California · Vehicle Code

VEH §12814: (a) Application for renewal of a license shall be made at an office of the department by the person to whom the license was issued.

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes procedures for driver's license renewal, including examination requirements, discretionary testing based on driving records, and notice requirements for knowledge exam mandates.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Application for renewal of a license shall be made at an office of the department by the person to whom the license was issued. The department may in its discretion require an examination of the applicant as upon an original application, or an examination deemed by the department to be appropriate considering the licensee’s record of convictions and accidents, or an examination deemed by the department to be appropriate in relation to evidence of a condition that may affect the ability of the applicant to safely operate a motor vehicle. The age of a licensee, by itself, may not constitute evidence of a condition requiring an examination of the driving ability. If the department finds any evidence, the department shall disclose the evidence to the applicant or licensee. If the person is absent from the state at the time the license expires, the director may extend the license for a period of one year from the expiration date of the license. (b) Renewal of a driver’s license shall be under terms and conditions prescribed by the department. (c) The department may adopt and administer those regulations as shall be deemed necessary for the public safety in the implementation of a program of selective testing of applicants, and, with reference to this section, the department may waive tests for purposes of evaluation of selective testing procedures. (d) A driver’s license renewal notice for a person who is required to pass a knowledge examination in order to renew his or her driver’s license shall provide written notice of that requirement.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.