ARTICLE 5. Identification Cards [13000. - 13008.]

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH 5.

in effect

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13000. Section 13000.

(a) (1) The department may issue an identification card to any person attesting to the true full name, correct age, and other identifying data as certified by the applicant for the identification card. (2) The department may not issue a Real ID identification card to a person who holds a Real ID driver’s license. (3) The department may cancel an identification card in order to enable compliance with paragraph (2). (b) Any person 62 years of age or older may apply for, and the department upon receipt of a proper application therefor shall issue, an identification card bearing the notation “Senior Citizen.” (c) Every application for an identification card shall be signed and verified by the applicant under penalty of perjury and shall be supported by bona fide documentary evidence of the age and identity of the applicant as the department may require. (d) Prior to the issuance of an identification card, the department shall confirm that a legible print of the thumb or finger of the applicant is on file with the department. (e) Any person 62 years of age or older, and any other qualified person, may apply for, or possess, an identification card under the provisions of either subdivision (a) or (b), but not under both of those provisions.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13000.1. Section 13000.1.

(a) The department may refuse to issue or renew an identification card to any person for any of the following reasons: (1) The department determines that the person has knowingly used a false or fictitious name in any application. (2) The department determines that the person has impersonated another in making an application. (3) The department determines that the person has knowingly made a false statement, knowingly concealed a material fact, or otherwise committed any fraud on any application. (b) The department may declare an identification card invalid upon any of the grounds specified in subdivision (a) as reason to refuse to reissue or renew an identification card. The holder of an identification card that has been declared invalid shall surrender the identification card to the department.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13001. Section 13001.

(a) Any federal document demonstrating favorable action by the federal government for acceptance of a person into the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program shall satisfy the requirement that the applicant submit satisfactory proof that the applicant’s presence in the United States is authorized under federal law. (b) The department may issue an original identification card to the person who submits proof of presence in the United States as authorized under federal law pursuant to subdivision (a) and either a social security account number or ineligibility for a social security account number.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13001.5. Section 13001.5.

Commencing no later than July 1, 2027, the department shall issue an identification card pursuant to Section 12801.9 to an eligible applicant, other than a person described in Section 13001, who is unable to submit satisfactory proof that the applicant’s presence in the United States is authorized under federal law.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13002. Section 13002.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), every identification card shall expire, unless canceled earlier, on the sixth birthday of the applicant following the date of application for the identification card. Renewal of any identification card, other than a senior citizen identification card, shall be made for a term which shall expire on the sixth birthday of the applicant following expiration of the identification card renewed, unless surrendered earlier. Any application for renewal received after 90 days after expiration of the identification card, including a senior citizen identification card, shall be considered the same as an application for an original identification card. The department shall, at the end of six years and six months after the issuance or renewal of an identification card, other than a senior citizen identification card, destroy any record of the card if it has expired and has not been renewed. (b) Every senior citizen identification card issued pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13000 shall expire, unless canceled earlier, on the eighth birthday of the applicant following the date of application for the identification card. Renewal of any senior citizen identification card shall be made for a term which shall expire on the eighth birthday of the applicant following expiration of the senior citizen identification card renewed, unless surrendered earlier. The department shall, at the end of eight years and six months after the issuance or renewal of a senior citizen identification card, destroy any record of the card if it has expired and has not been renewed. (c) An identification card may be issued to a person in exchange for the person’s driver’s license which is surrendered to the department for either of the following reasons: (1) The person has a physical or mental condition and requests cancellation of the driver’s license. (2) The department has revoked the person’s driving privilege based on the person’s physical or mental condition. That card shall be issued without the payment of any additional fee. (d) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), the department may adjust the expiration date of any identification card issued pursuant to this code so that the date does not exceed the expiration date of a document submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 12801.5. (e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2018.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13002.1. Section 13002.1.

(a) The director shall establish a program that permits the renewal of identification cards by mail or through the department’s Internet Web site. (b) The initial application for the identification card shall be pursuant to Section 13000. After January 1, 2018, the first renewal for a person 62 years of age or older shall be for an eight-year period with a maximum of one renewal by mail or through the department’s Internet Web site. All other renewals shall be for a six-year period with a maximum of two renewals by mail or through the department’s Internet Web site. (c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2018.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13003. Section 13003.

(a) If an identification card issued under this code is lost, destroyed, mutilated, or a new true full name is acquired, the person to whom it was issued shall make application for an original identification card as specified in Section 13000. The fee provided in Section 14902 shall be paid to the department upon application for the card. Every identification card issued pursuant to this section shall expire as provided in Section 13002 and shall be deemed an original identification card for that purpose. (b) A person in possession of a valid identification card who has been informed either by the department or by a law enforcement agency that the document is mutilated shall surrender the identification card to the department not later than 10 days after that notification. (c) For purposes of this section a mutilated identification card is one that has been damaged sufficiently to render any or all of the elements of identity set forth in Sections 13005 and 13005.5 unreadable or unidentifiable through visual, mechanical, or electronic means.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13004. Section 13004.

It is unlawful for any person: (a) To display or cause or permit to be displayed or have in his possession any canceled, fictitious, fraudulently altered, or fraudulently obtained identification card. (b) To lend his identification card to any other person or knowingly permit the use thereof by another. (c) To display or represent any identification card not issued to him as being his card. (d) To permit any unlawful use of an identification card issued to him. (e) To do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required by this article. (f) To photograph, photostat, duplicate, or in any way reproduce any identification card or facsimile thereof in such a manner that it could be mistaken for a valid identification card, or to display or have in his possession any such photograph, photostat, duplicate, reproduction, or facsimile unless authorized by the provisions of this code. (g) To alter any identification card in any manner not authorized by this code.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13004.1. Section 13004.1.

