In California, you generally cannot turn right on red from the second lane. Vehicle Code Section 22100 requires you to make both the approach and the turn itself as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, so the curb lane is the only legal starting position unless the intersection is specifically marked otherwise.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22100
The Default Rule Under Section 22100
Section 22100 governs two things at once: where you turn from and how you get there. Both the approach to the intersection and the turn itself must be made from the position closest to the right curb.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22100 That means you need to be in the rightmost lane well before you reach the limit line. Drifting over from the second lane at the last second is exactly the movement the statute is written to prevent.
The reason is predictability. Cyclists riding along the right edge, pedestrians stepping off the curb after checking the nearest lane, and drivers in the curb lane itself all expect right-turning traffic to be where the law says it should be. A vehicle swinging right from the second lane crosses a path nobody is watching. The California Driver Handbook restates the same instruction: position close to the right edge of the road before turning.2State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Section 6: Navigating the Roads
When a Second-Lane Right Turn Is Legal
Section 22100 itself carves out situations where the curb-lane requirement doesn’t apply. If the intersection matches one of these configurations, turning right from the second lane is legal, and that includes turning on a red when the other conditions for a right on red are met.
- Dual or multiple right-turn lanes. When an intersection has additional lanes marked for right turns with signs or pavement arrows, you can turn from any of those designated lanes. This is the scenario most drivers actually run into. Look for arrows painted on the pavement or overhead signs showing that both lanes turn right.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22100
- Three-lane one-directional road ending at a two-way street. If your road has three marked lanes running one direction and dead-ends into a street carrying traffic both ways, the middle lane may turn right into any available lane on the cross street.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22100
- Turning off a one-way street. You still approach from the rightmost lane, but you can complete the turn into any lawful lane on the street you’re entering.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22100
Local authorities can also install signs or pavement markings that direct turning movements at specific intersections, and those posted directions override the default.3California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 22101 If a sign or arrow tells you to turn right from a particular lane, follow it, even where Section 22100 would otherwise say something different.
The practical test is simple. If nothing on the pavement or overhead tells you the second lane can turn right, it can’t. A second lane that’s unmarked for turning is a through lane, and using it to turn right on red is a violation whether traffic is heavy or the street is empty.
Bike Lanes Add a Step
A bike lane between your travel lane and the curb changes the mechanics. Under Vehicle Code Section 21717, you have to merge into the bike lane before making the right turn, not turn across it from outside.4California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 21717 Section 21209 restricts that merge to within 200 feet of the intersection.
For a driver sitting in the second lane, that means two moves before the turn: first into the rightmost travel lane, then into the bike lane within the 200-foot window, then the turn from the curb position. Signal, check the mirror and blind spot for cyclists, yield to any cyclist already in the lane, and complete the turn. Cutting right across two travel lanes and a bike lane at a red is both dangerous and illegal; a cyclist proceeding lawfully has no reason to expect a vehicle appearing from two lanes over.
What an Illegal Right Turn Costs
An illegal right turn on red is a moving violation. The base fine is $35, but California’s penalty assessments push the actual amount you pay to roughly $233.5California Courts. Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules The total can vary by county and increase if you miss deadlines or fail to appear.
The DMV also adds one point to your record. Points feed the Negligent Operator Treatment System: four points in 12 months, six in 24, or eight in 36 triggers a license suspension.6State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Negligent Operator Actions Even a single point can raise your insurance premiums for years, which often outweighs the ticket itself.
Traffic school is usually available for a one-point Vehicle Code infraction if you hold a valid license and haven’t used the option for another violation within the past 18 months.7California Courts. Rule 4.104 – Procedures and Eligibility Criteria for Attending Traffic Violator School Completing the course keeps the conviction confidential so your insurer doesn’t see it. You still pay the fine plus an enrollment fee, and you burn the 18-month cooldown, so if another ticket lands soon after, the option won’t be there.