Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.
The director shall administer and enforce the provisions of this code relating to the department.
Article 2 - Powers and Duties
California Vehicle Code — §§ 1650-1685.1
Sections (53)
Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 594, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2004.
(a)The director may adopt and enforce rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this code relating to the department.
(b)Rules and regulations shall be adopted, amended, or repealed in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 584, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1995.
Whenever in the judgment of the department, any person has engaged, or is about to engage, in any acts or practices that constitute, or will constitute, an offense against Division 5 (commencing with Section 11100) by engaging in any act subject to license requirements without having obtained a license, the department may apply to the appropriate court for an order enjoining the acts or practices, and, upon showing by the department that the person has engaged, or is about to engage, in any of those acts or practices, an injunction, restraining order, or other order that may be appropriate shall be granted by the court, including the costs incurred by the department in obtaining the order.
Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 47, Sec. 1. (AB 2141) Effective January 1, 2021.
It is the policy of this state to recognize the training and experience that individuals gain while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. In furtherance of this policy, the department, in conjunction with the military services of the United States, shall develop policies to assist persons who are leaving active duty to obtain commercial driver’s licenses. These policies shall not waive any requisites or examinations required by law for a commercial driver’s license. Except as otherwise authorized, these policies shall specify how this
training and experience may be used to obtain these licenses. The department shall consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs before adopting these policies. The department shall perform the duties required by this section within existing budgetary resources of the agency within which the department operates.
Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 169, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.
(a)The director may assign or reassign dates for the expiration of registration for a vehicle registered pursuant to this code. The director may establish a registration year for any vehicle consisting of any period from seven months to 18 months, inclusive, with subsequent renewals being required at yearly intervals thereafter. The director shall assign an expiration date of the last day of the calendar month to all trailers and to all motor vehicles subject to additional fees under the provisions of Section 9400. Any vehicle being registered on a quarterly basis shall be assigned or reassigned an expiration date of December 31 for the registration year. The director shall have the authority to exclude from year-round registration any type of vehicle that the director deems appropriate for exclusion.
(b)In order to implement a year-round registration for vehicles registered pursuant to the International Registration Plan as described in Article 4 (commencing with Section 8050) of Chapter 4 of Division 3, the director, on or before January 1, 2009, shall assign or reassign a date for the expiration of registration of those vehicles described in this subdivision and may utilize the applicable practices and procedures set forth under subdivision (a) in order to implement this subdivision.
Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 830, Sec. 1.
(a)The department shall prescribe and provide suitable forms of applications, certificates of ownership, registration cards, drivers’ licenses, and all other forms requisite or deemed necessary for the purposes of this code and shall prepay all transportation charges thereon.
(b)The department may require that any application or document filed with the department be signed and submitted under penalty of perjury.
Amended by Stats. 1961, Ch. 58.
The department shall examine and determine the genuineness and regularity of every application or document filed with it under this code and may require additional information or reject any such application or document if not satisfied of the genuineness and regularity thereof or the truth of any statement contained therein.
Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 371.
The director may purchase or lease such real estate and erect such buildings as the department or any of its divisions require, subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.
Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 615, Sec. 18. Effective January 1, 2005.
(a)The director and deputy director of the department, the Deputy Director, Investigations Division, the Chief, Field Investigations Branch, and the investigators of the department, including rank-and-file, supervisory, and management personnel, shall have the powers of peace officers for the purpose of enforcing those provisions of law committed to the administration of the department or enforcing the law on premises occupied by the department.
(b)Any person designated in subdivision (a) may inspect any vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code, or any component part thereof, in any garage, repair shop, parking lot, used car lot, automobile dismantler’s lot, steel mill, scrap metal processing facility, or other establishment engaged in the business of selling, repairing, or dismantling vehicles, or reducing vehicles or the integral parts thereof to their component materials for the purpose of investigating the title and registration of the vehicle, inspecting wrecked or dismantled vehicles, or locating stolen vehicles.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 254, Sec. 1. (AB 174) Effective September 23, 2021.
The department shall publish a synopsis or summary of the laws regulating the operation of vehicles and the use of the highways and may deliver a copy of the synopsis or summary without charge with each original vehicle registration and each original driver’s license. The department shall publish
as many copies of the synopsis or summary in Spanish as the director determines are needed to meet the demand for those copies. The department shall furnish both English and Spanish copies to its field offices and to law enforcement agencies for general distribution and, when it does so, shall furnish the copies without charge.
Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 332, Sec. 2. (AB 2537) Effective January 1, 2023.
The Department of Justice shall, in conjunction with the department and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, develop and create a video demonstrating the proper conduct by a peace officer and an individual during a traffic stop. The department shall post this video on its internet website.
