There are 3 ways to check the status of your California driver’s license and whether it is valid or suspended:
Each method has a fee. That fee ranges from $2 to $5. 1
There are 2 reasons for wanting to find out if your license is suspended:
Driving on a suspended license is a crime. It can carry up to:
You can find out if your California driver’s license has been suspended by going online. You can go to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver record request page. The record that you receive online will have the pertinent information. However, it is not considered an official document.
Once there, you will have to create an online account. The online account is meant to keep your driver’s record safe and private. To create an account, you will have to provide some personal information, including your:
After creating your account, you can pay to see and print your driver’s record. The fee is
Once you have paid, you will be shown your driver’s record. You can print it out if you want to. When you view your record online, this is the only opportunity to see it. (If you do not print it out and leave the site, you will have to pay to see it, again.)
Your address will not appear on the screen but will be shown on the printout.
The DMV should notify you by mail when it plans to suspend your license.
You can go to a California DMV office and request your driver’s record in person.
At the office, you will fill out an INF 1125 form. You will provide your personal information and then:
The fee is $5. The record that you will receive is official.
Note that you may also be able to get your license information by calling the California DMV at 1-800-777-0133 and speaking to a representative, but be sure to have your driver’s license number handy.
You can also find out if your driver’s license is suspended by requesting your driver’s record via mail.
This also requires filling out the INF 1125 form. After providing your personal information, license number, and date of birth, you mail the form to:
Sacramento, CA 94244Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 944247 MS G199
The $5 fee has to be included in the mailing.
The DMV will mail you an official driver’s record.
California driver’s records show the following information:
This is less information than you used to receive with a driver’s record request. You used to be provided with information that was used internally by the DMV. This information is not provided, anymore.
There are 2 situations where it can be useful to check your driver’s record for a suspension:
If your license has been suspended, it does not automatically reinstate when the suspension ends. You have to take certain steps to have your license reinstated in California. Until you take these steps, your license will still be suspended.
Also, it is a good idea to regularly check the status of your license if you are applying to work in a field that requires frequent driving such as delivery and transportation services.
Driving with a suspended license is a crime in California. It is a misdemeanor that carries penalties of up to:
Meanwhile, a second offense within five years carries:
Getting caught driving with a suspended license can also extend the length of the suspension. You will have to wait even longer for your right to drive to be reinstated.
Note that it is possible to fight charges of driving on a suspended license: A common defense is that the DMV failed to notify you of the suspension and that you were genuinely unaware of it.
Common reasons for license suspensions/revocation in California include:
Note that in DUI cases, the DMV can grant you permission to drive during the suspension if you have an ignition interlock device (IID) in your motor vehicle. The requirement to drive with an IID can last up to three years.
Also note that a conviction for driving without a license could delay you being able to get a license in the future.
Not anymore. The California DMV will not suspend your license for failure to appear (FTA) at court. As of January 1, 2023, California state courts stopped sending notices to the DMV when defendants missed court. 3
However, anytime you miss court, the judge can still issue a bench warrant for your arrest.
It depends on why your license was suspended. For instance, if you are a negligent operator, the suspension typically lasts six months. Though if the suspension is due to a second DUI, it could last one year.
Once the required suspension period is over, you can begin the reinstatement process by applying online and paying associated fees. The application will guide you as to what else you need to do, including showing up at a local DMV office to finish the process.
Depending on your particular case, you may need to retake the driving test or the knowledge test, do traffic school, and/or submit a driver medical evaluation.
No. When your license is suspended, you have the option of reinstating it after the suspension period is over.
In contrast, when your license is revoked, it is canceled. You would need to apply for an entirely new license, and there is no guarantee you will get one.
Revocations are typically reserved for more serious situations, such as a dementia diagnosis.
If your license has been suspended, consider these transportation options in California:
