The California DMV Mandatory Actions Unit phone number is (916) 657-6525. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, with a possible delayed 9:00 a.m. opening on Wednesday mornings for staff training. This one office handles license suspensions, revocations, and restrictions for the entire state, so hold times can run past 30 minutes, especially right after weekends and holidays. Calling early on a Tuesday or Thursday tends to produce the shortest waits.
If you need to send documents rather than call, the mailing address is:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Mandatory Actions Unit
M/S J233
P.O. Box 942890
Sacramento, CA 94290-00011California Department of Motor Vehicles. Termination of Action for Out-of-State Residents
When You Can Skip the Call
Some reinstatement tasks don’t need a phone call at all. The DMV’s online portal accepts payment for the $55 standard reissue fee, the $125 Admin Per Se reissue fee, and the $15 DMV administrative fee.2California Department of Motor Vehicles. Reissue Fees If the notice you received says paying a fee is the only thing left, do it online and save yourself the hold.
Call the unit when you need to request a hearing, confirm what steps remain on your file, resolve a status question the online portal can’t answer, or clear a hold that is following an out-of-state license.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Calling unprepared almost guarantees a second call. Before you dial, pull together:
- Your California driver license number, full legal name, and date of birth. The representative uses these to locate your file.
- The suspension notice from the DMV. It contains a file number or case ID, the code section cited for the action, and the mailing date.
- Court documents, if your suspension followed a conviction, so you can confirm dates and sentencing terms.
- SR-22 filing confirmation, if you need proof of financial responsibility. Your insurer files it electronically; know the company’s name and confirm the filing went through before calling.1California Department of Motor Vehicles. Termination of Action for Out-of-State Residents
- DUI program enrollment (DL 107) or completion (DL 101) certificate, if a program was required.
Check that the name and address on your documents match exactly what the DMV has on file. Even small spelling differences can prevent the representative from locating your record.
The 10-Day APS Hearing Deadline
If you’re calling because of a DUI arrest, one detail matters more than any other. You have 10 days from the date you received the suspension order to request an Administrative Per Se hearing from the DMV.3California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Miss the window and you lose the chance to challenge the administrative suspension before it takes effect. The criminal case in court is entirely separate; winning at the APS hearing can keep your license active even while criminal charges are pending.
You request the hearing by calling (916) 657-6525. When the request comes in within the 10-day window, the suspension is typically stayed until the hearing takes place, so you can keep driving in the meantime. If criminal charges are later dropped for insufficient evidence, you have a renewed right to request a hearing within one year of the arrest date.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 13353.2
Negligent Operator Hearings
If your notice says the DMV is suspending your license under the negligent operator treatment system, you have the right to a hearing on that action too. At the hearing you can present evidence and testify about your driving record. The DMV bears the burden of proving your responsibility for any collisions on your record, and if you can show you were not at fault for a particular accident, the DMV must correct the record.5California Department of Motor Vehicles. Negligent Operator Treatment System Hearings
If the DMV cannot schedule the hearing before the suspension is set to start, and your request came in on time, it will grant a stay so your license remains valid until a decision is reached. Not showing up without contesting your record is treated as withdrawing the hearing request.
What the Representative Will Check
Once you get through, the representative walks through what still needs to happen before your license can be restored. The exact list depends on why your license was suspended, but reinstatement almost always involves paying a fee. The two most common are the $55 standard reissue fee and the $125 Admin Per Se fee for DUI-related suspensions.2California Department of Motor Vehicles. Reissue Fees Both can be paid online through the DMV’s virtual office.
If you’re applying for a restricted license after a DUI, expect additional charges: a $15 restriction fee and, if an ignition interlock device is required, an extra $103 administrative service fee.6California Department of Motor Vehicles. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program
Beyond fees, the representative will verify that all required steps show as complete in the DMV’s system. For a first-offense DUI, that typically means confirming enrollment in a DUI program, an SR-22 insurance filing, and, depending on the situation, installation of an ignition interlock device.7California Department of Motor Vehicles. DUI First Offenders Alcohol Involved – Non-Injury 21 and Older First-time offenders without a court-ordered IID can choose between an IID-restricted license for up to six months or a work-and-program-only restricted license for one year.6California Department of Motor Vehicles. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program
Drivers who cannot afford IID installation and monitoring costs may qualify for a low-income assistance program that covers 50 to 90 percent of program costs depending on household income relative to the federal poverty level.6California Department of Motor Vehicles. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program Ask about it on the call if the cost is a concern.
Why You Shouldn’t Just Keep Driving
Some people decide to skip the call and keep driving, hoping they won’t get stopped. A first conviction under CVC 14601 carries five days to six months in county jail and a fine between $300 and $1,000. A second conviction within five years raises the jail range to 10 days to one year, with fines of $500 to $2,000.8California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 14601 Judges who grant probation on repeat offenses must still impose at least 10 days of jail time as a condition.
A conviction for driving on a suspended license can also reset or extend your suspension period, pile on additional reissue fees, and make it harder to get a restricted license later.
If You Live Out of State
A California suspension does not stay inside California’s borders. The state has been a member of the Driver License Compact since 1963, an agreement among 47 states and the District of Columbia that shares information about license suspensions and serious traffic violations.9The Council of State Governments. Driver License Compact The National Driver Register maintained by NHTSA also keeps a database of drivers whose privileges have been revoked, suspended, or denied in any state, and other states check it before issuing a license.10National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register
Applying for a license in another state usually will not work while a California action is open. If you hold an out-of-state license and received a California suspension, call the Mandatory Actions Unit at (916) 657-6525 to find out what it takes to clear the hold so it stops following you.1California Department of Motor Vehicles. Termination of Action for Out-of-State Residents