. Each one is marked on the practice routes map.
Union Ave and California Ave
62 crashes from 2021 to 2025
Most were rear-end crashes. Leave a bigger gap than you think you need, and brake early and smoothly when the lights change. Running a red light was the recorded cause in 8.
Airport Dr and Roberts Ln
44 crashes from 2021 to 2025
Most were rear-end crashes. Leave a bigger gap than you think you need, and brake early and smoothly when the lights change. Running a red light was the recorded cause in 11.
East Roberts Ln and North Chester Ave
40 crashes from 2021 to 2025
Most were side impacts. On a fresh green, look both ways before you go, and never try to beat the lights. Running a red light was the recorded cause in 7.
Airport Dr and Olive Dr
34 crashes from 2021 to 2025
Most were side impacts. On a fresh green, look both ways before you go, and never try to beat the lights. Running a red light was the recorded cause in 5.
California Ave and Real Rd
29 crashes from 2021 to 2025
Most were side impacts. On a fresh green, look both ways before you go, and never try to beat the lights. Running a red light was the recorded cause in 6.
Crashes located within about 100 feet of each junction. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.
Booked your Bakersfield road test?
See routes from real Bakersfield tests
Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 5 routes recorded from real tests at Bakersfield DMV, with turn-by-turn voice directions on your phone.
On a computer?Scan with your phone's camera to get the app.
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Bakersfield driving test questions
Where does the Bakersfield DMV driving test go?
The DMV doesn't publish its test routes. Every test starts and finishes in the office parking lot, and the roads closest to the office are the ones you're most likely to drive, such as Truxtun Ave, Chester Ave, Union Ave. Routes recorded from real Bakersfield tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.
Are these the real Bakersfield test routes?
No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Bakersfield's street data to cover the skills on the test. They're for practice, not a copy of the DMV's routes.
What do you need to pass the California drive test?
The DMV's score sheet (form DL 32) says you pass with no more than 15 errors on the driving maneuvers and no critical driving errors. Before you set off, you also need no more than 3 errors on the parking brake, arm signals, wipers, defroster, emergency flashers and headlights.
What makes Bakersfield's roads tricky for learners?
Within 2 miles of the office, 9 miles of streets are one-way; there are 10 railroad crossings within 2 miles; Golden State Avenue is up to 4 lanes wide.
Which junctions near Bakersfield DMV have the most crashes?
Union Ave and California Ave (62), Airport Dr and Roberts Ln (44), East Roberts Ln and North Chester Ave (40), counting crashes from 2021 to 2025.
How do I book a drive test at Bakersfield DMV?
Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Bakersfield as your office. Book on the DMV website.
Bakersfield DMV office information
Opening hours
| Monday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Thursday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours can change on holidays. Check the DMV's Bakersfield page before you go.
Nearby offices
- Bakersfield Southwest DMV5.9 mi
- Shafter DMV16.2 mi
- Arvin DMV16.2 mi
Services at Bakersfield DMV
- Behind-the-wheel drive tests
- Written knowledge tests
- Motorcycle driving tests
- Commercial driving tests
- Driver's license and ID applications
- Replacement documents
- Vehicle registration and renewals
- Title transfers
- License plates
- Disabled parking placards
- Self-service kiosks
- Driver and vehicle records