License FeesCollection of Fees

Section § 14910

Explanation

This California vehicle law explains how the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) collects fees and penalties when you apply for or renew a driver's license or ID card. Specifically, it mentions that the DMV collects money owed for past failures to appear in court or pay fines. The DMV then sends the collected money, minus their processing fee, to the appropriate authorities. The department charges a small fee to cover their costs, capped at $1 per notice. If you pay bail in this process, it’s treated like a conviction for the violations in question. All payments are nonrefundable and must be made in full, without the option for installments.

(a)CA Vehicle Code § 14910(a) The department shall, with the consent of the applicant, collect the amounts that it has been notified are due pursuant to former Section 40509 and former Section 40509.5, and any service fees added to those amounts, at the time it collects from the applicant any fees and penalties required to issue or renew a driver’s license or identification card.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 14910(b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), the department shall remit all amounts collected pursuant to subdivision (a), after deducting the administrative fee authorized in subdivision (c), to each jurisdiction in the amounts due to each jurisdiction according to its notices filed with the department. Within 45 days from the time payment is received by the department, the department shall inform each jurisdiction which of its notices of failure to appear or failure to pay have been discharged.
(c)CA Vehicle Code § 14910(c) The department shall assess a fee for posting the bail on each notice of failure to appear or failure to pay that is given to the department pursuant to former Section 40509 or former Section 40509.5, in an amount, as determined by the department, that is sufficient to provide a sum equal to its actual costs of administering this section, not to exceed one dollar ($1) per notice. The fees shall be assessed to each jurisdiction on a regular basis by deducting the amount due to the department pursuant to this subdivision from the bails and fines collected pursuant to subdivision (a), prior to remitting the balance to each jurisdiction pursuant to subdivision (b).
(d)CA Vehicle Code § 14910(d) Except as provided in subdivision (e) of Section 13364, if bail is collected under this section for the violation of any provisions of this code, the person shall be deemed to be convicted of those sections violated.
(e)CA Vehicle Code § 14910(e) Any amounts collected by the department under this section are nonrefundable by the department.
(f)CA Vehicle Code § 14910(f) Notwithstanding Section 42003, payment of bail to the department in accordance with this section shall be paid in full and not in installments.
DMV fee collection driver's license renewal nonrefundable payments ...

Section § 14911

Explanation

When someone doesn't show up in court or doesn't pay a fine as recorded in past sections, that fine becomes a lien on all their registered vehicles. If the lien isn't paid, the department can collect the money owed, including additional costs, following specific collection procedures.

(a)CA Vehicle Code § 14911(a) When a notice of failure to appear or failure to pay a fine is recorded on the department records pursuant to former Section 40509 and former Section 40509.5, the fine and any penalty assessments shall be a lien upon all vehicles of the defendant of a type subject to registration under this code.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 14911(b) For every lien arising pursuant to subdivision (a) that is due and not paid, the department may collect the amount of the lien plus costs, and Article 6 (commencing with Section 9800) of Chapter 6 of Division 3.5 shall apply.
failure to appear failure to pay fine vehicle lien ...