Reinstating a Driver's License in California
How to check your California license status, what gets a license suspended, reinstatement steps and fees, and hardship licenses.
Short answer: The DMV will not restore a driving privilege until other suspensions or holds are resolved. You can request your driver record online and check a Driver Safety Case Status. California DMV, Suspensions; Reissue Fees
| Checking and reinstating a license | The DMV will not restore a driving privilege until other suspensions or holds are resolved. You can request your driver record online and check a Driver Safety Case Status. If you have unpaid reissue fees you may qualify to pay them online: $55 reissue fee, $125 Admin Per Se reissue fee, and a $15 DMV admin fee (use the online reissue fee application only if a DMV representative instructs you to). Reissue fees: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-virtual-office/reissue-fees/ |
|---|---|
| License suspension | Suspensions include NOTS point suspensions (a one-year probation with a six-month suspension; a violation of probation adds six months, and a third violation of probation brings a one-year revocation), failure to appear in court on a traffic ticket while on NOTS probation, being in a collision without proper insurance (up to four years, regardless of fault), failing to file a required collision report, and DUI or test refusal. After a DUI-related suspension, reinstatement requires a $125 reissue fee and proof of insurance (SR-22). |
| Hardship or restricted license | After a first DUI arrest, a driver can apply for an ignition-interlock restricted license right away, or, after serving 30 days of the 4-month suspension, a license limited to driving to, from and during work and to the DUI program; both require DUI program enrollment, an SR-22 and a $125 fee. After a first DUI conviction without a court-ordered interlock, similar interlock or work/DUI-program restrictions are available (the work restriction lasts 12 months). A restricted license request cannot be decided at the DMV hearing. |
Where to get help in California
More California traffic tickets & dui
- DUI Laws in California
- How Driver Points Work in California
- Paying or Contesting a Traffic Ticket in California
- All California traffic tickets & dui rules
FAQ
How do I check if my license is suspended and get it reinstated in California?
The DMV will not restore a driving privilege until other suspensions or holds are resolved. You can request your driver record online and check a Driver Safety Case Status. If you have unpaid reissue fees you may qualify to pay them online: $55 reissue fee, $125 Admin Per Se reissue fee, and a $15 DMV admin fee (use the online reissue fee application only if a DMV representative instructs you to).
What gets your license suspended in California?
Suspensions include NOTS point suspensions (a one-year probation with a six-month suspension; a violation of probation adds six months, and a third violation of probation brings a one-year revocation), failure to appear in court on a traffic ticket while on NOTS probation, being in a collision without proper insurance (up to four years, regardless of fault), failing to file a required collision report, and DUI or test refusal. After a DUI-related suspension, reinstatement requires a $125 reissue fee and proof of insurance (SR-22).
Can you get a hardship license in California?
After a first DUI arrest, a driver can apply for an ignition-interlock restricted license right away, or, after serving 30 days of the 4-month suspension, a license limited to driving to, from and during work and to the DUI program; both require DUI program enrollment, an SR-22 and a $125 fee. After a first DUI conviction without a court-ordered interlock, similar interlock or work/DUI-program restrictions are available (the work restriction lasts 12 months). A restricted license request cannot be decided at the DMV hearing.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.