California Vehicle Code Cheat Sheet: Speed, DUI, and Fines

The California Vehicle Code sets the rules you actually get ticketed under: speed limits, the hands-free phone requirement, DUI thresholds, seat belt and child restraint tiers, insurance minimums, parking, and the point system the DMV uses to suspend licenses. One thing to know before anything else: the “base fine” printed next to a violation is not what you pay. State and county assessments plus a 20% surcharge push the real total to roughly five times that figure.¹ The sections below cover the provisions drivers hit most often, with the numbers you need.

Speed Limits and the Basic Speed Law

Vehicle Code 22350, the Basic Speed Law, requires you to drive at a speed that is reasonable and safe for current conditions no matter what the sign says.² You can be cited for doing 50 in a 55 zone if rain, fog, or traffic made that speed unsafe. The posted limit is not a safe harbor.

The specific maximums:

65 mph on most highways, with 70 mph posted on certain segments after an engineering study.³
55 mph on undivided two-lane highways and for any vehicle towing a trailer, unless a different limit is posted.³
25 mph in residential and business districts.⁴
15 mph in alleys, at blind intersections without traffic controls, and at railroad crossings where warning devices are absent.⁴

The 25 and 15 mph limits are “prima facie” limits. They apply automatically in those areas even without a posted sign. School zones often carry a 25 mph limit when children are present.

The Hands-Free Phone Rule

You cannot hold or manually operate a wireless device while driving. If you use your phone for navigation or calls, it has to be mounted on the windshield, dashboard, or center console in a way that doesn’t block your view. The only manual interaction the law allows is a single swipe or tap to activate a feature.⁵

Scrolling a playlist, typing an address, or holding the phone up to record video all violate the rule. Factory-installed systems built into the vehicle are exempt. The base fine on a first offense is $20; the amount you actually pay is far higher once assessments are added.

DUI Limits and Implied Consent

The BAC thresholds depend on who’s driving:

21 and older: 0.08% or higher.⁶
Commercial drivers: 0.04% or higher, which also triggers federal disqualification from commercial driving for at least one year.⁶
Under 21: 0.01% or higher, a zero-tolerance standard.⁶

The 0.04% limit also applies to anyone driving a passenger for hire, such as a rideshare or taxi driver.⁶

By driving on a California road you’ve already given implied consent to a chemical test of your blood or breath after a lawful DUI arrest.⁷ You can refuse, but the license consequences are automatic: one-year suspension on a first refusal, two years on a second, three on a third. The refusal itself can be introduced as evidence at trial, and a DUI conviction paired with a refusal carries a mandatory jail enhancement. Officers must warn you of all of this before asking you to test.

Open containers of alcohol or cannabis in the passenger area of a moving vehicle are prohibited for the driver and passengers alike. Alcohol containers belong in the trunk or another area occupants can’t easily reach; an open container of cannabis or loose cannabis flower while driving carries a fine of up to $100.⁸

Seat Belts and Child Restraints

Every driver and passenger aged 16 or older must be belted, front seat or back. This is a primary enforcement law, so an officer can stop you solely for an unbuckled occupant.

Children are covered by tighter rules that step down with age:

Under 2: rear-facing car seat, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.⁹
Under 8: appropriate child restraint system in the rear seat.⁹
8 and older: standard seat belt if it fits properly, with the lap belt across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt across the chest rather than the neck.

The parent or legal guardian is responsible for making sure the child is properly restrained. If the parent is a passenger, the citation goes to the parent rather than the driver.⁹

Passing Cyclists and the Move-Over Law

When overtaking a bicycle, leave at least three feet of clearance between your vehicle and the cyclist. If the lane isn’t wide enough to give three feet, slow to a reasonable speed and wait until you can change lanes or pass safely.¹⁰ The rule applies on any road, not just streets with marked bike lanes.

