9338 S Painter Avenue, Whittier, CA 90605
Within two miles of Whittier DMV there are 107 sets of traffic lights, 46 all-way stops and 20 railroad crossings. Painter Avenue runs close to the office, up to 5 lanes wide in places and 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 Whittier'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 Mystic St and Greening Ave, with few 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 Gunn Ave and Mulberry Dr, with 13 sets of lights and 2 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 Painter Ave and Laurel Ave.
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: Whittier Blvd, Mulberry Dr, Painter Ave, Telegraph Rd, Santa Fe Springs Rd, Slauson Ave, Carmenita Rd and Lambert Rd.
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 S Painter Avenue.
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.
200 ft along Painter Ave to Mulberry Drive, where there are lights. 39 crashes were recorded there from 2021 to 2025.
0.2 mi along Painter Ave to Carmenita Road, where there are lights.
What you'll be dealing with near the office, counted from map data within 2 miles.
Most are on Greenleaf Ave and Painter Ave.
Wardman St has 6 of them.
The limit near a school drops to 25 mph when children are around.
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.
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.
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 Whittier 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 1 and 2.
Heading northeast, use the left-turn lane for left turns and either straight-ahead lane to go through.
On Stages 1 and 2 and 3.
Heading southwest, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
On Stage 2.
Heading northwest, there's no separate right-turn lane, so turn right from the right-hand lane.
On Stage 2.
Heading southeast, 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 2,233 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.
Share of the 2,188 crashes where a cause was recorded. Other causes made up the remaining 6%. About 33% 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.
92 crashes from 2021 to 2025
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 13.
42 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 6.
39 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.
37 crashes from 2021 to 2025
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 7.
32 crashes from 2021 to 2025
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 7.
Crashes located within about 100 feet of each junction. Source: California Crash Reporting System, California Highway Patrol, via data.ca.gov.
Booked your Whittier road test?
Once you're confident on these loops, the Driving Test Routes app has 6 routes recorded from real tests at Whittier 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 Whittier Blvd, Mulberry Dr, Painter Ave. Routes recorded from real Whittier tests are in the Driving Test Routes app.
No. Our practice routes are loops we planned from Whittier'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, there are 20 railroad crossings within 2 miles; Painter Avenue is up to 5 lanes wide; there are 107 sets of traffic lights within 2 miles.
Telegraph Rd and Florence Ave (92), Slauson Ave and Norwalk Blvd (42), Mulberry Dr and Painter Ave (39), counting crashes from 2021 to 2025.
Book online through the California DMV appointments page, choosing Whittier 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 Whittier page before you go.