A rite of passage for many California teens is returning at the end of this week.
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles is planning to work through its backlog of behind-the-wheel driver’s license tests beginning Friday.
The department closed all field offices and canceled all appointments in late March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some offices were reopened in May and the rest resumed operations earlier this month, but behind-the-wheel testing has not been part of the equation since mid-March.
First-time drivers and those seeking commercial licenses will be able to get behind the wheel for their tests. The DMV will work through its three-month backlog of tests over the course of “several weeks,” according to a release.
The DMV is shortening the tests and expanding hours to work through that backlog.
Both the applicants and the DMV-employed examiners will be required to wear face masks. Examiners will also wear gloves and place plastic covers on the passenger seat and floorboard as precaution against the virus.
The release also noted that drivers will be asked to lower two windows to increase air flow in the car, and more elements of the test — such as pre-test instructions — will come outside the car.
Temperature checks will be required in five Southern California counties at the start — a policy that will eventually spread statewide.
If your driver’s permit has expired, you’ll need to fill out an application online and check in 30 minutes before your appointment.
For more information, visit the DMV website.
