What is an AB 60 license, and who qualifies?
An AB 60 license is a California driver’s license for residents who cannot prove that their presence in the U.S. is authorized under federal law. You qualify if you meet every other licensing requirement and prove your identity and California residency, under Vehicle Code §12801.9(a)(1).
You take the same knowledge test and behind-the-wheel test as any applicant. Applicants aged 15 to 17½ also need a driver education course (DMV AB 60 page). The name comes from Assembly Bill 60, the law that created it.
What documents does the DMV accept for an AB 60 license?
You need one proof of identity and one proof of California residency. Some identity documents work on their own, including a Mexican INE or IFE voter card, a Mexican passport or a Mexican consular ID (matrícula consular) in the versions the DMV lists. Most other countries’ IDs must be paired with a second document.
| Situation | What to bring | Examples from the DMV checklist |
|---|---|---|
| One document is enough | Any one from this group | Mexican INE voter card (2014 version) or IFE card (2013 version); Mexican passport issued 2008 or later with digital photo and signature; Mexican matrícula consular (2014 or 2022 version); a California license or ID issued October 2000 or later. |
| Two documents needed | Any two from this group | Guatemalan DPI (2012); Salvadoran DUI (2010 or 2022); Honduran consular ID (August 2017); Guatemalan consular ID (2002 or 2015); national IDs from Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua or Peru in the listed versions; a valid foreign passport without a verifiable SSN. |
| None of the above | Secondary Review interview | School records showing your birth date, Form I-589, U.S. tax returns, court documents, marriage or divorce records, a birth certificate, a foreign driver’s license. |
Source: the DMV AB 60 checklist. A marriage license, divorce decree or foreign license that isn’t in English needs a certified translation or an affidavit of translation (§12801.9(c)(4)).
Residency proof can be a lease signed by you and the landlord, utility or cell phone bills, school, medical, employment or faith-based documents, tax returns, bank records, or a letter on letterhead from a shelter, nonprofit, faith-based organization or employer. Insurance documents count too, and the DMV’s list names vehicle insurance specifically.
How do you apply, and what does it cost?
An original Class C license costs $46 on the DMV fee schedule (checked October 9, 2026). The steps match a regular license, with an extra interview if your documents can’t be verified at the counter. The card arrives by mail.
- Start the application online through a MyDMV account.
- Pass the knowledge test, offered in more than 40 languages.
- Book a DMV appointment and bring your documents. Interpreter line: 1-800-777-0133.
- If your documents need more review, you get a DL 209A notice. Wait 5 business days, then request Secondary Review at dmv.ca.gov/SRA or (855) 421-1001. An interview letter arrives within 30 days; the interview can take up to an hour, and your documents are returned.
- Pass the behind-the-wheel test (after the interview, if you had one).
- Receive the license by mail. It renews every 5 years.
Sources: DMV AB 60 steps and DMV Secondary Review. A behind-the-wheel retest costs $9.
What can you do with an AB 60 license, and what can’t you?
It lets you drive legally in California like any DMV-issued license. It is not acceptable for official federal purposes and is not evidence of citizenship or immigration status. State law also bans discrimination against people who hold one and restricts who can see your application documents.
| Question | Answer | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Can I drive legally? | Yes. It is a California driver’s license, and California requires a valid license to drive. | §12500 |
| Is it valid for federal purposes? | No. The statute describes it as not acceptable for official federal purposes. | §12801.9(d) |
| Does it show my immigration status? | No. It cannot be used as evidence of citizenship or immigration status for any purpose. | §12801.9(k) |
| Can a business or employer treat me differently for showing it? | No. Discrimination for holding or presenting an AB 60 license violates the Unruh Civil Rights Act, the Fair Employment and Housing Act, and Government Code §11135. | §12801.9(g) |
| Who can see my documents? | They are not public records. They are released only for a subpoena in a criminal case, a court order, or a certified urgent health or safety need, and immigration enforcement does not count as one. | §12801.9(i)-(j) |
| What if I only need an ID card? | The DMV must start issuing ID cards to people without proof of lawful presence no later than July 1, 2027. | §12801.9(a)(2) |
This page summarizes DMV guidance and California statutes. It is not legal or immigration advice; for your own situation, talk to an attorney or a legal aid organization.
How do insurers price a driver with an AB 60 license?
The same way they price every California driver. Under Prop 103 (Insurance Code §1861.02), rates must be set first by your driving record, then by annual mileage, then by years of driving experience. Any other factor needs the Insurance Commissioner’s approval by regulation. License type is not one of the three.
| Rule | What the law says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Driving record | The heaviest factor. | Tickets and at-fault crashes on your DMV record matter most. |
| Annual mileage | Second factor. | Give an honest, low mileage estimate if you drive little. |
| Years of experience | Third factor: “years of driving experience.” | The statute does not say “years licensed in California.” Ask each carrier how it counts driving you did abroad. |
| No prior insurance | Not having been insured before cannot, by itself, decide your rate, your eligibility or the Good Driver Discount (§1861.02(c)). | A first policy cannot be priced up just because it is your first. |
| Good Driver Discount | At least 20% off (§1861.02(b)); normally needs 3 years licensed plus a clean record (§1861.025). | With driving experience from outside the U.S. or Canada, you are presumed eligible once you have held a U.S. or Canadian license for 18 months with a clean record for that period (§1861.025(d)). |
“Clean record” for the discount means, over the past 3 years, no more than one violation point and no at-fault crash that injured or killed someone, plus no DUI conviction in the past 10 years (§1861.025). If you qualify, no insurer may refuse to sell you a Good Driver Discount policy (§1861.02(b)(1)).
On a low income? Since January 1, 2015, the state’s California Low Cost Auto (CLCA) program has admitted drivers with less than 3 years of verifiable experience, for vehicles worth up to $25,000 (California Department of Insurance). Check the income limits on mylowcostauto.com or in our CLCA eligibility guide.
For buying the policy itself (carriers that write AB 60 drivers, quoting with an ITIN and no SSN), see our AB 60 and ITIN insurance guide. If the DMV has ordered an SR-22, start with SR-22 in California, explained. California’s liability minimum is 30/60/15 for everyone (DMV).
What if you’re driving without a license right now?
Driving without a valid license is illegal (§12500). If you have never been issued one, an officer can arrest you and impound the car for 30 days (§14602.6). Until your AB 60 arrives, the safe route is a licensed driver behind the wheel of an insured car.
- The impound ends early once the driver gets a license and proper insurance. Release requires a valid license and current registration, and the owner pays towing and storage (§14602.6(d)-(e)).
- At a sobriety checkpoint, a car cannot be impounded when the only offense is driving unlicensed. It goes to the registered owner if licensed, or to a licensed driver the owner authorizes (§2814.2).
- Officers may not detain or arrest someone solely on the belief that the person is unlicensed, unless they reasonably believe the driver is under 16 (§12801.9(e)). Not being able to get a license doesn’t excuse anyone from licensing, registration or insurance laws (§12801.9(f)).
- Own a car but don’t have a license yet? See car insurance without a license in California.
- Driving uninsured is a separate violation with its own fines and suspension rules: penalties for driving without insurance in California.