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California DMV

Oakland DMVDriving Test Practice Routes

5300 Claremont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618

Within two miles of Oakland DMV there are 247 sets of traffic lights and 54 all-way stops. About 25 miles of streets are one-way. The office is on Claremont Avenue, up to 4 lanes wide in places and signed at 25 mph.

Start with the practice routes just below, then see how far a test can reach and how you'll leave the office.

Oakland road test practice routes

Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Oakland'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 of the practice loops around Oakland DMVABCDESan Pablo AveAshby AveWebster StBroadwayMartin Luther King Junior WayAdeline StShattuck Ave40th StClaremont Ave56th StTelegraph AveDwight WayMarket St51st StDMV
Practice loopLightsAll-way stopStop signACrash hotspot
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Stage 1: Quiet streets

Mostly residential streets around Webster St and Telegraph Ave, with few traffic lights. Start here for your first few drives.

Length
2 mi
Approx. time
8 min
Turns
13
  • 1 set of lights
  • 3 all-way stops
  • 3 stop signs
  • 1.7 miles of residential streets
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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)
  1. Leave the DMV and head southwest on Claremont Avenue. 150 ft
  2. Turn left onto Cavour Street. 300 ft
  3. At the stop sign, turn right onto Redondo Avenue. 0.1 mi
  4. Turn left onto Clarke Street. 0.1 mi
  5. Turn left onto 50th Street. 400 ft
  6. Turn right onto Webster Street. 0.2 mi
  7. At the stop sign, turn right onto 45th Street. 0.2 mi
  8. Turn left onto Telegraph Avenue. 0.2 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
  9. Turn left onto 41st Street. 0.2 mi
  10. At the all-way stop, turn left onto Webster Street. 0.5 mi Straight through 2 all-way stops.
  11. Turn left onto 51st Street. 150 ft
  12. Turn right onto Miles Avenue. 0.1 mi
  13. Turn left onto Cavour Street. 0.1 mi
  14. At the stop sign, turn right onto Claremont Avenue and return to the DMV. 150 ft

Where the Oakland 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.

San Pablo AveBroadwayAshby Ave35th St36th StTunnel RdHarrison StAdeline StDMV
Under 2 min2 to 4 min4 to 6 min
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Within a 6-minute drive

  • 108sets of traffic lights
  • 40all-way stops
  • 30schools

Main roads in the area: Broadway, Martin Luther King Junior Way, West MacArthur Blvd, Telegraph Ave, Adeline St, 40th St, San Pablo Ave and Market 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 Oakland DMV

The parking lot and the first junction are the only parts of the route you can be sure of. The office is on Claremont Avenue.

1251st StClaremont AveTelegraph AveShattuck Ave52nd St55th StDMV
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

Southwest to 52nd St

0.2 mi along Claremont Ave to 52nd Street, where there are lights.

2

Northeast to Clifton St

500 ft along Claremont Ave to Clifton Street, where there are lights.

The roads around Oakland DMV

What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.

247

Sets of traffic lights

Most are on Telegraph Ave and Broadway.

54

All-way stops

Webster St has 8 of them.

46

Schools

The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.

25 mi

One-way streets

Check the arrows before every turn, and start from the correct side of the road.

2

Railroad crossings

Look both ways, never stop on the tracks, and wait if there isn't room on the other side.

49

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 Oakland DMV.

  • Parking lot driving

    The DMV lot itself, at the start and end of every test
    Every loop
  • Stopping at all-way stops

    Webster St, 3 in a row
    Stage 1
  • Lights you drive straight through

    Claremont Ave: 3 sets of lights in 0.5 mi
    Stage 2
  • Left turn at lights

    From The Uplands onto Claremont Ave
    Stage 2
  • Left turn without lights

    From Stanford Ave onto Los Angeles St, giving way to oncoming traffic
    Stage 2
  • Right turn at lights

    From Adeline St onto Stanford Ave
    Stage 2
  • Residential streets

    Webster St and the streets around it
    Stage 1
  • Freeway merging

    Only scored on supplemental (referral) tests. For practice, the nearest on-ramp is on Clifton St
    Not on a loop

Score sheet sections from California DMV form DL 32. Places from OpenStreetMap.

Which lane do I need near Oakland 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.

Adeline St and Alcatraz Ave

On Stage 2.

Heading west on Alcatraz Ave
Left, right or straight
Heading south on Adeline St
Left, straight, straight, straight

Heading west, use the left-turn lane for left turns and either straight-ahead lane to go through.

Adeline St and Martin Luther King Junior Way

On Stages 2 and 3.

Heading south on Adeline St
Straight, straight, right or straight
Heading northeast on Stanford Ave
Straight, straight, right

Heading south, use the left-turn lane for left turns and either straight-ahead lane to go through.

55th St and Telegraph Ave

On Stage 2.

Heading north on Telegraph Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading south on Telegraph Ave
Left, straight

Heading north, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.

52nd St and Claremont Ave

On Stages 2 and 3.

Heading south on Telegraph Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading north on Telegraph Ave
Straight, straight, right

Heading south, 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 Oakland's roads

Recorded causes of the 2,071 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.

Unsafe turn or lane change
22%
Too fast for conditions
21%
Not yielding
14%
Impaired driving
9%
Running a red light
8%
Unsafe reversing or pulling out
7%
Stop sign violation
7%
Following too closely
2%

Share of the 1,993 crashes where a cause was recorded. Other causes made up the remaining 10%. About 31% of these crashes happened after dark. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.

Oakland 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.

A

Ashby Ave and San Pablo Ave

33 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.7 mi from the office. 34 people were hurt.

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 8.

B

Ashby Ave and Shattuck Ave

31 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.1 mi from the office. 18 people were hurt.

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 3.

C

Ashby Ave and Sacramento St

27 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.4 mi from the office. 30 people were hurt.

Most were side impacts. On a fresh green, look both ways before you go, and never try to beat the lights.

D

Shattuck Ave and Haste St

27 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.8 mi from the office. 30 people were hurt.

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 18.

E

Ashby Ave and Martin Luther King Junior Way

27 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.2 mi from the office. 39 people were hurt.

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 9.

Crashes located within about 100 feet of each junction. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.

Booked your Oakland road test?

See routes from real Oakland tests

Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 6 routes recorded from real tests at Oakland DMV, with turn-by-turn voice directions on your phone.

QR code: get the Driving Test Routes app

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Oakland driving test questions

Where does the Oakland 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 Broadway, Martin Luther King Junior Way, West MacArthur Blvd. Routes recorded from real Oakland tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.

Are these the real Oakland test routes?

No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Oakland'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 Oakland's roads tricky for learners?

Within 2 miles of the office, 25 miles of streets are one-way; Claremont Avenue is up to 4 lanes wide; there are 247 sets of traffic lights within 2 miles.

Which junctions near Oakland DMV have the most crashes?

Ashby Ave and San Pablo Ave (33), Ashby Ave and Shattuck Ave (31), Ashby Ave and Sacramento St (27), counting crashes from 2021 to 2025.

How do I book a drive test at Oakland DMV?

Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Oakland as your office. Book on the DMV website.

Oakland DMV office information

Address

5300 Claremont Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618

Phone: (800) 777-0133

Book a drive test

Opening hours

Monday8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Friday8:00 am to 5:00 pm
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

Hours can change on holidays. Check the DMV's Oakland page before you go.

Directions in Google Maps

Nearby offices

Services at Oakland 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