The California DMV DUI phone number is (833) 543-7703, the single statewide line for the Driver Safety Office. Call it to request an Administrative Per Se (APS) hearing after a DUI arrest, check the status of a suspension, or ask about reinstatement.1California DMV. Driver Safety Offices You have 10 days from the date of your arrest to request that hearing, so call as soon as you can.2California DMV. California Driver Handbook – Section 9: Alcohol and Drugs
The 10-Day Clock Is the Reason to Call
After a DUI arrest, you have 10 days to request an APS hearing from the DMV.2California DMV. California Driver Handbook – Section 9: Alcohol and Drugs Miss the window and the suspension takes effect automatically 30 days after the arrest, and you lose the right to challenge it before it begins.3California DMV. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
Request the hearing in time, and the DMV extends your temporary driving privilege past that initial 30-day window until the hearing takes place. That extension is the practical reason to move quickly. Confirmation of the hearing date and the extended temporary license arrive by mail after your request is accepted.
Hours for (833) 543-7703
Every California Driver Safety Office uses the same number. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.1California DMV. Driver Safety Offices Note the later Wednesday opening. Calling at 8:00 a.m. on a Wednesday won’t reach anyone.
Online Backup If the Line Is Busy
If the 10th day is coming up and you can’t get through by phone, use the DMV’s Driver Safety Portal at dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-safety-portal. The portal lets you request and schedule a hearing, upload documents, receive notices, and check your case status.4California DMV. Driver Safety Case Management A hearing request submitted through the portal preserves the same deadline a phone call does.
What to Have in Front of You Before You Dial
Pull out the pink temporary license the officer handed you at arrest. It’s formally the Administrative Per Se Suspension/Revocation Order and Temporary Driver License, printed on Form DS 367, and it carries your driver’s license number, the arrest date, and the arresting agency.5California Highway Patrol. HPM 70.4 – Administrative Per Se The technician needs that information to locate your case.
Also have your current mailing address, a reliable phone number, and a rough sense of your availability over the next 30 to 60 days. The hearing officer will try to match a date to your calendar, and knowing your schedule shortens the call.
What You’re Actually Asking For
The APS hearing is an administrative review, not a criminal trial. A DMV hearing officer runs it, not a judge, and the questions are narrow: whether the officer had reasonable cause to believe you were driving under the influence, whether the arrest was lawful, and whether your blood alcohol concentration was 0.08% or higher — or whether you refused the chemical test.6California DMV. DUI First Offenders Alcohol Involved Non-Injury 21 and Older
If the hearing officer finds a problem with any of those elements, the suspension can be set aside. If the hearing goes against you, the suspension stands as ordered. The outcome has no effect on your criminal case, and the criminal case has no effect on the DMV action. Even if your criminal case is dismissed, you still have to deal with the administrative side.3California DMV. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
Call the Same Number If You Refused the Chemical Test
The number and the 10-day deadline don’t change if you refused the test, but the stakes do. For a first offense where you took the test and registered 0.08% or above, the administrative suspension is four months. For a refusal, it’s a full year.2California DMV. California Driver Handbook – Section 9: Alcohol and Drugs That longer suspension applies even if you’re never convicted in criminal court, because the DMV action is independent of the court. A refusal also narrows your options for a restricted license during the suspension, which is one more reason to request the hearing while you still can.
This Number Is Not for Field Office Business
The Driver Safety Office is a separate branch of the DMV that handles license suspensions, revocations, and hearings. It does not process registrations, title transfers, or standard license renewals.3California DMV. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) If your question is about a renewal appointment or a vehicle title, you want a field DMV, not (833) 543-7703. If your question is about a DUI arrest, a suspension notice, a hearing, or getting your license back after a DUI, this is the right line.
Out-of-State and Commercial License Holders
If you hold an out-of-state license and were arrested for DUI in California, the administrative action still applies to your privilege to drive in California, and the same 10-day deadline runs. Under the Driver License Compact, California reports DUI actions to your home state, which typically treats the offense as if it happened there.7CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts. Driver License Compact
Commercial driver’s license holders have an extra layer to consider. A DUI affects your CDL even if you were driving your personal vehicle at the time of arrest, and the federal commercial driving disqualification is a separate penalty that the FMCSA tracks independently of the DMV action.3California DMV. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Calling (833) 543-7703 handles the California side; the commercial consequence runs on its own track.