Free California CDL Air Brakes Test 2025

Planning to drive commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) equipped with air brakes? Our practice materials prepare you for the California CDL Air Brake DMV test so you can pass on the first attempt. Without passing, your CDL will include an “L” restriction, banning you from operating CMVs with air brakes. Since most semi-trucks and tractor-trailers use air brakes, the air brakes qualification is essential for employment. In California, steep grades (Sierra Nevada) and tight curves (I-80 and I-50, especially) make the air brakes qualification a practical necessity. The coastal cliffs and hills along Highway 1 feature narrow, winding roads and steep cliffs, and even urban traffic congestion requires air brakes for larger rigs. Not having this certification severely limits you as a CMV driver.

Industries across the Golden State rely on drivers with the air brake qualification: technology (Silicon Valley), entertainment (Hollywood, Los Angeles), agriculture (fruits, vegetables, wine), manufacturing (electronics, aerospace, construction), and tourism (beaches, national parks, and cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco). Key companies include trucking outfits like XPO Logistics (San Bernardino) and Swift Transportation (Los Angeles). Charter bus companies, including Greyhound Lines (Los Angeles, San Francisco) and Coach USA (San Francisco), require air brake certification. Buses used in California’s school districts use air brakes. Agricultural companies like California Fresh (Salinas) and Produce Express (Sacramento) rely on qualified drivers. Construction and heavy equipment companies, like Bechtel and Turner Construction, do likewise. Simply put, the “L” restriction makes operating CMVs equipped with air brakes illegal, thus limiting your job prospects.

There are two parts to the DMV test, which covers parts of an air brake system, effective operation, and air-brake inspection procedures. The skills test requires you to physically inspect an air brake system, identify its components, and operate a vehicle equipped with air brakes. This test includes checking air pressure, testing the brakes for leaks, and more. The multiple-choice written knowledge test requires a score of at least 80% (20 out of 25) to pass and features questions directly from material found in the state’s official CDL manual (California CDL Handbook 2025).

Our CDL Air Brakes Practice Tests mimic the content and format you will face on the official DMV written test. Additionally, our practice test questions and answers provide responses in real time, which has been scientifically proven to speed the learning process and increase your confidence in passing the official exam.