Repealed (in Sec. 19) and added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 20. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016. Section operative January 1, 2017, by its own provisions.
(a)The department shall prepare and publish a printed summary describing the penalties for noncompliance with Sections 16000 and 16028, which shall be included with each motor vehicle registration, registration renewal, and transfer of registration and with each driver’s license and license renewal. The printed summary may contain, but is not limited to, the following wording:
California law requires every driver to carry written evidence of valid automobile liability insurance, a $35,000 bond, a $35,000 cash deposit, or a certificate of
self-insurance that has been issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
You must provide evidence of financial responsibility when you renew the registration of a motor vehicle, and after you are cited by a peace officer for a traffic violation or are involved in any traffic accident. The law requires that you provide the officer with the name and address of your insurer and the policy identification number. Your insurer will provide written evidence of this number. Failure to provide evidence of your financial responsibility can result in fines of up to $500 and loss of your driver’s license. Falsification of evidence can result in fines of up to $750 or 30 days in jail, or both, in addition to a one-year suspension of driving privileges.
Under existing California law, if you are involved in an
accident that results in damages of over $1,000 to the property of any person or in any injury or fatality, you must file a report of the accident with the Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days of the accident. If you fail to file a report or fail to provide evidence of financial responsibility on the report, your driving privilege will be suspended for up to four years. Your suspension notice will notify you of the department’s action and of your right to a hearing. Your suspension notice will also inform you that if you request a hearing, it must be conducted within 30 days of your written request, and that a decision is to be rendered within 15 days of the conclusion of the hearing.”
(b)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.
Repealed (in Sec. 3) and added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 805, Sec. 4. (AB 2773) Effective January 1, 2023. Operative January 1, 2024, by its own provisions.
(a)The department shall include within the California Driver’s Handbook, as specified in Section 1656, information regarding each of the following:
(1)Rail transit safety.
(2)Abandonment or dumping of any animal on a highway.
(3)The importance of respecting the right-of-way of others, particularly pedestrians, bicycle riders, and motorcycle riders.
(4)A person’s civil rights during a traffic stop. The information shall address the extent and limitations of a peace officer’s authority during a traffic stop and the legal rights of drivers and passengers, including,
but not limited to, the right to file complaints against a peace officer. The information to be included in the handbook shall be developed by the civil rights section of the Department of Justice in consultation with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, and civil rights organizations, including community-based organizations.
(5)The requirement that a peace officer disclose the reason for a traffic or pedestrian stop before engaging in questioning related to a criminal investigation or traffic violation, unless the officer reasonably believes that withholding the reason for the stop is necessary to protect life or property from imminent threat, and the requirement for the officer to document the reason for the stop on any citation or police report resulting from the stop.
(b)In
order to minimize costs, the information referred to in paragraphs (4) and (5) of subdivision (a) shall be initially included at the earliest opportunity when the handbook is otherwise revised or reprinted.
(c)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2024.
Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 722, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.
(a)The department, in consultation with the Department of Consumer Affairs, shall make available on its Internet web site, on or before July 1, 1997, information to assist consumers who plan to purchase a vehicle or who have purchased a vehicle. The information shall, at a minimum, contain the names, addresses, electronic addresses, and telephone numbers of all of the following:
(1)State and federal government agencies that deal with consumer affairs and vehicles.
(2)Vehicle arbitration services.
(3)Consumer organizations that provide information and direct assistance to consumers with vehicle concerns.
(b)Money deposited in the Consumer Fraud Protection Program Fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the consumer protection activities of the department, including, but not limited to, expenditures by the department to comply with the requirements specified in subdivision (a).
Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 407, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2008.
(a)The Legislature finds that the department, by virtue of its interaction with millions of California drivers and vehicle owners each year, represents a valuable resource for the disbursement of important public safety and consumer information.
(b)The department may enter into a contract with a private vendor for the purpose of acquiring and utilizing message display systems. These systems may be used on the department’s mailings or other property owned, leased, or controlled by the department. The information displayed shall be of appropriate benefit to the motoring public and the state’s consumers, as determined by the department.
(c)A vendor under contract with the department may utilize a portion of the available time and space on the display systems that it provides for the purpose of advertising products or services. The advertising on a message display system shall not exceed 15 minutes in a 60-minute period. The extent of the access shall be established under the terms of the contract.
(d)The department shall determine whether a vendor’s advertised product or service is consistent with and appropriate to the best interests of the motoring public. The department shall not enter into a contract with a vendor whose advertised product or service the department determines is not consistent with or appropriate to the best interests of the motoring public.
Amended by Stats. 1971, Ch. 438.
