California · Vehicle Code

VEH §39002: (a) A city or county, which adopts a bicycle licensing ordinance or resolution, shall not prohibit the operation of an unlicensed bicycle.

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is unlawful to tamper with, destroy, or alter bicycle license indicia, registration forms, serial numbers, or identifying marks on licensed bicycles.

Read the full statutory text

(a) A city or county, which adopts a bicycle licensing ordinance or resolution, shall not prohibit the operation of an unlicensed bicycle. (b) It is unlawful for any person to tamper with, destroy, mutilate, or alter any license indicia or registration form, or to remove, alter, or mutilate the serial number, or the identifying marks of a licensing agency’s identifying symbol, on any bicycle frame licensed under this division.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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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.