(a) The director may establish a program to evaluate the traffic safety and other effects of renewing driver‘s licenses by virtual or other remote processes, in lieu of submitting an application at an office of the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 12814. Pursuant to that program, the department may renew driver’s licenses by virtual or other remote processes.

(b) The director may terminate the renewal by virtual or other remote processes authorized by this section at any time.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 12814.4

  • Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
  • driver: is a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See California Vehicle Code 305
  • Person: includes a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Vehicle Code 470
  • traffic: includes pedestrians, ridden animals, vehicles, street cars, and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any highway for purposes of travel. See California Vehicle Code 620

(c) On or before January 1, 2034, the department shall provide a report to the Legislature and relevant policy committees detailing the program established under this section.

(1) The report shall include the steps the department took to prevent individuals other than the applicant from taking the knowledge test, the number of individuals on an annual basis that opted to take the knowledge examination virtually or by other remote processes, and the number of individuals that opted to submit a test of their eyesight by virtual or other remote processes, and the process the department took to verify the authenticity of the tests submitted to the department.

(2) The report shall be submitted in compliance with § 9795 of the Government Code.

(d) A renewal by virtual or other remote processes under this program shall not be granted to a person who is 70 years of age or older without a test of the eyesight of the applicant.

(e) The department shall not renew a driver’s license by virtual or other remote processes that has been previously renewed by mail or by virtual or other remote processes two consecutive times for five-year periods, or by an applicant that is 80 years of age or older.

(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2035, and as of that date is repealed.

(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 373, Sec. 1. (AB 1606) Effective January 1, 2024. Repealed as of January 1, 2035, by its own provisions.)

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