The California Department of Motor Vehicles wants Californians to be aware of several new laws taking effect in the new year.
The laws listed take effect on January 1, 2023, unless otherwise noted.
- Online Driver’s License Renewal for Californians 70 and Older Ends December 31 – Starting January 1, California law will again require drivers 70 and older to renew their license in person at a DMV office. There’s only a few more days individuals 70 and older to take advantage of the temporary rule allowing them to renew their driver’s licenses or identification cards online or by mail – even if their renewal notice states a visit to a DMV field office is required. In October 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom temporarily waived the California law requiring senior drivers to renew their licenses at a DMV field office and signed AB 174 in September 2021 to allow online or by mail renewals through the end of 2022. This temporary online option has helped Californians avoid DMV field offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- New Requirement for Permanent Disabled Person Parking Placard Renewals – The DMV is sending notices to Californians who have had their permanent Disabled Person Parking Placard for at least six years and asking them to confirm that they are still in need of one. The DMV will not renew placards for people who do not respond. This renewal requirement is one provision of prior legislation, SB 611, enacted in 2017 to curb fraud and abuse of Disabled Person Parking Placards.
- Consumer Notices for Semiautonomous Vehicles – Dealers and manufacturers that sell new passenger vehicles equipped with a partial driving automation feature or provide any software update or vehicle upgrade that adds such a feature are required to give a clear description of its functions and limitations. The law also prohibits a manufacturer or dealer from deceptively marketing a feature.
- Enhanced Safeguards for Bicycle Riders – Drivers are now required to change into another available lane, when possible, to pass cyclists, building on the current requirement for drivers to give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing. The law also permits Class 3 e-bike riders to use approved bicycle paths and trails, bikeways, and bicycle lanes. In addition, starting on January 1, 2024, the law allows cyclists to cross an intersection when a walk sign is on.
- Ban on Sideshows at Parking Facilities – Parking lots across the state are now included with public roads as locations where street racing and sideshows are banned. Another law passed in 2021 (AB 3, Fong) allows courts to suspend an individual’s driver’s license for violating this ban beginning on July 1, 2025.
- Crackdown on Catalytic Converter Theft – These laws enhance requirements on recyclers to keep specific records of catalytic converters they receive and on the authorized parties that can sell used catalytic converters. These laws aim to reduce the increasing theft of catalytic converters and help keep Californians and their cars safer.
- Veteran Designation on Driver’s Licenses – This law eliminates the $5 fee for obtaining a military “VETERAN” designation on a driver’s license or identification (ID) card.
- Toll Exemptions for Certain Veterans – This law exempts vehicles registered to veterans displaying specialized license plates from paying tolls on roads, bridges, highways, vehicular crossings, or other toll facilities. The exemption applies only to vehicles with license plates that are issued to a disabled veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, prisoner of war, or to veterans who have received distinctions such as the Purple Heart or the Congressional Medal of Honor.
- Digital Notices and Remote Renewals for Some Transactions – This law allows customers to receive certain DMV notices electronically – which previously had been required to be mailed – if they opt in. It also removes the requirement that a vehicle salesperson’s license be renewed in person, which will enable the DMV to establish a renewal program that allows for consecutive remote vehicle salesperson license renewals. The law will help save time, paper, and reduce the number of transactions needing to be completed at a field office.
- Alternatives to Conventional License Plates, Stickers, Tabs, and Registration Cards – The DMV will create a new ongoing program that allows entities to issue alternatives such as digital license plates, vinyl front license plate wraps and digital registration cards. Since 2015, the current pilot program has enrolled more than 19,000 customers for digital license plates, more than 5,000 customers for vinyl license plates and less than 100 customers for e-registration. The DMV will work on regulations to govern how the requirements for the permanent program will be implemented.
- Reform of License Suspension Law – California state courts will stop sending notices to the DMV for license suspensions for failure to appear starting on January 1, 2023, while requiring the DMV to stop suspending licenses for failing to appear starting on January 1, 2027, to allow time to make computer programming changes.
Can we enforce our current ones as well? Or is that too much?
As for the new bicycle laws. They don’t follow the current ones … they run red lights, make right turns from the left hand lane, and fail to have any lights/reflective gear on – and this is just on Alhambra from Taylor to Hwy 4!
What if the bicyclist is IN a lane?
You know that’s legal, right?
Doesn’t make it right OR smart.
So this year the legislators pass and the Gov signed 900 + new laws . How in the hell are we the people to know what they are? It’s time to start a petition to go to a part time legislation like Texas.
Yup, we’re seeing the legislation of civilization into extinction. How about for every new law you need to remove two old ones?
..agree ..and for every new one – the law should tell how it’s going to be enforced and by who – because they’re not enforced now
The new(and most old) laws put in place by the liberal California democrat government is little more than efforts by them to make themselves look useful and important. The current state government is really staffed by nothing more than self serving, pompous and conceded actors.
p.s. Will any of the new laws remedy any of the state’s problems, such as: crumbling infrastructure and roads? skyrocketing crime? crushing taxes? preferential treatment of illegal aliens and career criminals? the state’s dismal and disgraceful education system?
🔝Make that ‘conceited’, not ‘conceded’.
It’s typical that those who think there are too many laws…enforce the ones already in place…blame and name call the current government.
Not even looking at the why and how of under enforced laws have become so common place. The sad fact is mostly that people nowadays need to told maybe what you’re doing can harm someone, kill someone. looking at humans in the last century, it’s easy thinking that how we seem to care less about others is justified by a “there’s so many people getting away with” …well many things so may as well too get away with it. I’m not trying to make sense.
I drove motorcycles for along time, years in Los Angeles. Did a lot bicycle riding also. And most of the things about riding a bike/motorcycle that people complain about are from trying to not get hurt or killed by a car/truck and being highly noticeable. Most riders don’t get on a bike and think “ I’m going to drive like I want someone to hit me” I didn’t, until I got a new bicycle last year. and just wow. just wow. The amount vehicle operators that give motorcycle/bike drivers any kind of recognition (also pedestrians) of their space on the road way can make you believe that it’s ok to ignore them after all most ped/bike/motorcycle injuries and deaths are so easily “gotten away with”
Hopefully having more, new laws would allow stacked charges using the old laws and new. And making the offender have to do real remedy’s of state and local problems like road and bridge work, border patrol and teachers helpers, neighborhood watch patrol, homeless reach out
“And laws were most numerous when the state was most corrupt.”
Tacitus, The Annals of Imperial Rome.
This is not a new phenomenon.
Should be set up like the current gun laws – for every new law, three existing laws have to be repealed.