The director may assign qualified employees of the department to advise with the State Board of Education and with the governing boards of districts maintaining secondary schools in the preparation, establishment, and conduct of courses in automobile driver education and automobile driver training in secondary schools under the provisions of the Education Code.
Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.
The department may pay membership fees, join, and participate in affairs of associations having for their purpose the interchange of information relating to the registration of vehicles and the issuance of operators’ licenses, financial responsibility, and subjects relating to highway safety and to the powers and duties of the department.
Added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 447.
The department may develop criteria, establish standards for, and coordinate a program of motor vehicle driver education and motor vehicle driver training for drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked.
The purpose of the program shall be to promote safe driving. To carry out this purpose the department may seek the advice or cooperation of the schools, courts, and other interested persons.
Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 460, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2002.
(a)Any institution or organization described in subdivision (o) of Section 286 shall keep the following records for not less than three years:
(1)The name and address of each vehicle donor and the year, make, vehicle identification number, and, if available, the license plate number of the donated vehicle.
(2)An itemized listing by vehicle identification number of the date each vehicle was donated, the date sold, and the amount for which it was sold.
(3)If the donated vehicle is being sold by an institution or organization on behalf of another institution or organization pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (o) of Section 286, the following documentation shall be retained in the following manner:
(A)A signed, written agreement shall remain on the premises that identifies the percentage of the proceeds that may be retained by the selling institution or organization, a statement that each vehicle meets, or, unless sold at wholesale, by the time of sale will meet, the equipment requirements of Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), and a statement that each vehicle is in compliance, or, unless sold at wholesale, at the time of sale will be in compliance, with emission control certification requirements pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 44015 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B)A separate listing that identifies each vehicle by year, make, and vehicle identification number.
(C)All itemized listings pursuant to subparagraph (D) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (o) of Section 286.
(D)The selling institution or organization shall retain all documentation pertaining to the sale of vehicles on behalf of another institution or organization in the same manner as is required for the sale of vehicles donated to the selling institution or organization.
(b)The department may inspect the records of any nonprofit institution or organization that obtains donated vehicles in order to ascertain whether it meets the conditions specified in subdivision (o) of Section 286.
Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 21, Sec. 2. (SB 94) Effective May 4, 2011.
(a)Except for vehicles registered pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 9700) of Chapter 6 of Division 3, the department shall notify the registered owner of each vehicle of the date that the registration renewal fees for the vehicle are due, at least 60 days prior to that due date. The department shall indicate the fact that the required notice was mailed
by a notation in the department’s records.
(b)The department shall include in any final notice of delinquent registration provided to the registered owner of a vehicle whose registration has not been properly renewed as required under this code, information relating to the potential removal and impoundment of that vehicle under subdivision (o) of Section 22651.
(c)Commencing on May 1, 2011, subdivision (a) shall not apply to vehicles with registration expiring on or after July 1, 2011. This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 1, 2012.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 254, Sec. 2. (AB 174) Effective September 23, 2021.
(a)The department shall, in the synopsis or summary of laws regulating the operation of vehicles and the use of the highways published under Section 1656, provide a warning which states that, in certain accidents, the lack of a shoulder harness may cause, or aggravate, serious and fatal injuries, especially to the head, spinal column, and abdominal organs.
(b)This section does not limit or impair the rights or remedies that are otherwise available to any person under existing law.
Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1133, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1995.
The department shall publicize the Safe Streets Act of 1994 when mailing vehicle registrations, driver’s licenses, and driver’s license suspension and revocation notices, and in other educational materials made available by the department.
Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 57.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department by rule or regulation may provide for the issuance and renewal on a two-year basis of licenses or other indicia of authority issued pursuant to this code by the department or any agency in the department.
The department may, by rule or regulation, set the fee for such two-year license, certificate of registration, or other indicia, not to exceed twice the annual fee for issuance or renewal set by statute.
This section shall not apply to any driver’s license or vehicle or vessel license or certificate of registration issued pursuant to this code.
Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 254, Sec. 3. (AB 174) Effective September 23, 2021.
The department shall do all of the following:
(a)Include at least one question in each test of an applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the provisions of this code, as administered pursuant to Section 12804.9 or 12814, to verify that the applicant has read and understands the table of blood alcohol concentration published in the Driver’s Handbook made available pursuant to Section 1656. In order to minimize costs, the question or questions shall be initially included at the earliest opportunity when the test is otherwise revised or reprinted.
(b)Include with each driver’s license or certificate of renewal and each vehicle registration renewal mailed by the department, information that shows with reasonable certainty the amount of alcohol consumption necessary for a person to reach a 0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration by weight.
