r/CaliforniaDMV

My daughter got her learners permit on her 15 1/2 birthday (exactly 6 months before her 16th birthday). Can she take her drivers test on her 16th birthday (it'son a weekday)? I heard from some parents that it had to be 6 months plus one day, but I can't find anything online or in the handbook to verify that, I'm only seeing the verbiage "six months".

hello I need help lol please bare with me. Backstory:

-I was a travel nurse/contractual employee originally from Florida working in California from 2021 to 2024, with breaks in between where I was not working in CA for a full year

-shipped my FL car to California and have been using that for transportation here. Currently have FL Insurance and registration

-Officially moved into a California apartment 2024 and got a full-time job

-I have not updated my DL/Registration/Insurance to CA yet. Irresponsible on my end I admit.

-Tragic events happened to my FL home and therefore I need to update my car registration due to FL home not being there anymore (expires 11/2026). Since I need to update my car registration, I have to update my DL and Car insurance.

-Im still under car insurance with my mom/dad back home in FL, who have moved to a different home in FL (idk if this info is necessary). Car insurance expires in September and parents want to remove me from their insurance because my DL doesn't match their new FL home.

-Did research and I read I need to have a SMOG test on my car (Toyota RAV4 2019), I did that during my routine car inspection here in CA but it was done in January 2026.

Ok so now I applied online for a DL and set up an appointment next week. I already uploaded the information they asked online (Passport, Utility bills, Paystub). Im prepping for the DMV test to take in person.

Now my question is really the Car insurance/registration and any penalties I should expect:

-Should I get a CA Insurance first and then get my car registered? or vice versa?

-If the first step is getting my car registered - will they asked if I'm CA Insured or it doesn't matter for now

-Do I get the same insurance company from my FL insurance or get a completely different company for CA insurance? What's the best steps to approach this because I read that I can get severe penalties if I cancel my FL insurance first or tell my current FL insurance that Im already in California and ask to switch to CA insurance

-Will my SMOG test done in 1/2026 be qualified or do I need to repeat another SMOG test?

-How much should I expect to pay in fines/penalties for waiting this long? Is there any way to avoid it (ie not telling the DMV how long I was really staying here)

thanks so much for your help and I understand how irresponsible it is to wait this long but Im owning up to it and I just want to know what to expect with everything

Thank you!

Can we talk about how stupid it is that when you submit an online release of liability through the CA DMV site, they expect you to print it out for your records right away? They do not email you a confirmation or copy and there is no way to access it after you close the window.

If you need to request an official copy after the fact, they make you pay $20 and you have to wait 4-6 weeks for it to be mailed to you, so good luck if you receive a parking ticket. I think it’s extremely dated and annoying that they have this system in place.

Hi everyone,

My CDL was downgraded under the new rules, and the DMV gave me a 90-day paper license while I waited for my new physical license card. The 90 days have now expired, but I still haven’t received my new card.

Has anyone else been in the same situation? What happens when the temporary/paper license expires before the new card arrives?

If you’ve gone through this recently, I’d really appreciate hearing what you did and how long it took to receive your new card. Thanks

I just got my id and in my photo all you can see is my face, not my neck or the top of my head. I thought the id photo need to be from the neck up. Should I contact customer service or accept my horrible luck ???

https://preview.redd.it/mxjmxrqijojh1.jpg?width=415&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e491b35f116bcd410d8c105c98789b2428c9ae2

Edit : this is basically how I look in the photo just without the glasses and smaller eyebrows

Hi!

Can someone help me practice driving near the Oceanside DMV area?

I am an adult with a valid CA learner's permit. I know how to drive but just need to build some confidence and to get to know the DMV area a bit ahead of my road test. I am taking official driving lessons from a school but just wanted to drive a bit on the side to gain confidence.

I do not have a car so I would need to practice in your car- can pay/hour.

Please DM. Thanks.

I am hoping there might be someone on here that is VERY knowledgeable about DMV forms and protocol. Yes I have contacted the DMV and been given instructions, but I have spoken to a few people, and the info is always slightly different. I have no room for error. Its a little complex so bear with me.

So, my car was stolen 2 weeks ago, and I need the title before insurance can pay out. I never received the title after paying off the loan. (my bad). I purchased the car in California, and then I moved to Texas. I am in Texas now.

I have to do this all by mail, which will take 4-6 weeks IF I get it exactly right the first time.

I was told to fill out DMV 14 form (change of address form) along with Reg 227 (Replacement Title form) along with Lien release from my lender.

On form 227 it says "If your address is different than what appears on our records, you must file this application in person" But the DMV customer support did not mention this. Will sending the change of address form (DMV 14) alongside, fix this issue of needing to come in person? I have spoken to 2 DMV people and they both just said to send in these 2 forms, I did not ask about the in person note yet because support is closed by the time I noticed it.

Out of curiosity, would it be totally bad idea to not do the change of address form, fill out the Reg 227 with old address as if I live there (there is a space for different mailing address, so if I did this I should still receive it.) I just really need this to go without any hiccups. I am carless until I figure it out, and I am teacher who just started school and cannot afford to take the time from work to go to California.

