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HomeVehicle CodeDiv. 6Ch. 1Art. 3§ 12815 Duplicate License Requirements

§ 12815 Duplicate License Requirements

Vehicle Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 12815 Duplicate License Requirements

This law says what to do if your driver's license is lost, damaged, or if you change your name. You have to get a new one and follow some rules.

Key Takeaways

  • •If your license is lost, damaged, or you change your name, you must get a new one from the DMV.
  • •If you’re under 18, you need your parent or guardian’s permission to get a new license.
  • •If the DMV or police say your license is too damaged, you have 10 days to turn it in and get a new one.
  • •If you find your old license after getting a new one, you must destroy the old one right away.

Example

You accidentally wash your driver's license in the laundry, and it gets all torn up and faded.

You have to tell the DMV and get a new license within 10 days. If you don’t, you could get in trouble.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 12815 Duplicate License Requirements

(a) If a driver’s license issued under this code is lost, destroyed or mutilated, or a new true, full name is acquired, the person to whom it was issued shall obtain a duplicate upon furnishing to the department (1) satisfactory proof of that loss, destruction, or mutilation and (2) if the licensee is a minor, evidence of permission to obtain a duplicate secured from the parents, guardian, or person having custody of the minor. Any person who loses a driver’s license and who, after obtaining a duplicate, finds the original license shall immediately destroy the original license. (b) A person in possession of a valid driver’s license who has been informed either by the department or by a law enforcement agency that the document is mutilated shall surrender the license to the department not later than 10 days after that notification. (c) For purposes of this section, a mutilated license is one that has been damaged sufficiently to render any or all of the elements of identity set forth in Sections 12800.5 and 12811 unreadable or unidentifiable through visual, mechanical, or electronic means. (Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 135, Sec. 158. Effective January 1, 2001.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

driver’s licenseduplicatemutilatedelements of identity

Related Statutes

  • § 12800 Driver License Application Requirements
  • § 12800.6 Driver’S License Traffic Stop Notice
  • § 12800.7 Driver License Identity Verification
  • § 12801.6 Daca Driver’S License Eligibility
  • § 12804.15 House Car Driver License

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Vehicle Code. Section 12815.
View Official Source