(c)Include at least one question in each test of an applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the provisions of this code as administered pursuant to Section 12804.9 or 12814, to verify that the applicant has read and understands the rights of pedestrians. In order to minimize costs, the question or questions shall be initially included at the earliest opportunity when the test is otherwise revised or reprinted.
Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 485, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2006.
Upon updating the California Driver’s Handbook, the department shall include at least one question in any of the noncommercial driver’s license examinations, as administered under Section 12804.9, of an applicant’s knowledge and understanding of this code, to verify that the applicant has an understanding of the risks and punishments associated with eluding a pursuing officer’s motor vehicle.
Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 300, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2002.
The department shall include, on a rotating basis, at least one question in at least 20 percent of the tests of an applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the provisions of this code, as administered pursuant to Section 12803 or 12814, to verify that the applicant has read and understands that the abandonment or dumping of any animal is a criminal offense that can create a severe traffic safety hazard.
Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 124, Sec. 1. (AB 1925) Effective January 1, 2019.
The department shall include, on a rotating basis, at least one question in at least 20 percent of the tests of an applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the provisions of this code, as administered pursuant to Section 12803 or 12814, to verify that the applicant has read and understands that driving with an unsafe, unsecured load, such as driving with ladders, buckets, and loose items in the back of a pickup truck, is a violation of law, including, but not limited to, Sections 23114, 23115, and 24002, and may create a severe traffic safety hazard for other motorists.
Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1192, Sec. 31.1. Effective January 1, 1995. Operative on date prescribed by Sec. 32 of Ch. 1192. Inoperative five years after operative date. Repealed on January 1 after inoperative date, by its own provisions.
(a)As part of its motor vehicle registration and registration renewal process, other than upon the initial registration of a new motor vehicle, the department shall inform motor vehicle owners of the vehicle smog indexing program. That notice shall be in the form developed by the State Air Resources Board in consultation with the department pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 44254 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b)This section shall become inoperative five years from the date determined pursuant to Section 32 of the act adding this section, and on the January 1 following that date is repealed.
Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1360, Sec. 1.5.
(a)The department may provide fingerprint service to the general public. When that service is provided, the department shall charge a fee of not less than five dollars ($5) for each person fingerprinted.
(b)Whenever the department submits the fingerprints of an applicant for a license or certificate to the Department of Justice, and is required to pay a fee pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code, the department, without the necessity of adopting regulations, shall charge the applicant a fee sufficient to reimburse the department for that fee.
Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 786, Sec. 1.
It is the intent of the Legislature that the department implement procedures to ensure, to the fullest extent permitted by the resources made available to it, that any person who is requesting services relating to registration of vessels or vehicles, or who is applying for an original or renewal of a driver’s license or identification card, will not be required under normal circumstances to wait in any one line for service longer than one-half hour during the department’s published or posted hours of operation. Every office of the department shall have posted, at or near the entrance thereto, its hours of operation.
Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 106, Sec. 164.
A licensee issued an occupational license by the department and conducting more than one type of business from an established place of business shall provide a clear physical division between the types of business involving vehicles or their component parts. The established place of business shall be open to inspection of the premises, pertinent records, and vehicles by any peace officer during business hours.
Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 538, Sec. 653. Effective January 1, 2007.
(a)The established place of business of a dealer, remanufacturer, remanufacturer branch, manufacturer, manufacturer branch, distributor, distributor branch, automobile driving school, or traffic violator school shall have an office and a dealer, manufacturer, or remanufacturer shall also have a display or manufacturing area situated on the same property where the business peculiar to the type of license issued by the department is or may be transacted. When a room or rooms in a hotel, roominghouse, apartment house building, or a part of any single- or multiple-unit dwelling house is used as an office or offices of an established place of business, the room or rooms shall be devoted exclusively to and occupied for the office or offices of the dealer, manufacturer, manufacturer branch, remanufacturer, remanufacturer branch, distributor, distributor branch, automobile driving school, or traffic violator school, shall be located on the ground floor, and shall be so constructed as to provide a direct entrance into the room or rooms from the exterior of the building. A dealer who does not offer new or used vehicles for sale at retail, a dealer who has been issued an autobroker’s endorsement to his or her dealer’s license and who does not also sell motor vehicles at retail, or a dealer who is a wholesaler involved for profit only in the sale of vehicles between licensed dealers, shall have an office, but a display area is not required.
(b)The established place of business of an automobile dismantler shall have an office and a dismantling area located in a zone properly zoned for that purpose by the city or county.
Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 405, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2004.
(a)The department shall make available, in the public area of each office of the department where applications for driver’s licenses or identification cards are received, space for a sign or notice briefly describing the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 7150) of Part 1 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code) and information about the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and about how private donations may be made.
