California DMV · Class C · Based on the 2025 California Driver’s Handbook
California DMV Alcohol & DUI Practice Questions (2026)
DUI questions test BAC limits, implied consent, open-container rules, and the extra rules for drivers under 21. The core numbers: it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08% or higher if you are over 21, 0.04% or higher in a commercial vehicle or with a passenger for hire, and 0.01% or higher if you are under 21 or on DUI probation.
Free practice questions
1What is the penalty for drunk driving?
- A Suspension of driver's license for sixty days
- B Suspension of driver's license for thirty days
- C Suspension of driver's license, retaking the exam and passing it
- D Revocation of driver's license
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D — Correct. The handbook says that after a DUI conviction the DMV will suspend or revoke your driving privilege, and you must complete a DUI program and file an SR-22.
Why the other options are wrong
- A Incorrect. The handbook has no 60-day suspension rule; after a DUI conviction your driving privilege will be suspended or revoked for much longer than 60 days.
- B Incorrect. 30 days is only how long the temporary license issued at arrest is valid, not a penalty; a DUI suspension lasts much longer than 30 days.
- C Incorrect. The DUI penalty is not just "retake the test"; you must also complete a DUI program, file an SR-22, and may have to install an IID (ignition interlock device).
Handbook: §9 DUI convictions
2What does California law say about carrying alcoholic beverage containers in a vehicle?
- A An opened alcohol container must be kept in the trunk or somewhere passengers cannot access
- B As long as the driver isn't drinking, passengers may freely open and drink in the vehicle
- C Even unopened alcohol containers must be locked in the trunk to be legal
- D Carrying any alcoholic beverage in the car is illegal, whether opened or not
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A — Correct. The handbook says an opened container of alcohol must be kept in the trunk, or, in a vehicle without a trunk, somewhere passengers cannot reach.
Why the other options are wrong
- B Incorrect. This does not meet the handbook's requirement for where open containers must be kept; the storage rule applies no matter who is drinking.
- C Incorrect. The handbook's rule is about where opened containers are kept; there is no such mandatory storage rule for unopened containers.
- D Incorrect. The handbook does not prohibit carrying unopened alcoholic beverages; it only sets specific rules for where opened containers are kept.
Handbook: §9 Open alcohol containers
3What is the legal BAC limit for commercial drivers?
- A 0.01%
- B 0.04%
- C 0.08%
- D 0.10%
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B — Correct. Per the handbook, it is illegal to drive a vehicle that requires a commercial driver's license with a BAC of 0.04% or higher.
Why the other options are wrong
- A Incorrect. 0.01% is the limit for drivers under 21 or on DUI probation, not the standard for commercial vehicles.
- C Incorrect. 0.08% is the limit for ordinary drivers 21 and older; the standard for commercial vehicles is stricter.
- D Incorrect. 0.10% is not the legal limit for any class of driver in California.
Handbook: §9 Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits
Practice all 73 Alcohol & drugs questions
The full bank has 1,000+ questions across 15 topics, each explained option by option and available in 8 languages beside the original English.
What you need to know
- Illegal BAC limits: 0.08% or higher if over 21; 0.01% or higher if under 21 or on DUI probation; 0.04% or higher when driving a vehicle that requires a commercial license or carrying a passenger for hire. §9
- DUI laws cover alcohol and any drug that affects your driving, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines; you can be convicted of DUI even without a BAC measurement. §9
- By driving in California you consent to a breath, blood, or urine test if suspected of DUI; refusing leads DMV to suspend or revoke your driving privilege for one year. §9
- Alcohol or cannabis in a vehicle must be sealed and unopened; an opened container must be kept in the trunk or where passengers do not sit — not in the glove box. §9
- If arrested for DUI, the officer may take your license and issue a 30-day temporary license; you may request a DMV administrative hearing within 10 days of the arrest. §9
- A DUI conviction means a DUI program, an SR 22/SR 1P insurance certificate, possible ignition interlock device, up to six months in jail, and it stays on your record for 10 years. §9
- Drivers under 21 may not carry alcohol unless someone 21 or older is with them; if caught, the vehicle can be impounded for up to 30 days and the license suspended for one year. §9
- Under 21: a PAS result of 0.05% or higher can lead to a breath or blood test, and a DUI conviction with a BAC of 0.01% or higher can bring a one-year revocation. §9
Common traps on the test
- Choosing that a BAC below the legal limit means you are safe to drive — you can still be arrested and convicted if you are impaired.
- Thinking prescription or over-the-counter medicine does not count — the law makes no difference between illegal drugs and medicines that affect driving.
- Saying an open container may be kept in the glove box — it must be in the trunk or an area where passengers do not sit.
FAQ
What is the legal BAC limit for drivers under 21 in California?
0.01%. Drivers under 21 may not drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher, the same limit that applies to anyone on DUI probation.
What happens if you refuse a chemical test in California?
DMV will suspend or revoke your driving privilege for one year. Driving in California means you have consented to a breath, blood, or urine test if suspected of DUI.