How to check if my California drivers license is suspended?

Clipboard that says "license suspension" — California license suspensions typically last six months to one year.

There are 3 ways to check the status of your California driver’s license and whether it is valid or suspended:

online on the DMV website,
in person at a DMV office, and
by mailing an INF 1125 form to the DMV headquarters.

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:

you were arrested or ticketed and are concerned about your right to drive, or
you have completed a license suspension and want to make sure your driving privileges have been reinstated.

Driving on a suspended license is a crime. It can carry up to:

6 months in jail, and/or
$1,000 in fines.

Can I check the status of my California license online?

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:

email address,
driver’s license number or ID number,
phone number,
date of birth, and
last 4 digits of your Social Security number.

After creating your account, you can pay to see and print your driver’s record. The fee is

$2.00,
plus a 1.95% service fee for using a debit or credit card.
The total charge will be $2.04.

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.

A California driver's license marked "SUSPENDED"

The DMV should notify you by mail when it plans to suspend your license.

Can I go to the DMV office to get the information?

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:

check the box to request your driver’s license record, and
provide your California driver’s license number and date of birth.

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.

Can I mail a request form?

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:

Department of Motor Vehicles

P.O. Box 944247 MS G199

Sacramento, CA 94244

The $5 fee has to be included in the mailing.

The DMV will mail you an official driver’s record.

What information is on the record?

California driver’s records show the following information:

your address,
serious convictions for three, seven, or ten years,
DMV actions against the license, and
vehicle accidents on the driver’s record as required by California Vehicle Code 1808 VC.

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.

Why would I want to find out if my license is suspended?

There are 2 situations where it can be useful to check your driver’s record for a suspension:

you were pulled over, arrested, or ticketed and want to see if your right to drive has been suspended, or
your license had been suspended and you want to make sure it has been reinstated.

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.

What are the penalties for driving on a suspended license?

Driving with a suspended license is a crime in California. It is a misdemeanor that carries penalties of up to:

6 months in jail, and
$1,000 in fines.

Meanwhile, a second offense within five years carries:

5 days to 1 year in jail, and
$500 to $2,000 in fines.²

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.

Why would my license be suspended?

Common reasons for license suspensions/revocation in California include:

DUI (which can trigger a suspension of up to four years)
Refusing to submit to evidentiary breath or blood testing following a DUI arrest
underage drinking (which will trigger a delay in being able to get a license)
being a negligent operator for accruing four demerit points in 12 months from moving violations such as speeding, unlawful U-turns, reckless driving, etc.
a particularly serious driving incident or accident
not reporting a car accident
not having liability insurance (which can trigger a suspension of up to four years)
not having SR22 insurance (when necessary)
failing to pay your child support obligations
having a physical or mental disorder that prevents you from driving safely
vandalism (which can trigger a suspension of up to one year)

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.

Will my license be suspended for missing court?

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.

How long will my license remain suspended?

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.

How do I get my driver’s license reinstated in California?

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.

See our related article, DMV Suspended License Reinstatement – How to do it.

Is license revocation the same thing as suspension?

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.

Additional Resources

If your license has been suspended, consider these transportation options in California:

Greyhound, Megabus, and Flixbus – Bus stations throughout the state.
Amtrak, Caltrain, Metrolink – Train routes throughout the state.
Uber, Lyft – Ride-sharing throughout the state.
RentaBikeNow – Bike rentals in major cities.
Lime – Electric scooter rentals in major cities.

Legal References:

California Code of Regulations 350.44. Driver’s Record Request, DMV.
California Vehicle Code 14601 VC.
AB 2746 – Reform of License Suspension Law (went into effect on January 1, 2023).

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