Chapter 9: Vision Requirements
What the Test Measures
The DMV vision screening checks three things: sharpness of vision (acuity), how wide an area you can see without turning your head (peripheral field), and whether you can distinguish red from green, since that distinction is load-bearing for reading traffic signals correctly.
- Acuity: at least 20/40 vision, corrected if necessary
- Field of view: roughly 70 degrees of horizontal vision
- Color vision: ability to tell red and green apart
If You Wear Glasses or Contacts
Bring your corrective lenses to the test — you're allowed and expected to wear them. If you pass only with correction, your license will carry a restriction requiring you to wear glasses or contacts any time you drive, and driving without them becomes a citable offense even if you can technically see well enough to get by.