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California DMV

Pasadena DMVDriving Test Practice Routes

49 S Rosemead Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91107

Within two miles of Pasadena DMV there are 122 sets of traffic lights and 83 all-way stops. The office is on South Rosemead Boulevard, up to 5 lanes wide in places and signed at 40 mph. There are no roundabouts or railroad crossings nearby.

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

Pasadena road test practice routes

Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Pasadena'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 Pasadena DMVABCDEHuntington DrFoothill BlvdEast Colorado BlvdSouth Rosemead BlvdWest Huntington DrEast Foothill BlvdSouth Michillinda AveNorth Sierra Madre BlvdRosemead BlvdNorth Rosemead BlvdNorth Michillinda AveColorado StEast California BlvdSouth San Gabriel BlvdDMV
Practice loopLightsAll-way stopStop signHorse trailACrash hotspot
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Stage 1: Quiet streets

Mostly residential streets around Paloma Dr and Panorama Dr, with few traffic lights. Start here for your first few drives.

Length
3 mi
Approx. time
10 min
Turns
13
  • 2 sets of lights, with 1 right turn at them
  • 7 stop signs
  • Multi-lane driving on South Rosemead Blvd
  • 2.5 miles of residential streets
  • Junctions B and E below, among the busiest for crashes
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)
  1. Leave the DMV and head south on South Rosemead Boulevard. 0.2 mi
  2. Turn left onto Blanche Street. 0.3 mi
  3. At the stop sign, continue onto Paloma Drive. 0.5 mi
  4. Turn right onto North Golden West Avenue. 350 ft
  5. Continue onto South Golden West Avenue. 400 ft
  6. Turn right onto Panorama Drive. 0.5 mi
  7. At the stop sign, continue onto Sycamore Avenue. 0.3 mi
  8. At the stop sign, turn left onto Walnut Drive. 250 ft
  9. Turn right onto Oakdale Avenue. 100 ft
  10. At the stop sign, turn right onto South Rosemead Boulevard. 150 ft
  11. Turn left onto Thorndale Road. 0.2 mi
  12. At the stop sign, turn right onto South Lotus Avenue. 0.4 mi
  13. At the lights, continue onto North Lotus Avenue. 450 ft
  14. At the stop sign, turn right onto Walnut Avenue. 300 ft
  15. Turn right onto Fulton Avenue. 500 ft
  16. At the stop sign, turn left onto East Colorado Boulevard. 0.1 mi
  17. At the lights, turn right onto South Rosemead Boulevard and return to the DMV. 450 ft

Where the Pasadena 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.

Huntington DrFoothill BlvdEast Sierra Madre BlvdWest Huntington DrEast Colorado BlvdRosemead BlvdSouth Rosemead BlvdEast Foothill BlvdDMV
Under 2 min2 to 4 min4 to 6 min
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Within a 6-minute drive

  • 87sets of traffic lights
  • 25all-way stops
  • 12schools

Main roads in the area: Foothill Blvd, East Colorado Blvd, Huntington Dr, East Sierra Madre Blvd, Rosemead Blvd, East California Blvd, East Foothill Blvd and South Rosemead Blvd.

Drive times are our estimates from speed limits, with time added for lights and stops. They aren't DMV figures.

Leaving and returning to Pasadena DMV

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

12South Rosemead BlvdEast Colorado BlvdSouth Michillinda AveNorth Rosemead BlvdWalnut AveEast Del Mar BlvdDMV
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 East Colorado Blvd

450 ft along South Rosemead Blvd to East Colorado Boulevard, where there are lights. 32 crashes were recorded there from 2021 to 2025.

2

South to East Del Mar Blvd

0.2 mi along South Rosemead Blvd to East Del Mar Boulevard, where there are lights.

The roads around Pasadena DMV

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

122

Sets of traffic lights

Most are on East Colorado Blvd and East Foothill Blvd.

83

All-way stops

Hastings Ranch Dr has 5 of them.

23

Schools

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

2 mi

Horse trails

Expect riders near the road. Slow down and give them plenty of room.

4 mi

One-way streets

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

17 mi

Bike lanes

Check the bike lane before turning right, and enter it no more than 200 feet before the turn.

