How to Lookup Any California License Plate Number

The search for vehicle records in the state of California through a license plate number can be done in a few ways:

1. Purchase the California license plate information from a third party website. These privately run databases are run by private companies, not State or Federal government organizations and are to be used for information and verification purposes. This is the easiest option for consumers looking for information because it involves the least amount of work.

2. Another option is to request the information from the state. Use the California Vehicle Records Request Form to make driver and vehicle record requests online

3. One more option is to hire a private investigator. This is not an inexpensive option, but it could prove to be the most useful.

California State Motor Vehicle Agency:

California Department of Motor Vehicles

Address:
1120 N Street
Sacramento, CA 94269

Telephone:
1-800-777-0133

Website:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/

California Driver Record Lookup

A California driver record search can be performed a few different ways as well. You will need the first and last name, and the age, of the person you want to run a CA driver record search. Then you’ll need to choose a resource to locate driver information from, depending on the nature of your search will determining what resource is best suited for that information. There are a multitude of CA driver record resources that can be obtained from other agencies and public record websites. The California Department of Transportation is one of those other agency that keeps driving and license plate related records in California. Contacting this agency, you may find information related to drivers licenses, registrations, renewals, and more.

California Department Of Transportation contact info:
Phone Number: 916 654-5266
Office Address: 1120 N Street
Sacramento, CA 94723
Website: http://www.dot.ca.gov/

California DMV Resources

The California Department of Motor Vehicles will notify drivers when points are incurred against their driving records. When a driver has received half of the points required for a license revocation, the DMV will issue the driver a warning letter. Once any driver gets within one point of the allowed revocation limit, the DMV will inform you with a Notification of Intent to Suspend License, letting you know that you close to losing your driver’s license. If any driver’s license is suspended due to points, the DMV will send the driver a Notice of Revocation or Suspension of Driving Privileges.

One-point violations to a driving record are normally cleared after three years. Points for incurring serious violations like DUI and hit-and-run incidents remain for 10 years. Failure to appear in court for any traffic violation will remain on the driving record for five years. Failure to appear in court for a DUI will remain on record for 10 years. Those violations which require a court appearance will be noted on the violation itself. If one should choose to pay the fine, this is possible through mail or in person. Every county or municipal court has a website with clear directions as to how to do this. If anyone should choose to challenge the ticket, the fine becomes “bail” that has to be paid and if adjudicated in the driver’s favor, it will be returned. A trial date will be set at that time as well.

There are categories of convictions that lead to a suspended, revoked or canceled driver’s license. There are three terms to describe them:

License suspension which means temporary loss of driving privileges. License revocation which is the termination of a person’s driving privileges. With revocation a new driver’s license may be obtained after the period of revocation; and license cancellation, which is termination of a person driver’s license. A driver whose license has been canceled can immediately apply for a new license. Any number of speeding tickets, a high number of traffic tickets and/or points could lead to the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license in California. Currently, the California Department of Motor Vehicles will suspend anyone’s driver’s license that accumulates four points or more within a 12 month period. The DMV assigns one point for violations including speeding, making an unsafe lane change or an at-fault accident and two points are given for upper level violations such as hit-and-run, DUI, reckless driving, or driving with a suspended or revoked license. A commercial driver can also face stiffer penalties for traffic violations than a non-commercial driver. A commercial driver’s license holder in California will incur points at one and one-half the rate of a non-commercial driver.