Yes. You must be able to provide proof of insurance to a peace officer when requested or when involved in an accident.

Law enforcement and court personnel will see the status of your insurance on the vehicle record when making an inquiry into the DMV database.

No. Insurance information is confidential under California law.

All vehicles driven or parked on a California street, road or highway must be insured. You may qualify for the California Low-Cost Automobile Insurance Program. Information is available on the Department of Insurance web site or by calling 1-866-602-8861.

No, as long as the private-use liability insurance identifies the vehicle.

No. If the registration is suspended when the renewal notice is printed, you will not be given the option of renewing your vehicle registration via the Internet. The renewal notice will provide instructions for clearing the suspension and renewing the registration.

If electronic insurance information is not on file the department will notify you of the requirement to submit paper evidence of financial responsibility.

No. Only private-use vehicle liability insurance policies must be electronically reported. Commercial/business insurance policies and alternate types of financial responsibility are not reported electronically. Owners of vehicles covered by these alternate types of financial responsibility must continue to submit paper evidence of financial responsibility to DMV.

If your vehicle is covered by one of these types of financial responsibility, the department will not have electronic insurance information on file and will notify you of the requirement to submit paper evidence of financial responsibility. To avoid suspension, you must respond to the notice by submitting a copy of your evidence of financial responsibility prior to the suspension effective date on the notice.

You will find acceptable documents on the financial responsibility page.

If insurance information is not received by the DMV you will receive a notice of the requirement to submit paper evidence of insurance to avoid suspension of your vehicle registration.

There may be an error in the vehicle identification number on your insurance policy or your registration card. Compare each to the actual number on your vehicle.

• If your insurance documents do not match the vehicle, you must contact your insurance company to have the information corrected and resubmitted to DMV.
• If your registration does not match the vehicle, you must take your ownership document (Certificate of Title, “pink slip”) and the vehicle to DMV so that a DMV employee can verify the vehicle identification number on the vehicle and make the correction to the vehicle record.

No. If your vehicle is driven or parked on a California street, road or highway, it must be insured.

Private-use: Your insurance company must report your insurance information to DMV within 30 days of the issuance of a registration card for a newly acquired vehicle (original or transfer).

Commercial/business policies, self insurance, cash deposits, and surety bonds: You must show evidence of financial responsibility and complete a Notification of Alternative Forms of Financial Responsibility (REG 5085) as part of the transfer or original application.

If after transferring a vehicle to your name you receive a notice requesting proof of financial responsibility, you must submit evidence of financial responsibility to DMV prior to the suspension effective date shown on the notice.

No. If it is time to renew the registration for a vehicle that you do not plan to use, you may place your vehicle on Planned Nonoperation (PNO) status. Vehicles with PNO status are not subject to suspension.

If your vehicle is currently registered and you decide not to use it, you must maintain insurance or notify DMV that you will not be using it by completing an Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090). Upon receipt of a REG 5090, DMV will cancel the registration. The vehicle cannot be driven or parked on California streets, roads, or highway until proof of insurance is received by the department. A reinstatement fee is not due when the registration is cancelled.

Vehicles with a PNO or ANU on record are not subject to suspension.

A notice requesting insurance will not be sent if the vehicle record shows that a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability is on file. If you receive a notice from the DMV requesting proof of insurance, you must submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability immediately to protect yourself.

When a vehicle with a suspended registration is transferred to a new owner, the reinstatement fee is waived. The new owner is required to submit proof of insurance within 30 days of the date a new registration card is issued.

Your transaction will be processed and then forwarded to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program unit in Sacramento, which will contact you to obtain the proof of insurance.

The Vehicle Registration Suspensions and Insurance Program system provides up-to-date vehicle registration insurance suspension status and reinstatement requirements including options to submit a reinstatement fee payment, submit insurance information, and submit/remove an Affidavit of Non-Use (ANU).

You will be notified by mail if your vehicle registration is subject to suspension. If you do not respond by the suspension effective date on the notice and a suspension occurs, a second notice will be mailed.

You must submit evidence of financial responsibility and pay a $14 reinstatement fee. This process can be completed by visiting the Vehicle Registration Suspensions and Insurance Program page, by mailing insurance and payment to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program, or by using the automated voice system at 1-800-777-0133.

No. This process can only be completed by visiting the Vehicle Registration Suspensions and Insurance Program system, by mailing insurance and payment to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program, or by using the automated voice system at 1-800-777-0133.

Yes. This process can be completed by visiting the Vehicle Registration Suspensions and Insurance Program page.

The Vehicle Registration Suspensions and Insurance Program system and the automated voice system payment options are e-check and credit/ATM/debit including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards. When paying by mail, the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program accepts checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks. Please do not mail cash.

There may be an error in the vehicle identification number on your insurance policy or your registration card. Compare each to the actual number on your vehicle. If there is an error, you should take one of the following actions prior to the suspension effective date:

• If your insurance documents do not match the vehicle, you should contact your insurance company to have the information corrected and resubmitted to DMV.
• If your registration does not match the vehicle, you must take your ownership document (Certificate of Title, “pink slip”) and the vehicle to DMV so that a DMV employee can verify the vehicle identification number on the vehicle and make the correction to the vehicle record.

If the new insurance information is received by DMV within 45 days of the cancellation of the first policy, a notice will not be sent.

No. Both the reinstatement fee and proof of insurance must be submitted to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program to reinstate the registration.

Yes. A vehicle with suspended registration cannot be renewed until the suspension is cleared. You may pay the registration fees prior to the expiration date to avoid late penalties; however, the sticker and registration will not be issued until the reinstatement fee and proof of insurance are submitted to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program.

No. If the registration is suspended when the renewal notice is printed the vehicle cannot be renewed via the Internet. The renewal notice will provide instructions for clearing the suspension and renewing the registration.

Personal vehicles covered by a commercial/business policy might not be identified as commercially insured. If you receive a notice, you must send a copy of your insurance card or the declaration page of your policy to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program prior to the suspension effective date shown on the notice.

You have 30 days from the date of the notice for newly acquired vehicles and 45 days from the date of the notice for a cancelled policy. DMV must receive the proof of financial responsibility prior to the suspension effective date printed on the notice.

No; however, if the vehicle is operated or parked on the roadway while the registration is suspended you will be subject to citation.

No. If the proof of financial responsibility is received by DMV prior to the suspension effective date, the suspension will not go into effect. If your vehicle registration is suspended, and you can prove that your vehicle was insured prior to the effective date of suspension, you may request that the action be dismissed by mailing proof of liability insurance to DMV, PO Box 997408, MS N305, Sacramento, CA 95899-7408.

Your vehicle registration will be suspended if you do not respond to the notice, even if you did not receive it. If your vehicle registration is suspended, and you can prove that your vehicle was insured prior to the effective date of suspension, you may request that the action be dismissed by mailing proof of liability insurance to

DMV
PO Box 997408, MS N305
Sacramento, CA 95899-7408

The law requires that you notify DMV of a change of address within 10 days of the change.

The vehicle registration will be suspended until evidence of financial responsibility and the reinstatement fee are submitted. If the vehicle is driven or parked on a California street, road, or highway while the registration is suspended, you will be subject to citation.

No. The vehicle cannot legally be operated until the registration is reinstated.

No. The vehicle cannot legally be operated until the registration is reinstated.