Call Kurtis: DMV field offices are out of drivers handbooks
People with upcoming DMV written and behind-the-wheel tests are struggling to get their hands on a physical California Drivers Handbook.
We've heard of people driving from office to office to find one, only to hear employees from DMV field offices say they've been out of the handbooks for some time. A digital version is available online, but this poses a problem for people who are not comfortable with a computer, especially senior citizens.
Two days after we reached out to the DMV, they responded with these statements.
While the DMV strives to get the latest version of the California Driver's Handbook out to our offices around the first of the year, the 2023 version experienced a major revision including combining the Parent-Teen Training Guide, the Senior Guide for Self-Driving, Preparing for Your Supplemental Driving Performance Evaluation and Driving Test Criteria handbooks into one handbook. It is important to note that the questions on the DMV knowledge test have not changed and the information contained in the 2022 version of the California Driver's Handbook is still valid and can still be used to prepare for both the knowledge test and the behind the wheel test.
Copies of the 2023 California Driver's Handbook are currently being printed. Field offices throughout California will be receiving copies in the upcoming weeks.
The California Driver's Handbook is also available on the DMV website in eight languages including English, American Sign Language (ASL), Armenian, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
The new 2023 California Driver's Handbook combined the Parent-Teen Training Guide, the Senior Guide for Self-Driving, Preparing for Your Supplemental Driving Performance Evaluation and Driving Test Criteria handbooks into one handbook, reducing the total page count to 96 pages. This is expected to save at least 20 tons of paper per year.
I pressed the DMV on what if anything they'll do for those who have tests coming up, but can't access a physical copy. We are awaiting their response.