Every Deadline and Number California Law Sets for Drivers
On this page:
- After a crash
- Buying, selling, moving and storing
- Your policy
- Limits and dollar figures
- Claims and lawsuits
- How to use this page
California car insurance runs on a surprising number of fixed deadlines and figures. Miss one and the consequence is usually automatic: a suspended license, a suspended registration, a lost claim. Here they are, grouped by when you will need them. Every figure comes from a statute, regulation or DMV publication listed at the bottom of the page.
After a crash
| Deadline or rule | What triggers it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange information at the scene | Any collision: name, address, license number, VIN, owner's address, insurer and policy number | VEH 16025 |
| Report to law enforcement within 24 hours | Anyone injured or killed | DMV Driver Handbook |
| SR-1 to the DMV within 10 days | Injury, death, or more than $1,000 damage to any one person's property; each driver files, whoever caused it | VEH 16000; DMV Driver Handbook |
| Leave a note and notify police | You hit an unattended vehicle or other property | VEH 20002 |
The SR-1 is the one people miss, because they assume the police or their insurer filed it. The DMV says law enforcement will not file it for you, though your agent, broker or legal representative can, and that your driving privilege is suspended if you do not.
Buying, selling, moving and storing
- 5 calendar days to notify the DMV after you sell or transfer a vehicle (Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability).
- 10 days to notify the DMV of a new address after you move, under Vehicle Code section 14600.
- Planned non-operation can be filed up to 60 days before or 90 days after your registration expires, for a vehicle that will not be driven, towed, stored or parked on public roads for the whole registration year.
- No insurance on record for a registered vehicle leads to a suspended registration, because insurers report coverage to the DMV electronically.
Your policy
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10 days / 20 days | Minimum written notice before cancellation for nonpayment / for other reasons | INS 662 |
| 20 days / 30 days | Offer to renew / notice of nonrenewal before expiration | INS 663 |
| 20 days | Time to cure a negligent misrepresentation after a cancellation notice | INS 661 |
| 20 percent | Minimum Good Driver Discount | INS 1861.02 |
| 3 years / 10 years | Good driver lookback for points and accidents / for DUI convictions | INS 1861.025 |
| 12 months | The period your annual mileage estimate covers | 10 CCR 2632.5 |
| Age 55, every 3 years | Mature driver course discount eligibility and renewal | INS 11628.3 |
| 10 years | How long a DUI conviction stays on the DMV record | VEH 1808 |
Limits and dollar figures
- Minimum liability: $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 per accident, $15,000 for property damage, operative January 1, 2025. Vehicle Code section 16430 raises them on January 1, 2035, to $50,000, $100,000 and $25,000.
- Alternatives to a policy: a $75,000 cash deposit with the DMV or a $75,000 surety bond, or a self-insurance certificate.
- No proof of insurance when asked: $100 to $200 plus penalty assessments on a first offense, $200 to $500 plus assessments after that, and the court may order the vehicle impounded.
- Low Cost Auto program: household income no more than 250 percent of the federal poverty level, among other conditions.
- Uninsured collision: driving privilege suspended for up to four years, with a path back during the last three by filing proof of insurance and keeping it for those three years.
Claims and lawsuits
| Deadline | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15 calendar days | Insurer acknowledges your claim and starts investigating | 10 CCR 2695.5 |
| 40 calendar days | Insurer accepts or denies after proof of claim, with exceptions | 10 CCR 2695.7 |
| 6 months | Claim to a city, county or state agency for injury or damage to personal property | GOV 911.2 |
| 2 years | Lawsuit for personal injury caused by someone's wrongful act or neglect | CCP 335.1 |
| 3 years | Lawsuit for injury to personal property such as a car | CCP 338 |
Lawsuit deadlines have exceptions and can be affected by the facts of a case, so treat the two- and three-year figures as the general rule and speak to a lawyer well before either one if you are thinking of suing.
How to use this page
Bookmark it, and check the crash table the same day anything happens. The deadlines that cause the most trouble are the short ones, the 5- and 10-day DMV notices, because they arrive while you are busy dealing with everything else. File early rather than on the last day, keep a copy or confirmation of everything you send the DMV, and do not assume someone else, whether a buyer, a police officer or an insurer, has filed on your behalf. If you are not sure which of these applies to your situation, you can ask a licensed broker and get a straight answer.
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How long do I have to report a car accident to the DMV in California?
Ten days, on form SR-1, if the crash injured or killed anyone or caused more than $1,000 in damage to any one person's property. Each driver must file, whoever was at fault.
How soon must I tell the DMV I sold my car?
Within 5 calendar days, by filing the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability.
Are California's minimum limits going up again?
Yes. Vehicle Code 16430 raises them on January 1, 2035, to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage.
How long do I have to sue after a car accident?
The general rule is two years for personal injury under CCP 335.1 and three years for damage to property under CCP 338, with exceptions. Claims against public agencies must be presented within six months.