(a) A person shall not manufacture or sell an identification document of a size and form substantially similar to, or that purports to confer the same privileges as, the identification cards issued by the department. (b) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable as follows: (1) The court shall impose a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), and 24 hours of community service, to be served when the person is not employed or is not attending school. No part of the fine or community service shall be suspended or waived. (2) In lieu of the penalties imposed under paragraph (1), the court, in its discretion, may impose a jail term of up to one year and a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000). In exercising its discretion the court shall consider the extent of the defendant’s commercial motivation for the offense. (c) Prosecution under this section shall not preclude prosecution under any other applicable provision of law.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13005. Section 13005.

(a) The identification card shall resemble in appearance, so far as is practicable, a driver’s license issued pursuant to this code. It shall adequately describe the applicant, bear the applicant’s picture, and be produced in color or engraved by a process or processes that prohibit, as near as possible, the ability to alter or reproduce the identification card, or prohibit the ability to superimpose a picture or photograph on the identification card without ready detection. (b) Upon issuance of a new identification card, or renewal of an identification card, the department shall provide information on organ and tissue donation, including a standardized written or electronic form to be filled out by an individual who desires to enroll in the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry with instructions for submitting the completed form to the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registrar established pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 7150.90 of the Health and Safety Code. (c) (1) The department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry to mutually agree upon the written or electronic form for enrollment required by subdivision (b). (2) (A) At any time a memorandum of understanding, as described in paragraph (1), is not in effect, the department shall, as soon as practicable, produce a written or electronic form that is simple in design, in cooperation with the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registrar, and shall require all of the following information to be supplied by the enrollee: (i) Date of birth, gender, full name, address, and home telephone number. (ii) Consent for organs or tissues to be donated for transplant after death. (iii) Any limitation of the donation to specific organs, tissues, or research. (B) The form shall also include a description of the process for having a name removed from the registry, and the process for donating money for the benefit of the registry. (d) The registry enrollment form shall be posted on the internet websites for the department and the California Health and Human Services Agency. (e) The form shall constitute a legal document under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 7150) of Part 1 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code). (f) The registrar shall ensure that all additions and deletions to the registry shall occur within 30 days of receipt. (g) Information obtained by the registrar for the purposes of this subdivision shall be used for these purposes only and shall not further be disseminated by the registrar. (h) A contract shall not be awarded to a nongovernmental entity for the processing of identification cards unless the contract conforms to all applicable state contracting laws and all applicable procedures set forth in the State Contracting Manual.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13005.3. Section 13005.3.

In addition to the requirements of Section 13005, any identification card issued pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13000 shall contain the words “Senior Citizen”.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13005.5. Section 13005.5.

(a) (1) An identification card issued to any person shall bear a fullface engraved picture or photograph of the person. (2) Notwithstanding any other law, the department shall not, unless requested by the applicant, distribute or sell the applicant’s picture or photograph or any information pertaining to the applicant’s physical characteristics to any private individual, other than the applicant, or to any firm, copartnership, association, or corporation. This paragraph does not apply to any private business entity that contracts with the department for the production of driver’s licenses and identification cards, if the contract prohibits the unauthorized use and disclosure of the information. (b) (1) An identification card issued pursuant to Section 13000 shall bear a notice that the identification card is issued only as a means of identification and does not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration, or public benefits. (2) In the next scheduled revision of the identification card on or after January 1, 2023, the notice requirement specified in paragraph (1) shall be replaced by the following notice requirement: (A) A Real ID identification card, as described in Section 681, shall bear a notice including, but not limited to, that the identification card is issued only as a means of identification, and that it does not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration, or public benefits. (B) An identification card that is not a Real ID identification card, as described in Section 681, shall bear a notice including, but not limited to, that the identification card is issued only as a means of identification, it does not establish eligibility for employment, firearms purchases, voter registration, or public benefits, and that it is not acceptable for official federal purposes. (c) This section shall become inoperative on the date the department notifies the Legislature that the driver’s license has been revised to include the notices specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), and is repealed on January 1 of the following year.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13006. Section 13006.

No public entity or employee shall be liable for any loss or injury resulting directly or indirectly from false or inaccurate information contained in identification cards provided for in this article. No public entity or employee shall be liable for any loss, detriment, or injury resulting directly or indirectly from false or inaccurate information contained in the sticker provided pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13005.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13007. Section 13007.

Whenever any person after applying for or receiving an identification card acquires an address different from the address shown on the identification card issued to him, he shall within 10 days thereafter notify the department of his old and new address. The department may thereupon take such action as necessary to insure that the identification card reflects the proper address of the identification card holder.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13007.5. Section 13007.5.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this code or in the regulations adopted thereunder, including specifically the Driver’s License Manual of Procedure, the department may verify the identity of any person born prior to 1916 who applies for an identification card, through United States Census records even though the date and month of birth are not included. It is unlawful for an applicant to knowingly declare to the department, in writing, that no birth certificate exists for the applicant when, in fact, a birth certificate does exist.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 13008. Section 13008.

When used in reference to an identification card, “cancellation” means that an identification card is terminated without prejudice and must be surrendered. Cancellation of card may be made when a card has been issued through error or when voluntarily surrendered to the department.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026