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HomeVehicle CodeDiv. 6Ch. 2Art. 3§ 13388 Underage Driver Alcohol Testing

§ 13388 Underage Driver Alcohol Testing

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

§ 13388 Underage Driver Alcohol Testing

This law says police can test drivers under 21 for alcohol. If they refuse or test positive (even a tiny bit), their license gets taken away for 30 days.

Key Takeaways

  • •Cops can test under-21 drivers for alcohol if they suspect drinking.
  • •Even a tiny bit of alcohol (0.01%) means a 30-day license suspension.
  • •Refusing the test = automatic suspension.
  • •The cop takes your license and gives you a 30-day temporary one.

Example

A 20-year-old is pulled over for speeding. The cop smells beer and asks them to blow into a breathalyzer.

If they refuse or blow even 0.01% alcohol (way below the adult limit), the cop takes their license and gives them a 30-day temporary one. Their real license gets suspended.

How to Calculate

Blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥ 0.01%

  1. Cop uses a breathalyzer (or blood/urine test if no breathalyzer is available).
  2. If the test shows any alcohol (0.01% or higher), the driver fails.
  3. Cop takes their license and gives a 30-day temporary one.

A 19-year-old drinks half a beer and drives.

Result: License suspended because 0.02% > 0.01%.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 13388 Underage Driver Alcohol Testing

(a)  If a peace officer lawfully detains a person under 21 years of age who is driving a motor vehicle, and the officer has reasonable cause to believe that the person is in violation of Section 23136, the officer shall request that the person take a preliminary alcohol screening test to determine the presence of alcohol in the person, if a preliminary alcohol screening test device is immediately available. If a preliminary alcohol screening test device is not immediately available, the officer may request the person to submit to chemical testing of his or her blood, breath, or urine, conducted pursuant to Section 23612. (b) If the person refuses to take, or fails to complete, the preliminary alcohol screening test or refuses to take or fails to complete a chemical test if a preliminary alcohol device is not immediately available, or if the person takes the preliminary alcohol screening test and that test reveals a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.01 percent or greater, or if the results of a chemical test reveal a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.01 percent or greater, the officer shall proceed as follows: (1) The officer, acting on behalf of the department, shall serve the person with a notice of an order of suspension of the person’s driving privilege. (2) The officer shall take possession of any driver’s license issued by this state which is held by the person. When the officer takes possession of a valid driver’s license, the officer shall issue, on behalf of the department, a temporary driver’s license. The temporary driver’s license shall be an endorsement on the notice of the order of suspension and shall be valid for 30 days from the date of issuance, or until receipt of the order of suspension from the department, whichever occurs first. (3) The officer immediately shall forward a copy of the completed notice of order of suspension form, and any driver’s license taken into possession under paragraph (2), with the report required by Section 13380, to the department. For the purposes of this paragraph, “immediately” means on or before the end of the fifth ordinary business day after the notice of order of suspension was served. (c) For the purposes of this section, a preliminary alcohol screening test device is an instrument designed and used to measure the presence of alcohol in a person based on a breath sample. (Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 118, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative July 1, 1999, by Sec. 85 of Ch. 118.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

possessionportvehicledriverlicensepensionconcentrationviolation

Related Statutes

  • § 13382 Dui License Suspension Notice
  • § 11302 Vehicle Verifier Permit Rules
  • § 13380 Peace Officer Dui Report
  • § 23566 Multiple Dui Felony Penalties
  • § 2431 Tow Truck Driver Screening

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Vehicle Code. Section 13388.
View Official Source