(b)The department shall make available to the public in its offices a pamphlet or brochure providing more detailed information on the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry and information about how private donations may be made.
(c)The signs, notices, pamphlets, and brochures specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be provided without cost to the department by responsible private parties associated with the anatomical gift program.
Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 887, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1999.
(a)The director shall determine the date when the department’s inventory of driver’s license and identification card forms, as that inventory exists in accordance with the law in effect on December 31, 1998, has been depleted.
(b)The director shall make written notification of the date determined under subdivision (a) to the following persons:
(1)The Secretary of State.
(2)The Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation.
(3)The Chair of the Assembly Committee on Transportation.
(c)The written notice required under subdivision (b) shall state that it is being submitted in accordance with this section.
Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 887, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1999.
For purposes of providing a means of identifying persons who have elected to make an anatomical gift under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 7150) of Part 1 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code), the department shall design the driver’s licenses and identification cards in order that a sticker may be affixed to the licenses and cards. The sticker shall indicate a person’s willingness to make an anatomical gift, and shall be affixed with a substance that is resistant to any unintentional removal.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 31, Sec. 3. Effective June 8, 2000.
For the purposes of refunding the smog impact fee, as prescribed in Sections 1673.2 and 1673.4, “registered owner or lessee” means the person or persons to whom the registration or title was issued when the transaction that included the imposition of the smog impact fee under Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 6261) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code was completed.
Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 719, Sec. 64. (SB 856) Effective October 19, 2010.
(a)The department, in coordination with the Department of Finance, shall do all of the following:
(1)Search its records to identify the registered owner or lessee. Except as required under Section 1673.4, the department shall mail to the registered owner or lessee a refund notification form notifying the registered owner or lessee that he or she is eligible for a refund of the smog impact fee. This form shall identify the vehicle make and year, and include a refund claim that shall be signed, under penalty of perjury, and returned to the department.
(2)Shall acknowledge by mail claims for refund from registered
owners or lessees received prior to the effective date of this section.
(3)Except as provided in Section 1673.4, shall verify whether the information provided in any claim is true and correct and shall refund the three hundred dollar ($300) smog impact fee, plus the amount of any penalty collected for late payment of the smog impact fee, and any interest earned on those charges, to the person shown to be the registered owner or lessee.
(b)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, interest shall be paid on all claims at a single annual rate, calculated by the Department of Finance, that averages the annualized interest rates earned by the Pooled Money Investment Account for the period beginning October 1990 and ending on the effective date of this section. Interest on each refund shall be calculated from the date the smog impact fee and vehicle registration transaction was
completed to the date the refund is issued. Accrual of interest shall terminate one year after the effective date of this section.
(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, those who paid the smog impact fee between October 15, 1990, and October 19, 1999, may file a claim for refund.
(2)Claims for refund by a registered owner or lessee shall be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles within three years of the effective date of this section.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 31, Sec. 5. Effective June 8, 2000.
(a)Any claim submitted by a person other than a registered owner or lessee shall be filed within 30 days from the effective date of this section.
(b)If a claimant other than the registered owner or lessee files a claim, or has filed a claim prior to the effective date of this section, for refund in a manner and form verified by the department, the department shall mail a notification to the registered owner or lessee informing that person that he or she is eligible for a refund of the smog impact fee and that a competing claim for that fee has been filed. The registered owner or lessee shall have three years from the effective date of this section to inform the department that the registered owner or lessee opposes payment of the smog impact fee refund to the competing claimant. In that case, the refund shall be made to the registered owner or lessee and notice of that action shall be sent to the competing claimant. If the registered owner or lessee does not notify the department within the three-year period that he or she opposes the payment, the department shall pay the refund to the competing claimant.
(c)If any refund paid by the department under this section is disputed, any party that filed a claim may commence an action in small claims court. The small claims court action may not be filed if three years or more have elapsed from the date the department mailed the refund to either party.
(d)The State of California, its departments and agencies, and their officers or employees shall not be a party to a lawsuit between competing claimants relating to smog impact fee refunds.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 31, Sec. 6. Effective June 8, 2000.
The department shall attempt to recover any refund of the smog impact fee, or part thereof, that is erroneously made. Collection shall be initiated if the recipient fails to respond to the Department of Motor Vehicles’ notice to pay the erroneous refund within 90 days in accordance with existing collection procedures utilized by the department.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 31, Sec. 7. Effective June 8, 2000.
It is unlawful to use a false or fictitious name, to knowingly make any false statement, or conceal any material fact on a refund claim for the smog impact fee that is filed with the department. A violation of this provision is punishable under Section 72 of the Penal Code. Any signed claim form submitted to the department for a refund of the smog impact fee shall be signed under penalty of perjury.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 31, Sec. 8. Effective June 8, 2000.
