2740 Department of Motor Vehicles
Major Program Changes
  • Motor Vehicle Account Fee Increase - The Budget includes a $10 increase in the vehicle registration fee to address an imbalance between operating costs and available revenues. The Motor Vehicle Account is the primary source of funding for DMV and the California Highway Patrol.

  • Road Improvement Charge Billing - The Budget includes $170,000 from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account to make system changes for the collection of the new Road Improvement Charge. The Governor's Transportation Package will provide new revenue, including a $65 Road Improvement Charge on all vehicles, to repair local streets and roads, rehabilitate the state highway system, and provide additional transit, rail, and goods movement projects.

  • Self-Service Terminals - The Budget includes $8 million from the Motor Vehicle Account to expand the department's existing network of self-service terminals to increase public accessibility and provide additional transaction options. The Department of Motor Vehicles continues to explore opportunities for providing greater convenience, at reduced costs, while managing current and future workload demands.

  • New Motor Voter Program - The Budget proposes $3.9 million General Fund to create an automatic voter registration process that is integrated with the driver license application and renewal process. The California New Motor Voter Program, authorized by Chapter 729, Statutes of 2015 (AB 1461), is intended to increase the number of registered voters in the state by automatically registering eligible individuals to vote when applying for or renewing a driver license unless the individual selects the opt-out option.