Any California driver who uses public roads or public parking facilities must have a driver’s license. But what happens if you don’t have a driver’s license? In this post, we’ll discuss what happens if you drive without a license in California. We’ll also look at the requirements for obtaining a license in California.
Penalties for Driving Without a License in California
It’s a serious offense to drive in California without a license. You could receive a fine and even a jail sentence. If an unlicensed driver is found driving your vehicle, it can be impounded for up to 30 days.
You must have your driver’s license in your possession whenever you’re behind the wheel. If you are pulled over by the police and charged with driving without a license, you can have the charge dropped by bringing your license to your court date. The license must be a valid driver’s license that was active (not expired) at the time you were ticketed. If you are charged for driving without your driver’s license more than three times, your charges might not be dropped.
Replacing Your California Driver’s License
If your license is lost, stolen, or damaged in some way, you need to get a replacement as soon as possible. You’ll need to complete a Driver’s License & ID Card Application online or at the DMV office, pay a replacement fee, and provide proof of identity. If you happen to find your old license after receiving your replacement, the original license is no longer valid and you need to destroy it.
Applying for Your License in California
You can’t legally drive in California until you have a driver’s license, so let’s look at how to earn yours!
Before you can take any steps toward receiving a driver’s license, you must turn in a driver's license application to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). These may be found at your local DMV office, or visit their website and fill it out online before going to the DMV to finish the rest of the process.
You will need to present acceptable birth date/legal presence documentation and provide your social security number (SSN) when you apply for your license.
Teen Licensing in California
California residents between ages 15 ½ and 17 ½ need to complete a 30-hour DMV-licensed driver education course and receive a Certificate of Completion in order to apply for your instruction permit. You can complete this course online with Safe2Drive!
Once you’ve completed all requirements for earning your instruction permit, you’ll be able to apply for your California driver license. You must be at least age 16, have held your instruction permit for 6 months, and met all other requirements, which you can find here. Then you’ll need to show proof of legal presence in the United States and verify your date of birth. After that, you can take your driving test. When you pass your driving test, you can receive your California license!
Handling Traffic Tickets in California
Hopefully you’ll always remember your California license and follow all traffic laws while driving. If for some reason you do get a traffic ticket, we can help! Depending on the offense, you may be able to take an online traffic school course to mask your ticket and keep points off your driving record. Check out our online guide for how to mask a traffic ticket in California.
We hope this helps clear up any questions you may have about driving without a license in California, earning your California driver license, and how to handle traffic tickets in California! We offer a variety of online classes for California residents. Our California Traffic School course can mask your ticket and keep points off your driving record. We also offer a California insurance discount course that can help you get a discounted rate on your car insurance! Drivers age 55 or older can take our Mature Driver Improvement course to get a discount on their car insurance.
We are now offering an 8-Hour California TVS Operator course and a 4-Hour California TVS Operator course! You can take our 8-hour course to qualify for your California TVS operator license. Take our 4-hour course when it’s time to renew your California TVS license.