East Market St and North Main St
On Stage 2.
Heading southwest on North Main St
Left or straight, straight
Heading southwest, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
California › Driving test routes › Salinas DMV
California DMV
Salinas DMVDriving Test Practice Routes
260 E Laurel Drive, Salinas, CA 93906
Within two miles of Salinas DMV there are 82 sets of traffic lights. About 11 miles of streets are one-way. The office is on East Laurel Drive, up to 4 lanes wide in places.
Start with the practice routes just below, then see how far a test can reach and how you'll leave the office.
Salinas road test practice routes
Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Salinas'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 Elwood St and Loma Dr, with no traffic lights. Start here for your first few drives.
- Length
- 1.7 mi
- Approx. time
- 6 min
- Turns
- 10
- 6 stop signs
- 1.5 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 (11 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head west on East Laurel Drive. 100 ft
- Turn right onto Loma Drive. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto Elwood Street. 0.4 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Tampico Avenue. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Rainier Drive. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Linwood Drive. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto Reata Street. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Maryal Drive. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto Elwood Street. 300 ft
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Loma Drive. 0.1 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto East Laurel Drive and return to the DMV. 100 ft
Stage 2: Stop signs and lights
Along West Rossi St and North Main St, with 13 sets of lights.
- Length
- 5.4 mi
- Approx. time
- 16 min
- Turns
- 10
- 13 sets of lights, with 2 left turns and 3 right turns at them
- 3 stop signs
- Multi-lane driving on North Main 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 (14 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head east on East Laurel Drive. 200 ft
- At the lights, turn right onto Maryal Drive. 0.5 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto East Bernal Drive. 0.4 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto North Main Street. 0.9 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, continue onto Salinas Street. 300 ft
- Turn left onto Central Avenue. 250 ft
- At the stop sign, turn right onto Main Street. 450 ft
- At the stop sign, turn left onto East Gabilan Street. 350 ft
- Turn left onto Monterey Street. 0.2 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- Continue onto North Main Street. 0.1 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto West Rossi Street. 1.1 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto North Davis Road. 0.7 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto West Laurel Drive. 0.9 mi Straight through 4 sets of lights.
- At the lights, continue onto East Laurel Drive and return to the DMV. 0.3 mi
Stage 3: Test-ready loop
Everything together over about 7 miles, including East Laurel Dr and Natividad Rd.
- Length
- 7 mi
- Approx. time
- 20 min
- Turns
- 14
- 11 sets of lights, with 2 left turns and 1 right turn at them
- 6 stop signs
- Multi-lane driving on East Laurel Dr
- 0.8 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 (15 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head east on East Laurel Drive. 3.3 mi Straight through 5 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn right onto Natividad Road. 0.9 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto Los Coches Avenue. 0.2 mi
- Turn left onto Humboldt Drive. 250 ft
- Turn right onto Yreka Drive. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Klamath Drive. 250 ft
- At the stop sign, turn right onto Calaveras Drive. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto El Dorado Drive. 0.2 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Harden Parkway. 0.5 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto McKinnon Street. 0.4 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto East Alvin Drive. 0.3 mi
- Turn right onto Linwood Drive. 0.5 mi
- Turn right onto Elwood Street. 300 ft
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Diablo Drive. 0.1 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto East Laurel Drive and return to the DMV. 0.1 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
Where the Salinas 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
- 50sets of traffic lights
- 19schools
Main roads in the area: North Main St, Natividad Rd, East Laurel Dr, North Davis Rd, East Boronda Rd, Constitution Blvd, Harden Pkwy and West Laurel Dr.
Drive times are our estimates from speed limits, with time added for lights and stops. They aren't DMV figures.
Leaving and returning to Salinas DMV
The parking lot and the first junction are the only parts of the route you can be sure of. The office is on E Laurel Drive.
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
East to Maryal Dr
200 ft along East Laurel Dr to Maryal Drive, where there are lights.
2
West to North Main St
0.3 mi along East Laurel Dr to North Main Street, where there are lights.
The roads around Salinas DMV
What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.
82
Sets of traffic lights
Most are on North Main St and East Market St.
26
Schools
The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.
11 mi
One-way streets
Check the arrows before every turn, and start from the correct side of the road.
1
Railroad crossing
Look both ways, never stop on the tracks, and wait if there isn't room on the other side.
2
Roundabouts
Give way to traffic already in the roundabout and signal as you leave.
32 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 Salinas DMV.
- Every loop
Parking lot driving
The DMV lot itself, at the start and end of every test - Stage 3
Lights you drive straight through
East Laurel Dr: 5 sets of lights in 3.3 mi - Stage 2
Left turn at lights
From East Bernal Dr onto North Main St - Stage 2
Left turn without lights
From Salinas St onto Central Ave, giving way to oncoming traffic - Stage 2
Right turn at lights
From East Laurel Dr onto Maryal Dr - Stage 3
Lane changes
East Laurel Dr, a multi-lane road - Stage 1
Residential streets
Elwood 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 North Main St
Score sheet sections from California DMV form DL 32. Places from OpenStreetMap.
Which lane do I need near Salinas 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.
North Davis Rd and West Rossi St
On Stage 2.
Heading northeast on North Davis Rd
Straight, straight, right
Heading southwest on North Davis Rd
Straight, straight, left
Heading northeast, the far-right lane is for turning right only.
North Davis Rd and West Laurel Dr
On Stage 2.
Heading west on West Laurel Dr
Left, left, straight, straight
Heading south on North Davis Rd
Left, left, straight, straight
Two lanes turn left heading west. Start and finish the turn in the same lane.
East Laurel Dr and North Main St
On Stage 2.
Heading east on West Laurel Dr
Left, straight, straight
Heading east, 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 Salinas road test?
See routes from real Salinas tests
Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 5 routes recorded from real tests at Salinas 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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Salinas driving test questions
Where does the Salinas 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 North Main St, Natividad Rd, East Laurel Dr. Routes recorded from real Salinas tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.
Are these the real Salinas test routes?
No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Salinas'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 Salinas's roads tricky for learners?
Within 2 miles of the office, 11 miles of streets are one-way; East Laurel Drive is up to 4 lanes wide; there are 82 sets of traffic lights within 2 miles.
How do I book a drive test at Salinas DMV?
Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Salinas as your office. Book on the DMV website.
Salinas 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 Salinas page before you go.
Nearby offices
- Seaside DMV13.2 mi
- Watsonville DMV17.2 mi
- Hollister DMV17.6 mi
Services at Salinas 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