According information given by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, as of January 1, 2007, if you request an out-of-house / public driving record printout, any DUI offense on your record will appear for 10 years from the violation date.

Thus effective January 1, 2007, new CA legislation extends the reporting period for DUI offenses from 7 to 10 years for all public requestors, including insurance companies. The new law allows insurance companies access to the driving record information to properly apply the new provisions of the Insurance Code established under Senate Bill 597 (2005), to determine a customer’s eligibility for a good driver discount. Based on the new laws, drivers with a DUI violation occurring within the past 10 years are not entitled to receive a good driver discount.

So rates for a DUI in California can affect your rates, in at least the way of being prohibited from receiving a good driver discount, for as long as 10 years now according to this legislature and provision of the CA Insurance Code.

Under this new law DUIs that had previously been taken off a person's driving record have now been put back on. For example if you had a DUI back in 1998 and had it removed from your record 2005, and had since received a good driver discount, under the new law, the DUI would be back on your driving history and you may not qualify for a good driver discount again until 2008.

The CA DMV suggests that you contact your insurance representative if you have additional questions regarding your insurance premiums. Insurance rates vary according to rating system that the insurance companies file with the state.

If you have more questions regarding this new legislature that has taken affect in CA or about the Insurance Code you can contact the California Department of Insurance.