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California Licensing Education · Private education provider

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California dealer prelicensing education.

Prepare for the responsibilities of a used-vehicle or wholesale-only dealership. Explore the scope of our 33-module course draft, from choosing a license type to documenting a vehicle sale.

In development. Public enrollment is closed.

The dealer course is a private draft, not an approved class. Reviewing it earns no official credit or dealer education certificate.

The current private review portal and draft outlines are in English. This public information page does not establish approval for a dealer course or Spanish-language instruction.

Authorized reviewer sign-inSee the outline
Original course draft
33 modules
Focus
First dealer license
Practice
Cases & checks
Access today
Private review

Learn the work behind the license.

The draft follows the decisions a dealer makes before opening, when acquiring inventory, and during each sale.

  1. Set up the business.

    Retail and wholesale license types, location requirements, application and renewal preparation, special plates, and branch locations.

  2. Understand the vehicle.

    Safety equipment, repairs, odometer information, stolen-vehicle checks, smog, branded titles, vehicle history, and disclosure duties.

  3. Handle the transaction.

    Advertising, the Buyer’s Guide, consignment, contracts, cancellation options, service contracts, financing disclosures, and repossession topics.

  4. Keep a complete record.

    Reports of sale, tax and fee handling, transfers, reassignment forms, temporary plates, prohibited activities, and enforcement.

Build an application you can check.

This draft focuses on used-vehicle and wholesale-only dealer preparation. Start with OL 248B, the used/wholesale-only checklist. The OL 248A checklist is for a new-vehicle dealer application.

A wholesale-only dealer sells to other licensed dealers, not to the retail public. Confirm the license category for the business you intend to operate.

DMV application guide

  1. Complete the required education.

    For the used/wholesale-only route, verify the provider, course type, and delivery method with DMV before enrolling. Keep the official completion certificate for the application.

  2. Pass the DMV written examination.

    The DMV exam is separate from the provider’s course and any practice questions. Follow DMV’s examination instructions for the used/wholesale-only application.

  3. Submit the business application.

    Reconcile business and owner names and gather the records required by your checklist. Use DMV Occupational Licensing services and confirm the current instructions for each supporting document.

  4. Follow the inspection instructions.

    After processing the application, DMV provides instructions for scheduling the business-location inspection. Completing a course or submitting an application does not authorize dealer operations.

Prelicensing questions.

What this program covers, how private review works, and which steps remain official DMV processes.

Is this an approved dealer prelicensing course?

Not yet. These are original course drafts for private review. We do not represent dealer-provider or course approval, and no official education certificate is issued. Our traffic-school license E1008 does not authorize dealer education.

Who is dealer prelicensing for?

This program is being prepared for people pursuing a California used-vehicle or wholesale-only dealer license. The applicable requirements depend on the license and business activity. Use the DMV vehicle dealer licensing page to confirm your route.

Do I need this to work as a salesperson?

A dealership license and a salesperson license are different. If you will sell vehicles or contracts for a dealer, or supervise those sales, check the DMV vehicle salesperson licensing requirements. This dealer course draft does not provide a salesperson license.

Can I take the required class online here?

No official class is currently available here. In the DMV provider directory, the online/home-study column concerns continuing education. It does not establish approval for online prelicensing or Spanish instruction here. Confirm the provider, specific class, and delivery method with DMV before enrolling.

Does passing the practice test give me a dealer license?

No. Practice questions are learning tools. The required education, provider-issued certificate, DMV written examination, application review, location inspection, and licensing decision are separate steps. Our drafts do not replace any of those official steps.

How do I access the draft lessons?

Authorized staff and reviewers can sign in to the private curriculum portal. The prelicensing link on this page selects the prelicensing track. The portal includes lessons, worked cases, formative questions, bookmarks, and saved review notes.

Do you file the dealer application for me?

No. Preparation checklists and draft records do not submit an application. Use DMV Occupational Licensing services for an official application, and confirm the required documents and fees with DMV.

What if I already hold a dealer license?

You may need continuing education instead. Our dealer renewal program has a separate set of compliance cases and is also in private draft review.

Start with the official sources.

Program and source links reviewed . Provider approval, course approval, and a dealer license are separate authorizations.