M St and West 16th St
On Stage 2.
Heading southeast on West 16th St
Left, straight, straight
Heading west on West 16th St
Left, straight, right
Heading southeast, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
California › Driving test routes › Merced DMV
California DMV
Merced DMVDriving Test Practice Routes
1313 W 12th Street, Merced, CA 95340
Within two miles of Merced DMV there are 54 sets of traffic lights, 9 all-way stops and 19 railroad crossings. West 13th Street runs close to the office.
Start with the practice routes just below, then see how far a test can reach and how you'll leave the office.
Merced road test practice routes
Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Merced'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: Quiet streets
Mostly residential streets around Lopes Ave and Grogan Ave, with no traffic lights. Start here for your first few drives.
- Length
- 3.8 mi
- Approx. time
- 12 min
- Turns
- 13
- 2 stop signs
- 3.8 miles of residential streets
- Not covered: traffic lights
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 (14 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head northwest on West 12th Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto V Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto West 9th Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto North West Avenue. 150 ft
- Turn right onto Lopes Avenue. 1.0 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Thornton Road. 0.3 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Wardrobe Avenue. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto Grogan Avenue. 1.0 mi
- Turn left onto North West Avenue. 250 ft
- Turn right onto U Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto Lesher Drive. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto West 7th Street. 200 ft
- Turn right onto U Street. 0.4 mi
- Turn right onto West 12th Street and return to the DMV. 250 ft
Stage 2: Stop signs and lights
Along West 16th St and West 15th St, with 12 sets of lights and 2 all-way stops.
- Length
- 3.6 mi
- Approx. time
- 12 min
- Turns
- 12
- 12 sets of lights, with 2 left turns and 3 right turns at them
- 2 all-way stops
- 2 stop signs
- Multi-lane driving on West 16th 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 (13 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head southeast on West 12th Street. 200 ft
- Turn left onto T Street. 400 ft
- Turn right onto West 13th Street. 0.2 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto R Street. 0.2 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, turn right onto West 15th Street. 0.5 mi Straight through 1 all-way stop.
- At the all-way stop, turn left onto M Street. 500 ft
- At the lights, turn right onto West 16th Street. 1.7 mi Straight through 4 sets of lights.
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Snelling Highway. 200 ft
- Continue onto West 16th Street. 0.3 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto V Street. 0.2 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto West 13th Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto T Street. 400 ft
- Turn right onto West 12th Street and return to the DMV. 200 ft
Stage 3: Test-ready loop
Everything together over about 5 miles, including Snelling Hwy and V St.
- Length
- 4.7 mi
- Approx. time
- 16 min
- Turns
- 15
- 12 sets of lights, with 2 left turns and 2 right turns at them
- 5 stop signs
- Multi-lane driving on V St
- 2.1 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 (17 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head northwest on West 12th Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto V Street. 0.3 mi Straight through 3 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto West 16th Street. 0.4 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto Snelling Highway. 0.7 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, turn right onto West Olive Avenue. 0.3 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto Loughborough Drive. 0.1 mi
- Continue onto Devonwood Drive. 0.5 mi
- Turn left onto Meadows Avenue. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto Olivewood Drive. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto R Street. 0.5 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- Turn right onto West 23rd Street. 500 ft
- At the stop sign, turn left onto S Street. 0.4 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto West 18th Street. 450 ft
- Turn left onto T Street. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto West 16th Street. 0.2 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto V Street. 0.3 mi Straight through 3 sets of lights.
- Turn left onto West 12th Street and return to the DMV. 0.1 mi
Where the Merced 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
- 38sets of traffic lights
- 5all-way stops
- 11schools
Main roads in the area: West 16th St, McSwain Rd, M St, Martin Luther King Junior Way, West Main St, R St, West 15th St and Ashby Rd.
Drive times are our estimates from speed limits, with time added for lights and stops. They aren't DMV figures.
Leaving and returning to Merced DMV
The parking lot and the first junction are the only parts of the route you can be sure of. The office is on W 12th 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
Southeast to T St
200 ft along West 12th St to T Street.
2
Northwest to U St
250 ft along West 12th St to U Street.
The roads around Merced DMV
What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.
54
Sets of traffic lights
Most are on R St and G St.
9
All-way stops
West 15th St has 3 of them.
17
Schools
The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.
5 mi
One-way streets
Check the arrows before every turn, and start from the correct side of the road.
19
Railroad crossings
Look both ways, never stop on the tracks, and wait if there isn't room on the other side.
9 mi
Multi-lane roads
Signal, check your mirror and blind spot, then change lanes smoothly.
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 Merced 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
West 16th St: 4 sets of lights in 1.7 mi - Stage 2
Left turn at lights
From West 13th St onto R St - Stage 2
Left turn without lights
From West 12th St onto T St, giving way to oncoming traffic - Stage 2
Right turn at lights
From R St onto West 15th St - Stage 2
Lane changes
West 16th St, a multi-lane road - Stage 1
Residential streets
Lopes Ave 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 West 13th St
Score sheet sections from California DMV form DL 32. Places from OpenStreetMap.
Which lane do I need near Merced 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.
V St and West 16th St
On Stages 2 and 3.
Heading northwest on West 16th St
Straight, straight, straight
Heading southeast on West 16th St
Left, straight, straight
Heading northwest, 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.
Booked your Merced road test?
See routes from real Merced tests
Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has routes recorded from real tests at Merced 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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Merced driving test questions
Where does the Merced 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 West 16th St, McSwain Rd, M St. Routes recorded from real Merced tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.
Are these the real Merced test routes?
No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Merced'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 Merced's roads tricky for learners?
Within 2 miles of the office, there are 19 railroad crossings within 2 miles.
How do I book a drive test at Merced DMV?
Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Merced as your office. Book on the DMV website.
Merced 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 Merced page before you go.
Nearby offices
- Turlock DMV24.2 mi
- Los Banos DMV26.1 mi
- Mariposa DMV31.5 mi
Services at Merced DMV
- Behind-the-wheel drive tests
- Written knowledge tests
- Motorcycle 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