How to read your California driving record

Shivani Gite

Contributing Writer

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.

| Updated on: Jan 13, 2023

EXPERT REVIEWED by Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

California driving records can be a little confusing. You may wonder what a vehicle code violation is on your record or what it means to your insurance rates.

To find out the meaning of each code, see the charts below, organized by the number of points they add to your record. Your insurance rates may be affected by violations your insurance company sees on your driving record.

California DMV driving record codes

COURT – Courthouse Number
DL/NO – Driver’s License Number
B/D – Birth Date
RES ADD – Residential Address
HT – Height
WT – Weight
LIC/ISS – License Issued
EXP – Expires
VIOL/DT – Violation Date
SEC/VIOL – Section Violated
DKT/NO – Docket Number
VEH/LIC – Vehicle License

One-point California vehicle code violations

Code and Section	Violation
VEH 2800	Disobedience to a traffic officer
VEH 2800.1	Evading peace officer
VEH 2801	Disobedience to a fire official
VEH 2803, 2803a, 2803b, 2803c	Unsafe vehicle load
VEH 2815	Disregarding non-student crossing guard
VEH 2816	Youth bus/children crossing highway
VEH 2817	Disregarding funeral escort officer
VEH 2818	Crossing safety flares/cones
VEH 14601.5	Driving, suspended/revoked for refusing a test
VEH 14603	Violation of license restrictions
VEH 21100.3	Disregarding traffic officer’s directions
VEH 21209, 21209a	Driving in a bicycle lane
VEH 21367, 21367a, 21367b, 21367c	Disobedience to traffic signs/controller
VEH 21451, 21451a, 21451b	Illegal movement/green light/arrow
VEH 21452, 21452a	Illegal movement/yellow light/arrow
VEH 21453, 21453a, 21453b, 21453c	Illegal movement/red/light/arrow
VEH 21454, 21454a – d, 21455	Traffic signals
VEH 21457, 21457a, 21457b	Disobedience to flashing signals
VEH 21460a, 21460b	Double lines/one broken line
VEH 21460.5c	Use of a two-way left turn lane
VEH 21461, 21461a, 21462	Disobedience to a traffic control device
VEH 21650, 21650a – f	Keep right
VEH 21651, 21651a	Crossing divided highway
VEH 21652	Entering a highway from a service road
VEH 21654, 21654a, 21654b, 21655, 21655b	Lane use/slow-moving vehicle
VEH 21655.8	Diamond lane/entering/exiting
VEH 21656 – 21662, 21662a, 21662b	Improper lane use
VEH 21663	Driving on sidewalk
VEH 21664	Freeway ramp/entering/exiting
VEH 21700	Load obstructing a driver’s view
VEH 21701	Interfering with a driver’s control of a vehicle
VEH 21702, 21702a, 21702b	Driving hours limitation
VEH 21703, 21704, 21704a, 21705, 21706	Following too closely
VEH 21707	Driving in a fire area
VEH 21709	Driving in a safety zone
VEH 21711	Towed vehicle swerving
VEH 21712, 21712a, 21712d, 21712f, 21715, 21715a, 21715b	Unlawful riding/towing
VEH 21717	Turning across a bicycle lane
VEH 21750 – 21757, 21758, 21759	Illegal passing
VEH 21800 – 21804, 21804a, 21804b	Right-of-way
VEH 21805, 21805b	Yielding right-of-way to a horseback rider
VEH 21806, 21806a	Yielding right-of-way to emergency vehicle
VEH 21807	Unsafe operation of emergency vehicle
VEH 21950, 21950a, 21951, 21952	Yielding right-of-way to a pedestrian
VEH 21954, 21954b	Due care for pedestrians on a roadway
VEH 21960a	Prohibited use of freeway
VEH 21963	Yielding right-of-way to blind pedestrian
VEH 22100 – 22105	Turing and U-turns
VEH 22106	Unsafe staring/backing of vehicle
VEH 22107 – 22111, 22111a, 22111b, 22111c	Signaling turns and stops
VEH 22112, 22112a	School bus signaling
VEH 22348, 22348a, 22348c	Speed/use of designated lanes
VEH 22349, 22349.5	Maximum speed
VEH 22350, 22351, 22352, 22352a, 22352b	Basic/prima facie speed limit
VEH 22354, 22355	Exceeding posted/freeway speed limit
VEH 22356, 22356b	Maximum speed 70 mph
VEH 22357, 22358.4	Speed in excess of local limits
VEH 22359, 22360, 22361	Speed in excess of local limits
VEH 22362	Speed/construction zone
VEH 22400, 22400a, 22400b	Driving too slow
VEH 22405, 22405a	Speed/bridge/tunnel
VEH 22406, 22407	Maximum designated vehicle speed
VEH 22409, 22410	Speed/solid/metal tires
VEH 22413	Speed limit on grades
VEH 22450, 22451, 22452, 22452a, 22452b	Stop required/railroad crossing
VEH 22454	Stop for a school bus
VEH 23103, 23103a,23103 b	Reckless driving
VEH 23104, 23104a	Reckless driving/causing bodily injury
VEH 23109, 23109b, 23109d	Speed contest/aiding or abetting
VEH 23116, 23116a	Transporting person in truckload space
VEH 23123, 23123.5	Holding or operating a Cellphone
VEH 23127	Driving on trails and paths
VEH 23140, 23140a, 23140b	Minor driving with a BAC of 0.05% or more
VEH 23152, 23152a-d	DUI/alcoholic beverage or drugs
VEH 23153, 23153a-d	DUI/causing bodily injury or death
VEH 23220	Drinking while driving
VEH 23222, 23222a, 23222b	Marijuana or open container/driving
VEH 23235	Ignition interlock verification
VEH 23244, 23244b	Defeating ignition interlock device
VEH 23253	Disobedience to toll highway officer
VEH 23270, 23270a	Unauthorized towing
VEH 23330, 23330c	Width/load of a vehicle at a crossing
VEH 23336	Disobedience to sign/vehicle crossing
VEH 24002, 24002a, 24002b	Unsafe/unlawfully equipped vehicle
VEH 24004	Operation after notice by officer
VEH 24250	Lighting equipment
VEH 24409, 24409a, 24409b	Failure to dim lights
VEH 24604	Lamps/flag for extended load
VEH 25103, 25103a, 25103b	Lamps on projecting load
VEH 26301, 26302, 26302a, 26302b, 26302c	Brakes
VEH 26303, 26304, 26304a, 26304b	Brakes/combination vehicles
VEH 26307	Forklift truck brakes
VEH 26311, 26311a, 26311b, 26311c	All-wheel service brakes
VEH 26456, 26457	Brakes/stopping distance
VEH 26458, 26458a, 26458.5	Braking system/towing vehicles
VEH 26502a	Adjustment/use of air brakes
VEH 26503 – 26506, 26506a, 26507	Airbrake system
VEH 26508, 26508a – c, 26508e – k, 26508o	Emergency stopping system
VEH 26520, 26521, 26522	Vacuum brakes
VEH 27360, 27360a – c, 27360.5, 27360a – c	Child Passenger restraint
VEH 27363, 27363b	Child seat belt
VEH 27800, 27801, 27801a, 27801b	Motorcycle/passengers and equipment
VEH 29001, 29002	Fifth wheel connecting/locking device
VEH 29003a, 29003b, 29003c	Hitch and coupling device
VEH 29004, 29004a – c, 29006, 29006a	Towed vehicle coupling
VEH 29201	Pole dolly/load and length
VEH 31301, 31301a	Caldecott tunnel restrictions
VEH 31303, 31303b, 31303c, 31303e	Hazardous waste transportation
VEH 31402	Farm labor vehicle/unsafe operation
VEH 31540, 31504b	Removable containers/regulations
VEH 31614, 31614a, 3164b, 31614d – f 31614h, 31614i	Explosives transportation
VEH 32104, 32104a, 32104b, 32105, 32105a, 32105c-e	Inhalation hazard transportation
VEH 32106, 32106a – d	Inhalation hazard transportation
VEH 34102	Tank vehicle regulations
VEH 34501.2, 34501a, 34501c	Driving hours limitations
VEH 34506, 34506a – g	Driving hours, equipment, maintenance, operation
VEH 34506.3	Safety regulation violation
VEH 34509, 34509c, 34509d	Vanpool vehicle maintenance inspection
VEH 35784, 35784a, 35784b	Violation of special permit
VEH 35784.5, 35784a, 35784b	Extralegal load/weight
VEH 36400	Lift-carrier/speed
VEH 36705	Bale wagon load width during darkness

