Need advice after failed DMV road test at Oceanside DMV- should I change location for retake to San Marcos?
So, I had my first road test at Oceanside DMV, and I failed it- I had one critical error, so it was an automatic fail within the first 5 mins. I was also very nervous, and i think the instructor was a bit frustrated overall, and my nervousness didn't help. He was not rude per say but his demeanour made me antsy overall.
It's a route I had practiced multiple times, and I am generally good at driving(my instructor, who is a family friend, mentioned this, and so did a neighbour who evaluated me before the test), but on the test, I missed a major road marking that said keep clear in front of a fire station. Because of this, I am thinking of hiring a driving school instructor for formal sessions.
I need to ask people if they'd recommend taking the test again at Oceanside or would they recommend changing the location to San Marcos. The advantage of Oceanside is that I know the area and route and I have never been to San Marcos, so I am unfamiliar with that route. But at the same time, some people tell me San Marcos- its easier to pass the test- is that true?
Posted Aug 14, 2026, 12:38 AM UTC