When you approach a stationary emergency vehicle, tow truck, highway maintenance vehicle, or any other stopped vehicle displaying flashing lights or warning devices like cones or flares, you must approach with caution and either move into a lane that isn’t immediately next to the stopped vehicle or slow to a safe speed if you can’t change lanes.¹¹ The law covers more than police and fire vehicles. Tow trucks, Caltrans vehicles, and even disabled cars with hazard lights on all trigger it.

Insurance Minimums and REAL ID

Every driver needs a valid California license, and every vehicle on the road must be registered. Proof of financial responsibility is almost always liability insurance. As of January 1, 2025, the minimum limits went up sharply:

$30,000 for injury or death to one person (up from $15,000).
$60,000 for total injury or death per accident (up from $30,000).
$15,000 for property damage (up from $5,000).¹²

If your policy still shows the old minimums, it should have updated at your most recent renewal.¹³ Driving uninsured is a separate offense that can bring fines and impoundment.

Since May 7, 2025, a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card is required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities.¹⁴ A standard California license no longer works for those purposes. If your license doesn’t show a gold bear and star in the upper right corner, you’ll need a valid passport or another federally accepted ID at airport security.

Parking Rules That Catch People Out

You cannot stop, park, or leave a vehicle within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. The one exception is a licensed driver remaining in the front seat who can move the car immediately; “I was only gone for a minute” doesn’t qualify.¹⁵

Painted curbs mean specific things:

Red: no stopping, standing, or parking at any time.
Yellow: loading and unloading passengers or freight only, for a limited time.
Green: time-limited parking, with the duration posted nearby.
Blue: reserved for vehicles displaying a valid disabled person placard or plate.
White: passenger loading and unloading only.

Designated EV charging spaces are reserved for electric vehicles that are actively charging. A non-electric vehicle in one of those spaces, or an EV that isn’t plugged in, can be fined and towed at the owner’s expense.¹⁶

Reporting a Crash to the DMV

If you’re in a collision that results in any injury, any death, or property damage over $1,000, you must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days. This obligation is yours regardless of fault, and it’s separate from any police report filed at the scene.¹⁷ Failing to file can result in a license suspension.

The $1,000 threshold is lower than most people expect. A minor fender-bender often crosses it once body work and paint are counted. When in doubt, file. There’s no penalty for reporting an accident that turns out to fall below the threshold.

Points and What Fines Actually Cost

The DMV tracks moving violations through the Negligent Operator Treatment System:

One point: speeding (under 100 mph), running a stop sign or red light, failure to yield, unsafe lane changes, and similar moving violations.¹⁸
Two points: DUI, hit-and-run, reckless driving, driving over 100 mph, and driving on a suspended license.¹⁸

Accumulate 4 points in 12 months, 6 in 24 months, or 8 in 36 months, and the DMV presumes you’re a negligent operator.¹⁸ That triggers a six-month license suspension and one year of driving probation.¹⁹

The base fine on a citation is only a fraction of what you owe. State and county penalty assessments add roughly $27 for every $10 of base fine, and a separate 20% criminal surcharge applies after that.¹ A $100 base fine can reach nearly $500 by the time it’s totaled. Those surcharges fund courthouse construction, DNA identification databases, and other programs, and they apply uniformly to infractions, misdemeanors, and felony traffic offenses. Before deciding whether to contest or pay, check the total bail amount on the court’s website; the number is usually well above what the citation appears to say.

1
Sacramento County Superior Court. How Fines Are Calculated
2
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22350
3
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Section 8 – Safe Driving (Continued)
4
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22352
5
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 23123.5
6
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. California Driver Handbook – Alcohol and Drugs
7
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 23612
8
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 23222
9
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 27360
10
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 21760
11
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 21809
12
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance Requirements
13
California Department of Insurance. New Year Means New Changes for Insurance
14
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
15
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22514
16
Alternative Fuels Data Center. Electric Vehicle (EV) Parking Space Regulation
17
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 16000
18
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Negligence
19
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Negligent Operator Actions