SAN FRANCISCO—The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has sent letters to thousands of drivers asking them to retake and pass their written tests in 30 days or lose their driver licenses due to suspected cheating.
Approximately 11,000 Californians have been notified, according to the DMV, which stated that it had “identified anomalies in the results of certain knowledge tests.”
“Through our routine internal monitoring, we reviewed multiple data points and found patterns suggesting that some individuals may have attempted to circumvent the testing process using various cheating methods,” a DMV spokesperson wrote in a July 15 email to The Epoch Times.
“Although these particular test results have been identified as potentially problematic, receipt of a notice alone does not indicate a final determination that cheating occurred in that instance,” the spokesperson added.
California resident Jiwon Kim got such a letter unexpectedly a few weeks ago. Her husband called the DMV, but it could not provide a specific explanation of why she was selected.
She retook the test, but it did not go well.
“During the exam, a DMV employee stood behind me the entire time,” Kim wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.
She was not allowed to use her phone to review materials when she was waiting for a technical glitch to be resolved.
Kim passed the road sign section but failed the knowledge section, and her driver license was immediately confiscated by the DMV employee, she said.
“As someone who never cheated and who spent extra time studying to legitimately pass the original exam, this experience has been devastating,” Kim said.
She said she passed the written test in 2025 to obtain a REAL ID, following two failed attempts.
“If I had cheated, I would not have failed twice before finally passing after spending more time studying,” said Kim.
Currently, Kim has no valid driver license and is required to reapply, she said. As a result, the process of her being added to her company’s commercial auto insurance so she could drive a company vehicle has been delayed.
State Senator Dave Cortese wrote a letter to DMV director Steve Gordon on July 10, stating that “actions that place a driver’s license at risk should be supported by clear, objective, and transparent processes.”
“While I appreciate that certain aspects of an ongoing investigation may be confidential, transparency regarding DMV’s methodology and procedural safeguards is critical to maintaining public confidence,” Cortese, who is chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said in the letter, adding that the DMV’s action has caused concern among affected Californians.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on June 29 that the state is partnering with artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic to expand the use of AI tools within government agencies. In the announcement, he stated that the “CA DMV is using Claude to improve customer service and lower wait times.”
The DMV told The Epoch Times: “These irregularities are test taker related and not the result of an internal DMV technical issue, or involvement of artificial intelligence. Ensuring the integrity of the knowledge testing process is essential to public safety and to confirm that drivers understand California’s rules of the road.”
The DMV said it would not reveal the methods it used to investigate the suspected cheating, in order to avoid compromising the investigative process.
“Several cases have been referred to county district attorneys for prosecution,” the DMV stated.
