California’s Compulsory Financial Responsibility Law 1656.2
Current as of January 20, 2022 | Updated by California Business Lawyer & Corporate Lawyer
California Code, Vehicle Code – VEH § 1656.2
§ 1656.2. Publication of summary of penalties for noncompliance with financial responsibility provisions
(a) The department shall prepare and publish a printed summary describing the penalties for noncompliance with Sections 16000 and 16028 , which shall be included with each motor vehicle registration, registration renewal, and transfer of registration and with each driver’s license and license renewal. The printed summary may contain, but is not limited to, the following wording:
“IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OF CALIFORNIA’S COMPULSORY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LAW
California law requires every driver to carry written evidence of valid automobile liability insurance, a $35,000 bond, a $35,000 cash deposit, or a certificate of self-insurance that has been issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
You must provide evidence of financial responsibility when you renew the registration of a motor vehicle, and after you are cited by a peace officer for a traffic violation or are involved in any traffic accident. The law requires that you provide the officer with the name and address of your insurer and the policy identification number. Your insurer will provide written evidence of this number. Failure to provide evidence of your financial responsibility can result in fines of up to $500 and loss of your driver’s license. Falsification of evidence can result in fines of up to $750 or 30 days in jail, or both, in addition to a one-year suspension of driving privileges.
Under existing California law, if you are involved in an accident that results in damages of over $1,000 to the property of any person or in any injury or fatality, you must file a report of the accident with the Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days of the accident. If you fail to file a report or fail to provide evidence of financial responsibility on the report, your driving privilege will be suspended for up to four years. Your suspension notice will notify you of the department’s action and of your right to a hearing. Your suspension notice will also inform you that if you request a hearing, it must be conducted within 30 days of your written request, and that a decision is to be rendered within 15 days of the conclusion of the hearing.”
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.