Two-point California vehicle code violations

Code and section	Violation
VEH 2800.2, 2800.3	Evading peace officer/reckless driving
VEH 14601, 14601a,14601 b, 14601.1- 14601.4	Driving with a suspended/revoked license
VEH 20001, 20001a 20002, 20002a, 20002b	Hit and run/injury/property damage
VEH 21651b	Driving wrong side/divided highway
VEH 22348b	Speed over 100 MPH
VEH 23103, 23103a,23103 b	Reckless driving
VEH 23104, 23104a	Reckless driving/causing bodily injury
VEH 23109a, 23109c	Speed contest /exhibition of speed
VEH 23140, 23140a, 23140b	Minor driving with a BAC of 0.05% or more
VEH 23152, 23152a-d	DUI/alcoholic beverage or drugs
VEH 23153, 23153a-d	DUI/causing bodily injury or death
VEH 31602, 31602a, 31602b, 31602c	Explosives transportation

Other common California code violations

Section	Code	Violation	Points
49307 or 12059	Education	Disobedience to school safety patrol	1
191.5a, 192c1-192c4, 192.3c, 192.3d	Penal	Vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence	2
192c, 192.3, 192.3a, 192.3b	Penal	Vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence	1
27176	Streets and highways	Speeding on Golden Gate Bridge	1

Code of federal regulations violations

Section	Violation	Points
36423 or 36FR46	DUI/alcoholic beverage or any drug	2

For more information relating to California, see the California car insurance page.

Resources and Methodology

Sources:

State of California DMV. “Negligence.” Accessed January 2023.
California Legislative Information. “Code Section.” Accessed January 2023.