(a)The department shall include the following notice with each check issued as a refund of the smog impact fee:
“The enclosed check is a refund of the $300 Smog Impact Fee you paid to the Department of Motor Vehicles when you initially registered an out-of-state vehicle in California. In the case of Jordan v. Department of Motor Vehicles (1999) 75 Cal.App.4th 449, the court ruled the smog impact fee unconstitutional. The enclosed check includes an interest payment which has been calculated from the date the fee was paid to the date the refund is issued.
“If you have any questions about the enclosed refund, please contact your local office of the Department of Motor Vehicles.”
(b)No notice other than the one required under subdivision (a) may be included with a smog impact fee refund check.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 985, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.
The department shall develop a program to foster a positive atmosphere that is conducive to encouraging drivers to succeed in passing any visual tests or written or behind-the-wheel driving tests administered by the department.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 985, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2001.
In order to address any conscious or unconscious bias against a driver by persons administering the department’s visual tests or written or behind-the-wheel driving tests, the department shall implement a component in its training and development program for test administrators that encourages sensitivity to the issues of youth and aging.
Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 985, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2001.
(a)The Legislature finds and declares that persons should be provided with transportation alternatives when their privilege to drive is lost because of failure to pass visual tests or written or behind-the-wheel driving tests. While a partial obligation for addressing this issue rests with families, communities, social service agencies, and local governments, the Legislature recognizes an obligation to promote, facilitate, and share in the funding of alternative modes of transportation for persons who have lost their driving privilege.
(b)Accordingly, it is the intent of the Legislature, not later than January 1, 2003, to provide an affordable and equitable mode of transportation to fulfill the reasonable transportation needs of persons who have lost their driver’s licenses due to a failure to pass a visual test or a written or behind-the-wheel driving test.
(c)In furtherance of the intent set forth in subdivision (b), the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency shall establish a task force to analyze potential sources of funding and modes of transportation for persons who have lost their driver’s licenses due to a failure to pass a visual test or a written or behind-the-wheel driving test. The Business, Transportation and Housing Agency shall prepare and submit a report on the findings of the task force to the Legislature not later than July 1, 2001.
Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 129, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.
(a)The director shall establish standards and develop criteria for the approval of initial and renewal driver improvement courses specifically designed for the safe driving needs of drivers who are 55 years of age or older, which shall be known as mature driver improvement courses.
(b)The curricula for the courses provided for in subdivision (a) shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following components:
(1)How impairment of visual and audio perception affects driving performance and how to compensate for that impairment.
(2)The effects of fatigue, medications, and alcohol on driving performance, when experienced alone or in combination, and precautionary measures to prevent or offset ill effects.
(3)Updates on rules of the road and equipment, including, but not limited to, safety belts and safe and efficient driving techniques under present day road and traffic conditions.
(4)How to plan travel time and select routes for safety and efficiency.
(5)How to make crucial decisions in dangerous, hazardous, and unforeseen situations.
(c)The initial mature driver improvement course shall include not less than 400 minutes of instruction, and shall not exceed 25 students per single day of instruction or 30 students per two days of instruction.
(d)Upon satisfactory completion of an initial mature driver improvement course, participants shall receive and retain a certificate provided by the department, awarded and distributed by the course provider, which shall be suitable evidence of satisfactory course completion, and eligibility for three years, from the date of completion, for the mature driver vehicle liability insurance premium reduction pursuant to Section 11628.3 of the Insurance Code.
(e)(1) The certificate may be renewed by successfully completing a subsequent renewal mature driver improvement course within one year of the expiration of the certificate, or if more than one year has elapsed since the expiration, a mature driver improvement course in accordance with the standards established in subdivision (c).
(2)The renewal mature driver improvement course shall include not less than 240 minutes of instruction.
(f)For the purposes of this section, and Sections 1676 and 1677, “course provider” means any person offering a mature driver improvement course approved by the department pursuant to subdivision (a).
Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 129, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007.
(a)A course provider conducting a mature driver improvement course pursuant to Section 1675 may charge a tuition not to exceed thirty dollars ($30).
(b)A course provider shall issue a receipt for the tuition it collects from an individual who registers for or attends a mature driver improvement course.
(c)The department shall charge a fee not to exceed three dollars ($3) for each completion certificate issued to a mature driver improvement course provider, pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 1675. The amount of the fee shall be determined by the department and shall be sufficient to defray the actual costs incurred by the department for administering the mature driver improvement program, for evaluating the program, and for any other activities deemed necessary by the department to assure high quality education for participants of the program. A course provider shall not charge a fee in excess of the fee charged by the department pursuant to this subdivision for furnishing a certificate of completion or duplicate thereof. The department shall transmit all fees it receives for deposit in the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund pursuant to Section 42270.
Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 739, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2002.
(a)The department may collect a fee, to be determined by the department, from each course provider who shall be responsible for the development and operation of a mature driver improvement course, for the approval of the course, but not to exceed the actual cost of approval of the course. The department shall transmit all fees it receives for deposit in the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund pursuant to Section 42270.
(b)Each course provider, who has received course approval from the department, is responsible for the delivery, instruction, and content of his or her mature driver improvement course.
(c)The department shall investigate claims of impropriety on the part of a course provider. The department may withdraw the approval of courses in violation of Section 1675 or 1676, as determined by the department, for just cause, including, but not limited to any of the following:
(1)Furnishing course completion certificates to course enrollees prior to, or in the absence of, completion of the curriculum specified in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 1675.
(2)Charging fees in excess of the amounts specified in subdivisions (a) and (c) of Section 1676.
(d)Mature driver improvement courses approved by the department shall continue to be approved until either of the following occurs:
(1)The course provider does not meet the conditions of approval.
(2)The department finds just cause to terminate the approval pursuant to subdivision (c).
Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 339, Sec. 4. (SB 838) Effective September 13, 2016.
(a)Between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2004, inclusive, the fee amounts set forth in Section 488.385 of the Code of Civil Procedure, Section 10902 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and Sections 4604, 5014, 5036, 6700.25, 9102.5, 9250.8, 9250.13, 9252, 9254, 9258, 9261, 9265, 9702, 11515, 11515.2, 14900, 14900.1, 14901, 14902, 15255.1, 15255.2, 38121, 38225.4, 38225.5, 38232, 38255, 38260, and 38265, and subdivision (b) of Section 9250, of this code, shall be the base fee amounts charged by the department.
(b)On January 1, 2005, and every January 1 thereafter, the department shall adjust the fees imposed under the sections listed in subdivision (a) by increasing each fee in an
amount equal to the increase in the California Consumer Price Index for the prior year, as calculated by the Department of Finance, with amounts equal to or greater than fifty cents ($0.50) rounded to the next highest whole dollar.
(c)Any increases to the fees imposed under the sections listed in subdivision (a) that are enacted by legislation subsequent to January 1, 2005, shall be deemed to be changes to the base fee for purposes of the calculation performed pursuant to subdivision (b).
Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 660, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2006.
On and after July 1, 2006, in any document mailed by the department that offers a person the opportunity to register to vote pursuant to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1973gg), the department shall include a notice informing prospective voters that if they have not received voter registration information within 30 days of requesting it, they should contact their local elections office or the office of the Secretary of State.
Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 608, Sec. 1. (AB 317) Effective January 1, 2020.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, or offer for sale, an appointment with the department.
(b)For purposes of this section, “appointment” means an arrangement to receive a government service at a specified time.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 16, Sec. 2. (SB 128) Effective June 27, 2025.
(a)In order to continue improving the quality of products and services it provides to its customers, the department, in conformance with Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, may establish contracts for electronic programs that allow qualified private industry partners to join the department in providing services that include processing and payment programs for vehicle registration and titling transactions, and services related to reporting vehicle sales and producing temporary license plates pursuant to Sections 4456 and 4456.2.
(b)(1) The department may enter into contractual agreements with qualified private industry partners. There are the following three types
of private industry partnerships authorized under this section:
(A) First-line business partner is an industry partner that receives data directly from the department and uses it to complete registration and titling activities for that partner’s own business purposes.
(B) First-line service provider is an industry partner that receives information from the department and then transmits it to another authorized industry partner.
(C) Second-line business partner is a partner that receives information from a first-line service provider.
(2)The private industry partner contractual agreements shall include the following minimum requirements:
(A)Filing of an application and payment of an
application fee, as established by the department.
(B)Submission of information, including, but not limited to, fingerprints and personal history statements, focusing on and concerning the applicant’s character, honesty, integrity, and reputation as the department may consider necessary.
(C)Posting a bond in an amount consistent with Section 1815.
(3)The department shall, through regulations, establish any additional requirements for the purpose of safeguarding privacy and protecting the information authorized for release under this section.
(c)(1) The director may establish, through the adoption of regulations, the maximum amount that a qualified private industry partner may charge its customers in providing the services
authorized under subdivision (a).
(2)On or before September 1, 2022, and each January 1 thereafter, the department shall adjust the amount determined pursuant to paragraph (1) in accordance with the most recent available data on growth in the California Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, except the initial adjustment made on or before September 1, 2022, shall be based on growth in the California Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers in the period since the end of the 2021 calendar year. The amount of the fee shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar, with amounts equal to, or greater than, fifty cents ($0.50) rounded to the next highest whole dollar.
