After months of closure, California is finally reopening road tests for drivers' licenses. With thousands of cancelled appointments to get through, it is likely to be a long process, but the DMV is doing what they can to keep appointments safe while moving through as many appointments as possible. We stopped by a DMV in Oakland, California to learn about the safety protocols and changes to the test to accommodate COVID-19, and what is like to get your license in California in the midst of the pandemic. Here's what we learned!

Appointments Were Rescheduled Suddenly

After waiting months from his cancelled appointment, one test taker we spoke to said he was called on short notice to come to the DMV and take his test. A new appointment was made for him automatically. He was excited to do his exam, but surprised to be called in.

Test Taking Process Has Changed

The test-taking process is very different than it was just a few months ago to accommodate COVID. In Southern California, temperatures are being checked before tests and everyone is to wear protective gear. In Northern California, temperatures are not being checked, but test takers, licensed drivers and examiners are all wearing protective gear.

Test takers we spoke to were told when they arrived to park their cars in the back parking lot of the DMV and come inside the building and stay six feet away from staff. Once inside, their license and registration were checked as well as their appointment time; then they were told to bring their vehicle to the reserved lane for drivers' tests and wait in the car for the examiner.

Besides the actual driving, the test was conducted outside the vehicle; examiners offer pre-test instructions from outside the car. The test is shorter than it was before the pandemic, with most tests completed in about fifteen minutes. However, tests are not conducted on a closed course or at the DMV alone; test takers will be asked to take their cars around the neighborhood surrounding the testing site.

Examiners Are Wearing Full Protective Gear

Rather than just wearing masks, as they are in some other states, at the California DMV examiners are wearing full protective gear from head to toe, including gowns over their clothing, gloves, and face coverings.

The test takers are required to keep open two windows of their car for ventilation, and for the protection of the examiner tests will not be conducted until the test taker is properly masked with the mask covering their nose and mouth.

The test taking process for California drivers is much different than it was before COVID-19, but the same skills are being tested, including road driving. Sanitation and safety are high priorities for the DMV, and if you're coming for your road test it's important to make sure you are properly social distancing and wearing your mask to prevent risk to others as well as delays in your test.