2850 Santa Maria Way, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Within two miles of Santa Maria DMV there are 62 sets of traffic lights, 12 all-way stops and 15 railroad crossings. About 18 miles of streets are one-way. South Broadway runs close to the office, signed at 40 mph.
Start with the practice routes just below, then see how far a test can reach and how you'll leave the office.
Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Santa Maria'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.
Mostly residential streets around West Boone St and Park Ave, with no traffic lights. Start here for your first few drives.
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.
Along East Main St and East Stowell Rd, with 11 sets of lights and 1 all-way stops.
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.
Everything together over about 6 miles, including South College Dr and South Broadway.
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.
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.
Main roads in the area: Miller St, South Broadway, West Main St, South College Dr, South Bradley Rd, South Blosser Rd, North College Dr and East Main St.
Drive times are our estimates from speed limits, with time added for lights and stops. They aren't DMV figures.
The parking lot and the first junction are the only parts of the route you can be sure of. The office is on Santa Maria Way.
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.
100 ft along South McClelland St to West Boone Street.
0.2 mi along South McClelland St to East Cook Street, where there are lights.
What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.
Most are on South Broadway and East Main St.
Palisade Dr has 4 of them.
The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.
Check the arrows before every turn, and start from the correct side of the road.
Look both ways, never stop on the tracks, and wait if there isn't room on the other side.
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.
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 Santa Maria DMV.
Score sheet sections from California DMV form DL 32. Places from OpenStreetMap.
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.
On Stages 2 and 3.
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.
Recorded causes of the 3,032 crashes on local roads within 2 miles of the office from 2021 to 2025, leaving out freeways. Too fast for conditions and unsafe turn or lane change top the list.
Share of the 2,968 crashes where a cause was recorded. Other causes made up the remaining 5%. About 35% of these crashes happened after dark. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.
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.
37 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 9.
34 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 7.
30 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 4.
30 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 4.
25 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.
Crashes located within about 100 feet of each junction. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.
Booked your Santa Maria road test?
Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 5 routes recorded from real tests at Santa Maria DMV, with turn-by-turn voice directions on your phone.
On a computer?Scan with your phone's camera to get the app.
Your first week is free.
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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 Miller St, South Broadway, West Main St. Routes recorded from real Santa Maria tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.
No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Santa Maria's street data to cover the skills on the test. They're for practice, not a copy of the DMV's routes.
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.
Within 2 miles of the office, 18 miles of streets are one-way; there are 15 railroad crossings within 2 miles; there are 62 sets of traffic lights within 2 miles.
East Betteravia Rd and South Broadway (37), South Broadway and Battles Rd (34), West Main St and South Blosser Rd (30), counting crashes from 2021 to 2025.
Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Santa Maria as your office. Book on the DMV website.
| 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 Santa Maria page before you go.