Kester Ave and Vanowen St
On Stages 1 and 2 and 3.
Heading north on Kester Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading south on Kester Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading north, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
California › Driving test routes › Van Nuys DMV
California DMV
Van Nuys DMVDriving Test Practice Routes
14920 Vanowen Street, Van Nuys, CA 91405
Within two miles of Van Nuys DMV there are 137 sets of traffic lights and 139 all-way stops. The office is on Vanowen Street, signed at 35 mph.
Start with the practice routes just below, then see how far a test can reach and how you'll leave the office.
Van Nuys road test practice routes
Practice loops that start and finish at the DMV, each built from Van Nuys'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: Quieter streets
The quietest streets near the office, around Friar St. This area is busy, so even this loop meets some traffic lights.
- Length
- 3.1 mi
- Approx. time
- 12 min
- Turns
- 12
- 5 sets of lights, with 1 left turn at them
- 7 all-way stops
- 1 stop sign
- 2.0 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 (13 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head west on Vanowen Street. 0.6 mi Straight through 3 sets of lights.
- Turn left onto Peach Avenue. 0.1 mi
- At the all-way stop, turn left onto Lemay Street. 0.1 mi
- At the stop sign, turn right onto Sepulveda Boulevard. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Kittridge Street. 0.1 mi
- At the all-way stop, turn right onto Columbus Avenue. 0.3 mi
- Turn left onto Friar Street. 0.7 mi
- Turn left onto Vesper Avenue. 0.3 mi Straight through 1 set of lights and 2 all-way stops.
- At the all-way stop, turn left onto Haynes Street. 0.1 mi
- At the all-way stop, turn right onto Cedros Avenue. 0.2 mi Straight through 1 all-way stop.
- Turn left onto Archwood Street. 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto Kester Avenue. 350 ft
- At the lights, turn left onto Vanowen Street and return to the DMV. 300 ft
Stage 2: Stop signs and lights
Along Kester Ave and Tyrone Ave, with 17 sets of lights and 9 all-way stops.
- Length
- 4.6 mi
- Approx. time
- 17 min
- Turns
- 8
- 17 sets of lights, with 3 left turns and 3 right turns at them
- 9 all-way stops
- 1 stop sign
- Not covered: multi-lane roads
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 (9 steps)
- Leave the DMV and head east on Vanowen Street. 300 ft
- At the lights, turn right onto Kester Avenue. 1.0 mi Straight through 4 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto Oxnard Street. 0.7 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- Turn left onto Tyrone Avenue. 1.0 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights and 8 all-way stops.
- At the lights, turn left onto Vanowen Street. 350 ft
- At the lights, turn right onto Lennox Avenue. 0.5 mi Straight through 1 all-way stop.
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Sherman Way. 0.7 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto Kester Avenue. 0.5 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, turn right onto Vanowen Street and return to the DMV. 300 ft
Stage 3: Test-ready loop
Everything together over about 7 miles, including Sherman Way and Kittridge St.
- Length
- 6.9 mi
- Approx. time
- 22 min
- Turns
- 16
- 16 sets of lights, with 3 left turns and 2 right turns at them
- 6 all-way stops
- 3 stop signs
- Multi-lane driving on Sherman Way
- 0.9 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 west on Vanowen Street. 0.2 mi
- At the lights, turn right onto Noble Avenue. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Bassett Street. 0.2 mi Straight through 1 all-way stop.
- At the stop sign, turn right onto Sepulveda Boulevard. 0.6 mi Straight through 1 set of lights.
- At the lights, turn left onto Valerio Street. 0.2 mi
- At the all-way stop, turn right onto Orion Avenue. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Cohasset Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn right onto Firmament Avenue. 0.1 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Saticoy Street. 0.1 mi
- Turn left onto Haskell Avenue. 0.3 mi
- Turn right onto Leadwell Street. 0.3 mi
- At the stop sign, turn left onto Gloria Avenue. 0.2 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto Sherman Way. 2.3 mi Straight through 7 sets of lights.
- At the lights, turn right onto Hazeltine Avenue. 0.7 mi Straight through 2 sets of lights.
- Turn right onto Kittridge Street. 1.0 mi Straight through 1 set of lights and 4 all-way stops.
- Turn right onto Kester Avenue. 0.2 mi
- At the lights, turn left onto Vanowen Street and return to the DMV. 300 ft
Where the Van Nuys 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
- 81sets of traffic lights
- 93all-way stops
- 12schools
Main roads in the area: Sherman Way, Van Nuys Blvd, Vanowen St, Kester Ave, Victory Blvd, Sepulveda Blvd, Tyrone Ave and Valerio 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 Van Nuys DMV
The parking lot and the first junction are the only parts of the route you can be sure of. The office is on Vanowen 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
West to Noble Ave
0.2 mi along Vanowen St to Noble Avenue, where there are lights.
2
East to Kester Ave
300 ft along Vanowen St to Kester Avenue, where there are lights.
The roads around Van Nuys DMV
What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.
137
Sets of traffic lights
Most are on Van Nuys Blvd and Vanowen St.
139
All-way stops
Tyrone Ave has 12 of them.
21
Schools
The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.
2 mi
One-way streets
Check the arrows before every turn, and start from the correct side of the road.
2
Roundabouts
Give way to traffic already in the roundabout and signal as you leave.
6 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 Van Nuys DMV.
- Every loop
Parking lot driving
The DMV lot itself, at the start and end of every test - Stage 2
Stopping at all-way stops
Tyrone Ave, 8 in a row - Stage 3
Lights you drive straight through
Sherman Way: 7 sets of lights in 2.3 mi - Stage 2
Left turn at lights
From Kester Ave onto Oxnard St - Stage 2
Left turn without lights
From Oxnard St onto Tyrone Ave, giving way to oncoming traffic - Stage 2
Right turn at lights
From Vanowen St onto Kester Ave - Stage 3
Lane changes
Sherman Way, a multi-lane road - Stage 1
Residential streets
Friar 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 Sherman Way
Score sheet sections from California DMV form DL 32. Places from OpenStreetMap.
Which lane do I need near Van Nuys 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.
Kester Ave and Oxnard St
On Stage 2.
Heading north on Kester Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading south on Kester Ave
Left, straight, straight
Heading north, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
Tyrone Ave and Vanowen St
On Stage 2.
Heading west on Vanowen St
Left, straight, straight
Heading east on Vanowen St
Left, straight, straight
Heading west, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
Kester Ave and Sherman Way
On Stage 2.
Heading east on Sherman Way
Left, straight, straight, straight
Heading west on Sherman Way
Left, straight, 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 Van Nuys road test?
See routes from real Van Nuys tests
Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 5 routes recorded from real tests at Van Nuys 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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Van Nuys driving test questions
Where does the Van Nuys 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 Sherman Way, Van Nuys Blvd, Vanowen St. Routes recorded from real Van Nuys tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.
Are these the real Van Nuys test routes?
No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Van Nuys'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 Van Nuys's roads tricky for learners?
Within 2 miles of the office, there are 137 sets of traffic lights within 2 miles; there are 139 all-way stops.
How do I book a drive test at Van Nuys DMV?
Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Van Nuys as your office. Book on the DMV website.
Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys page before you go.
Nearby offices
- Winnetka DMV7.2 mi
- Glendale DMV10.2 mi
- Hollywood DMV10.5 mi
Services at Van Nuys DMV
- Behind-the-wheel drive tests
- Written knowledge 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