CAN I DRIVE IF I LOST MY LICENSE CALIFORNIA

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has the authority to suspend or cancel your driver’s license. The term “suspended” refers to a temporary loss of driving privileges while the term “canceled” means that you no longer have a valid license.

IN PARTICULAR, THE LAW STATES THAT A PERSON MAY NOT DRIVE IF

In particular, the law states that a person may not drive if:

• The license is suspended.
• The license is revoked.
• The license is cancelled.
• The driver’s privilege to operate a motor vehicle has been disqualified or cancelled by a court of law pursuant to Section 13201 VC and/or 13202 VC (for example, if they’re convicted of DUI or reckless driving).

THEIR LICENSE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED OR CANCELED.

If your license has been suspended or cancelled, you must surrender it to the DMV. If you do not surrender your license, you may be fined. You will not be able to renew your license until you have paid the fine.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CANCELED AND SUSPENDED?

• Cancellation means that your license is no longer valid.
• Suspension means that your license is no longer valid for a specific period of time.

If you have been suspended, it’s likely because of an alcohol-related violation or other serious infraction (like driving without insurance). Your DMV will send you a notice of suspension in the mail before they actually cancel or suspend your driver’s license; this gives you time to prepare and take action if necessary. If this happens to you, contact our attorneys immediately so we can help with whatever steps need taking next!

CAN I GET A “B” LICENSE?

You can get a “B” license if you are in the process of applying for a new license or have applied for a new license and the DMV has not yet received your new license. You can only drive to and from work, school and medical appointments with this type of license.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY LICENSE HAS BEEN CANCELED OR SUSPENDED?

The first thing you should do is check your mail. If the DMV has notified you of a suspension or cancellation, they will send a notice to the address on file with them. The notice will tell you how long your license has been suspended and what steps to take next.

If this doesn’t work, try looking online at the California Department of Motor Vehicles website: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/. You can also call them at 1-800-777-0133 (or TTY/TDD: 711) from 8 AM – 5 PM weekdays and ask if there are any pending suspensions or cancellations on your record

Your driving privileges are not lost until you receive a notice of cancellation or suspension.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will notify you in writing when your driving privileges are canceled or suspended. Your driving privileges are not lost until you receive this notice.

Your license may be suspended if:

• You accumulate too many points on your DMV record;
• You pay fines for traffic violations that were committed while driving with a suspended or revoked license;
• You do not appear in court after receiving a citation for driving with a suspended or revoked license; and/or
• The court orders the DMV to suspend or revoke your license because of an offense related to driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol (DUID).

If you have lost your license for any reason, it is important to know how to get it back. You may be able to get an “interim” permit or “B” license that will allow you to drive while your case is being reviewed by the DMV. It’s also important that you understand what happens if your license has been canceled or suspended so that you can avoid getting into trouble with law enforcement officers who may not know about these new rules.