If that is confusing at all please ask for clarification.

Hey everyone! I’m taking my California behind-the-wheel test at the Quincy DMV soon and was wondering if anyone here has taken the test there recently.

I’m mainly looking for any information that could help me prepare:

• What route did they take you on?
• Are there any specific roads/intersections I should practice?
• What maneuvers did they have you do (3-point turn, backing, parallel parking, etc.)?
• Anything unusual about the Quincy test compared with other California DMVs?
• Any tips or advice for the actual test?
• If you’ve taken it recently, who was your examiner, and how was the experience?

I’m mostly used to urban driving, so I’m especially curious about what to expect with the roads around Quincy.

Any firsthand experiences, routes, tips, or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I’m in California and sold my old Prius in a private sale.
I filed the DMV Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL) online the same day, and DMV records confirm that the vehicle was sold and the release of liability is on file.
The problem is that the buyer apparently never completed the title transfer.
Since then, the car has repeatedly used the 91 Express Lanes, and the toll violation notices keep getting mailed to me because DMV still shows me as the registered owner.
I’ve called 91 Express Lanes multiple times. Every time they verify that I sold the car and remove the charges. I now have a case number with them, but they told me they cannot permanently stop future notices from being generated.
There were also more than $200 in outstanding tolls/penalties associated with the vehicle.
I contacted the buyer several times asking them to finish the transfer. When they previously told me there was a smog issue, I even offered to cancel the sale, refund the money, and take the car back. They refused and kept the car. Now they have stopped responding completely.
What makes the situation stranger is that after the sale I discovered that the buyer’s Facebook Marketplace account appears to list a lot of used cars, many marked sold, and also advertises temporary California plates/registration services. I have no idea whether they are licensed, so I’m not claiming they are doing anything illegal — I submitted that information to DMV and asked them to investigate.
So far I have:
• Filed the NRL on the date of sale
• Obtained DMV records showing the Release of Liability
• Disputed the 91 Express Lane violations
• Filed an online complaint with DMV Investigations
• Filed INV 172A (Record of Complaint) with DMV’s Involuntary Transfer Section and received fax delivery confirmation
• Saved all messages, sale documents, toll notices and Marketplace screenshots
At this point I’m mainly worried that the car is still being driven while the DMV title remains under my name, and I’m tired of having to deal with toll notices every time someone uses the car.
Has anyone dealt with this before?
Did INV 172A / the Involuntary Transfer Section eventually get the car removed from your name?
How long did DMV take to respond?
Is there anything else I can legally do to force the ownership record to be corrected?
Would filing a non-emergency police report for possible title/registration fraud actually help, or would police just send me back to DMV?
I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who has dealt with a buyer who simply never transferred a California title.

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?

Hello everyone , so pretty much my boyfriend got pulled over going 118 mph on the freeway a few months ago and in result his license was suspended thru the dmv. His license was obviously suspended due to reckless driving and the speed , it’s been suspended since the end of June a little over a month , I was wondering if anyone knew if he was able to apply for a restricted license and if so how ? I tried looking it up but the process is a little confusing. To be clear he needs the restricted license to go to work 4 days out of the week. Thank you in advance for any help.

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 examiner 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. Whilst 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?

Hey guys, I’m taking my DMV written test tomorrow. What should I do? I feel like I’ve already memorized all the DMV questions.

I received my CDL renewal letter in the mail. The letter tells me to fill out my renewal application online and schedule an appointment. It also says that I have to take a hazmat test and a vision test. I filled out my application and went to schedule my appointment. Still, it only popped up my local DMV in Davis, CA (non-commercial DMV), so I ended up booking an appointment at my local DMV. I double-checked and made sure I chose the commercial license renewal. I just wanted to make sure my local DMV provided that service; I don't want to show up and be turned away. I'd rather drive and wait for the commercial DMV in West Sacramento since I have to take a day off work to renew my license. If anyone knows if it's possible, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I was just wondering since technically her exact name doesn't match the one on my birth certificate, and if I need to bring anything else to clarify.

Hi everyone,

My NON-REAL ID CA license is up for renewal and expires in October 2026. I'm getting married in June 2027, when I'll also be updating my address and changing my last name.

I do not have a Real ID - my last renewal I did online to avoid the DMV hassle, and I've always had a valid Passport which doesn't expire for 4 more years so I've never seen the point.

I got my renewal notice in the mail today and have the option to renew my NON REAL ID online OR go in person to get a Real ID.

I was going to get a Real ID this time around, because my picture has also been the same one since I got permitted at 15 (now turning 25 lol).... but.... the DMV is a pain.

When I get married and file for a name change, I have to apply for a new license, I have to finish the process in person, and I can apply for a Real ID then as well. So regardless of what I do now, in order to change my name I have to apply for a whole new license.

So, please confirm for my own validation lol - it makes the most sense (for convenience) to renew online now, and then wait on a Real ID until I change my last name next July? I just don't want to go to the DMV twice in 1 year if I don't have to, and I wanted to make sure this makes sense to everyone?