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 Pasadena DMV.

  • Parking lot driving

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

    Hastings Ranch Dr, 2 in a row
    Stage 2
  • Lights you drive straight through

    North San Gabriel Blvd: 2 sets of lights in 0.3 mi
    Stage 3
  • Left turn at lights

    From Rosemead Blvd onto East California Blvd
    Stage 2
  • Left turn without lights

    From South Michillinda Ave onto Landfair Rd, giving way to oncoming traffic
    Stage 2
  • Right turn at lights

    From West Huntington Dr onto Sunset Blvd
    Stage 2
  • Lane changes

    East Del Mar Blvd, a multi-lane road
    Stage 3
  • Residential streets

    Paloma Dr and the streets around it
    Stage 1
  • Freeway merging

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

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

Which lane do I need near Pasadena 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.

East Colorado Blvd and North Lotus Ave

On Stage 1.

Heading west on East Colorado Blvd
Left, straight, straight
Heading east on East Colorado Blvd
Left, straight, straight

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

East Colorado Blvd and South Rosemead Blvd

On Stages 1 and 2 and 3.

Heading north on South Rosemead Blvd
Left, left, straight, straight
Heading west on East Colorado Blvd
Left, straight, straight, right

Two lanes turn left heading north. Start and finish the turn in the same lane.

East California Blvd and Rosemead Blvd

On Stage 2.

Heading south on Rosemead Blvd
Left or reverse, straight, straight
Heading north on South Rosemead Blvd
Left or reverse, straight, straight

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

East California Blvd and South Michillinda Ave

On Stage 2.

Heading north on South Michillinda Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading northwest on Sunset Blvd
Left, straight, straight, right

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 Pasadena's roads

Recorded causes of the 996 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
34%
Too fast for conditions
18%
Not yielding
13%
Unsafe reversing or pulling out
11%
Stop sign violation
7%
Impaired driving
6%
Running a red light
6%
Following too closely
1%

Share of the 960 crashes where a cause was recorded. Other causes made up the remaining 4%. About 31% of these crashes happened after dark. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.

Pasadena 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

Huntington Dr and Rosemead Blvd

42 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.0 mi from the office. 23 people were hurt.

Many were sideswipes. Check your mirror and blind spot before changing lanes, and pick your lane early. Running a red light was the recorded cause in 9.

B

East Colorado Blvd and South Rosemead Blvd

32 crashes from 2021 to 2025

0.1 mi from the office. On Stage 1 and 2 and 3. 12 people were hurt.

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 4.

C

Rosemead Blvd and Duarte Rd

26 crashes from 2021 to 2025

1.5 mi from the office. 17 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.

D

East Colorado Blvd and North Michillinda Ave

23 crashes from 2021 to 2025

0.4 mi from the office. On Stage 2 and 3. 16 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.

E

Rosemead Blvd and Mountain View Ave

21 crashes from 2021 to 2025

0.3 mi from the office. On Stage 1 and 2. 6 people were hurt.

Many were sideswipes. Check your mirror and blind spot before changing lanes, and pick your lane early.

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

Booked your Pasadena road test?

See routes from real Pasadena tests

Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 5 routes recorded from real tests at Pasadena DMV, with turn-by-turn voice directions on your phone.

QR code: get the Driving Test Routes app

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Pasadena driving test questions

Where does the Pasadena 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 Foothill Blvd, East Colorado Blvd, Huntington Dr. Routes recorded from real Pasadena tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.

Are these the real Pasadena test routes?

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

Within 2 miles of the office, South Rosemead Boulevard is up to 5 lanes wide; there are 122 sets of traffic lights within 2 miles; there are 83 all-way stops.

Which junctions near Pasadena DMV have the most crashes?

Huntington Dr and Rosemead Blvd (42), East Colorado Blvd and South Rosemead Blvd (32), Rosemead Blvd and Duarte Rd (26), counting crashes from 2021 to 2025.

How do I book a drive test at Pasadena DMV?

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

Pasadena DMV office information

Address

49 S Rosemead Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91107

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 Pasadena page before you go.

Directions in Google Maps

Nearby offices

Services at Pasadena 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