DUI Reporting Requirements in California

In 2007, California increased the amount of time a conviction for DUI will appear on your driving record from 7 years to 10 years. This action was taken as a measure to further discourage Californians from driving while under the influence of an intoxicating substance.

Your car insurance may be cancelled if you receive a DUI conviction. It is illegal to drive in California without insurance. At Cost-U-Less Insurance, our agents are skilled at working with people who have received a DUI. Give us a call to help you navigate through the aftermath of a DUI arrest or conviction.

A DUI on your driving (and maybe criminal) record is a negative mark that affects many parts of your life. This can include:

• The cost of your auto insurance – Insurance companies pay attention to your driving history in order to decide how much to charge you, or even if they will have you as a customer at all. A DUI on your record tells them you are a risky driver to insure and your rates will reflect that. People with a DUI on their record pay double and sometimes triple what others pay for insurance.
• Your job prospects – Employers these days do background checks that weren’t so common in past years. A DUI on your record can turn an employer away. Most first-time DUIs in California are misdemeanors, but subsequent DUIs, as well as DUIs with aggravating circumstances can turn into a felony.

If your DUI is a felony on your record, it’s there for life. Being a convicted felon shuts many doors, including the ability to freely travel to other countries, enter some career fields and more.

Like every state in the country, California is getting stricter on those who choose to drive while drunk or otherwise impaired, putting their own life and the lives of others, at risk.

This law makes it harder for drivers convicted of DUI to take advantage of a good or safe driver discount. These discounts are based on how long a driver has operated a vehicle without a major infraction or accident.

In California, drivers with a DUI violation occurring within the past 10 years are not entitled to receive a good driver discount.

If your insurance policy is cancelled for any reason, you need to get new insurance right away, since it is illegal to own or operate a vehicle without liability insurance in California. You may want to check with your own insurance company before going to another company; they may offer you a policy without a good driver discount.

Current law requires your insurance company to electronically report your insurance information to DMV. Once your insurance company notifies the department that your policy has been cancelled, you will receive a notice indicating that your vehicle registration will be suspended if new insurance information is not submitted within 45 days.

In addition to proof of insurance for registration, if you are required to maintain a SR-22 for your driver license, you will need to have your new insurance company file a new SR-22 with DMV immediately to avoid the suspension of your driver license based on the cancellation of your insurance proof certificate.

If necessary, individuals unable to obtain insurance through regular channels may have any agent or broker make an application to the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP). You may contact CAARP directly by calling 800-622-0954.