California automatic voter registration at the DMV, created by AB 1461 and known as the California New Motor Voter Program, registers you to vote whenever you complete certain DMV transactions unless you affirmatively decline. The default is registration; opting out is a checkbox during the transaction. The program went live in April 2018 and is codified at California Elections Code sections 2260 through 2269.1California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2260 – California New Motor Voter Program
Which DMV Transactions Trigger Registration
Three kinds of transactions put you into the program: applying for a new driver’s license or state ID card, renewing an existing one, or submitting a change of address with the DMV.2CalMatters Digital Democracy. AB 1461 Voter Registration – California New Motor Voter Program When you complete one of these, the DMV electronically sends your information to the Secretary of State, and that transmission counts as your voter registration application. There’s no separate form to fill out.
The data sent includes your name, residence address, mailing address, date of birth, driver’s license or ID number, and political party preference if you provided one.3California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2265 The Secretary of State, not the DMV, confirms eligibility and finalizes the registration.4California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2263
Who Qualifies and Who Is Excluded
During the DMV transaction, you are asked to attest that you meet California’s voter eligibility requirements: U.S. citizenship, California residency, age 18 by Election Day, and not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction. If you attest and don’t decline, your record is sent to the Secretary of State. If you don’t attest, nothing is sent and no registration happens.5California Secretary of State. California New Motor Voter Program
One category is excluded by statute. Licenses issued under Vehicle Code section 12801.9, which are available to applicants who cannot show that their presence in the United States is federally authorized, are never transmitted to the Secretary of State. Holders of those licenses are not placed into the automatic registration pipeline at all.4California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2263
How to Decline Registration
You can affirmatively decline voter registration during any qualifying DMV transaction. Check the box that says you don’t want to register, and the DMV records that choice. Limited information still goes to the Secretary of State, but you are not added to the voter rolls.6California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2262
After you decline, the Secretary of State may send you one notice reminding you that you opted out and explaining how to register by mail or online later if you change your mind. That notice must go out within three weeks, and no further contact follows about that transaction.5California Secretary of State. California New Motor Voter Program Your decision to decline is itself confidential and may not be used for any purpose other than voter registration.7California Secretary of State. Chapter 2 – Voter Registration at Department of Motor Vehicles
Political Party Preference
The DMV transaction lets you choose a political party. Whatever you select is included in the data sent to the Secretary of State. Leave the question blank and you are listed as “No Party Preference” on the voter rolls.3California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2265 That label has consequences in California primaries, where some parties allow No Party Preference voters to participate and others don’t. You can change your party any time through the Secretary of State’s online registration portal.
Teens Ages 16 and 17
The program covers minors too. A 16- or 17-year-old applying for a driver’s license or state ID can be pre-registered through the same DMV process. The record sits dormant with the Secretary of State and converts to an active registration automatically on the person’s 18th birthday, with no further action required.8California Secretary of State. Pre-Registration FAQs
Confidential Addresses and Protected Categories
If your home address is designated as confidential under Vehicle Code provisions that protect categories such as law enforcement officers and domestic violence victims, the DMV will not transmit your record to the Secretary of State at all.4California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2263
Separately, voter registration information itself stays confidential for specific groups: victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; reproductive health care providers, employees, volunteers, and patients; public safety officers; and anyone granted a court order based on a life-threatening circumstance.9California Legislative Information. California Elections Code ELEC 2269
Canceling or Changing Your Registration Later
Being automatically registered does not lock you in. You can cancel your voter registration at any time through the Secretary of State’s website or by contacting your county elections office. The same channels let you update your address, name, or party preference without going back through the DMV.