(d)The department shall charge a three-dollar ($3) transaction fee for the information and services provided pursuant to subdivision (a). The private industry partner may pass on the transaction fee to the
customer, but the total charge to a customer may not exceed the amount established by the director under subdivision (c). The department may establish, through the adoption of regulations, exemptions from the transaction fee for transactions other than an original registration or transfer of ownership.
(e)All fees collected by the department pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be deposited in the Motor Vehicle Account. On January 1 of each year, the department shall adjust the fee in accordance with the California Consumer Price Index. The amount of the fee shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar, with amounts equal to, or greater than, fifty cents ($0.50) rounded to the next highest whole dollar.
(f)The department shall adopt regulations and procedures that ensure adequate oversight and monitoring of qualified private industry partners to protect vehicle owners from the
improper use of vehicle records. These regulations and procedures shall include provisions for qualified private industry partners to periodically submit records to the department, and the department shall review those records as necessary. The regulations shall also include provisions for the dedication of department resources to program monitoring and oversight; the protection of confidential records in the department’s files and databases; and the duration and nature of the contracts with qualified private industry partners.
(g)The department shall, annually, by October 1, provide a report to the Legislature that shall include all of the following information gathered during the fiscal year immediately preceding the report date:
(1)Listing of all qualified private industry partners, including names and business addresses.
(2)Volume of transactions, by type, completed by business partners.
(3)Total amount of funds, by transaction type, collected by business partners.
(4)Total amount of funds received by the department.
(5)Description of any fraudulent activities identified by the department.
(6)Evaluation of the benefits of the program.
(7)Recommendations for any administrative or statutory changes that may be needed to improve the program.
(h)Nothing in this section impairs or limits the authority provided in Section 4610 or Section 12155 of the Insurance Code.
(i)(1) Commencing July 1, 2025, in addition to, and in accordance with, the transaction fee described in subdivision (d), the department shall charge private industry partners a one-dollar ($1) transaction fee for the implementation of the private industry partners’ proportionate share of departmentwide system improvements. All fees collected by the department pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Motor Vehicle Account.
(2)(A) The fee required by this subdivision shall be discontinued when the director determines that sufficient funds have been received to pay for the system improvements as described in paragraph (1), or on December 31,
2028,
whichever occurs first. If sufficient funds are received first, the director shall execute a declaration making that determination, which shall be posted on the department’s internet website and retained by the director.
(B)This subdivision shall become inoperative when the declaration described in subparagraph (A) has been executed and posted, or on December 31, 2028, whichever occurs first.
Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 456, Sec. 1. (AB 2107) Effective January 1, 2017.
(a)In order to provide electronic vehicle registration services, the department may enter into an interstate carrier partnership, established under this section, with an interstate carrier partner, if the partner meets all of the following requirements:
(1)Agrees to provide electronic vehicle registration services capable of accepting, completing, and transmitting registration transaction data to the department using a departmental registration system or system approved by the department.
(2)Maintains, protects, and issues apportioned vehicle registration documents, and indicia as applicable on behalf of the department to its
customers.
(3)Demonstrates International Registration Plan knowledge proficiency, as determined by the department and established pursuant to subdivision (d).
(4)Meets qualification standards, as established by the department pursuant to subdivision (d).
(b)(1) The department may enter into contractual agreements with interstate carrier partners that utilize the departmental apportioned registration system or a system approved by the department. The following three types of partnerships are authorized under this section:
(A) A registration service, as defined in Section 505.2.
(B) A vehicle leasing company or vehicle rental company.
(C) A motor carrier association.
(2)For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(A)“Vehicle leasing company” or “vehicle rental company” means a transportation provider that rents commercial vehicles to the public.
(B)“Motor carrier association” means an association that represents interstate motor carriers for the purpose of providing apportioned registration services for its members.
(c)An interstate carrier partner applicant shall submit an application to the department on the form adopted by the department pursuant to subdivision (d). The applicant shall also include with the application any other information the department may require.
(d)The department may adopt regulations to carry out the purposes of this section, including, but not limited to:
(1)Program administration structure.
(2)Fees.
(3)Financial responsibility.
(4)Compliance requirements.
(5)Adequate oversight and monitoring.
(6)Safeguards for privacy and protecting information authorized for release under this section.
(7)Minimum transaction requirements.
(8)Performance standards to ensure accuracy
and efficiency.
(e)The director may establish, through the adoption of regulations pursuant to subdivision (d), the maximum amount that an interstate carrier partner may charge its customers in providing the services authorized under subdivision (a).