The California occupational license application, Form OL 12, is the DMV’s core form for anyone applying to operate as a vehicle dealer, manufacturer, or transporter in the state. You do not submit it on its own. OL 12 sits inside a larger application packet, and the DMV will not process it without a surety bond, Live Scan fingerprints, business location photographs, and fees starting at $175. The complete packet goes by mail to the Occupational Licensing section in Sacramento.
Pick the Right Packet Before You Touch OL 12
OL 12 is shared across dealer types, but it travels inside a packet matched to your business. New vehicle dealers use the New Dealer Applications Forms Packet (OL 248N). Used vehicle dealers and wholesale-only dealers use the Used Dealer Applications Forms Packet (OL 248U). Each packet adds forms specific to its category on top of OL 12. Downloading the wrong packet is one of the easiest ways to stall your application before anyone at the DMV has read a word of it.
Vehicle dealers are licensed under California Vehicle Code 11700, which makes it illegal to act as a dealer, manufacturer, or transporter without a DMV license. If you are applying as a dismantler or a driving school, you are on a different track with different forms; OL 12 is the business-entity starting point for dealer-side applicants.
What Form OL 12 Asks For
OL 12 collects the legal identity of the business and every person with an ownership stake. You need your true full name as it appears on legal documents, any “Doing Business As” trade name, and the physical street address of the business. A P.O. box will not satisfy this requirement. The form asks you to identify the ownership structure — sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or limited liability company — and that choice determines who else gets listed and fingerprinted.
Every person named under ownership must provide a Social Security Number or Federal Employer Identification Number for tax and identification purposes, as required by Vehicle Code 11704. Corporations, LLCs, and limited liability partnerships must also file a Statement of Information (Form SI 550 or LLC 12) with the California Secretary of State before submitting the DMV application. The DMV cross-references that filing, and the application will not move forward until it is on file.
OL 12 includes a background disclosure section covering prior criminal convictions and any previous administrative actions taken against you by a licensing agency. Answer honestly. The DMV runs its own fingerprint-based background check, and a mismatch between what you disclosed and what the check turns up is itself grounds for denial.
Documents You Must Attach
Surety Bond (Form OL 25)
Every dealer applicant files a surety bond before the license will issue. The form is OL 25, and the standard bond amount is $50,000. Dealers who sell only motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles carry a reduced bond of $10,000. You obtain the bond through a licensed surety company, not the DMV. The bond protects consumers against fraud or misrepresentation. If the bond lapses after licensing, your license is automatically suspended.
Live Scan Fingerprinting (Form DMV 8016)
Everyone listed under ownership on OL 12 must complete Live Scan fingerprinting at a certified site. You bring a completed Request for Live Scan Service form (DMV 8016) to the fingerprint location, and the station collects a $32 Department of Justice criminal record check fee at the time of fingerprinting. The DOJ and FBI both run the prints and send results directly to the DMV. Out-of-state applicants who cannot reach a California Live Scan site submit a fingerprint card (Form ADM 1316) instead.
Business Location Photographs
The photo requirements are more detailed than most applicants expect. You need photos of the office entrance showing the street address from outside, the interior area where books and records are kept (including electronic records), the exterior of the building, and the vehicle display area. The display lot must be big enough for the type of vehicles you sell and must be designated for your exclusive use.
Signs have their own rules. The business name on the sign must match the name on your application. The sign must be permanently affixed to the building exterior and legible from 50 feet away. If the street address is not otherwise visible on the building, it must appear on the sign. If your office sits inside a larger building, add photos of the lobby directory and the sign at the office entrance door.
Dealer-Specific Add-Ons
Used vehicle dealers and wholesale-only dealers must finish an approved Dealer Education Program and pass the DMV’s used dealer test before applying. The certificate of completion goes into the packet.
New vehicle dealers include a Letter of Authorization from each manufacturer whose line they intend to carry. All dealers should include a copy of their California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) Resale Permit, which allows the business to collect sales tax on vehicle transactions.
Fees and Where to Mail the Packet
The DMV charges several non-refundable fees at the time of application. For a vehicle dealer license, the schedule is:
- Application fee: $175
- Family support program fee: $1
- Branch location fee: $70 per additional branch
- Dealer plate fee: $92 per plate, plus county fees that vary by location
- Motorcycle plate fee: $94 per plate, plus county fees
Mail the complete packet — forms, supporting documents, photographs, and a check or money order for the total fees — to:
OL Section
PO Box 932342 MS L224
Sacramento, CA 94232-3420
You can also deliver the packet to a local DMV Inspector’s office if one is available in your area. Either way, do not send the application until every piece is assembled. An incomplete packet gets returned, and the wait starts over.
The Site Inspection
Once the DMV reviews your paperwork and your background check clears, an inspector schedules a visit to your business location. This is where applications that look fine on paper sometimes fall apart. The inspector confirms that the office is a permanent structure, not a tent or a trailer being sold as inventory, and that it has secure storage for customer records. Your exterior sign must be permanently mounted and legible from the street. The display area has to match the photographs you submitted and must be exclusively yours, not shared with another business.
If you fail the inspection, you will usually get a chance to fix the deficiencies and reschedule, but each cycle adds weeks. The most common problems are signs that do not match the application name, offices without secure record storage, and display areas that are too small or shared with a neighboring business.
When OL 12 Is the Wrong Form
Individual salespeople working under a licensed dealer do not use OL 12. The correct form is the Application for Salespersons License (OL 16S), a shorter process. The salesperson files OL 16S with Live Scan fingerprints on Form DMV 8016, and the DMV runs a background check. There is no surety bond and no site inspection for salespersons; the employing dealer’s license and bond cover the business. The salesperson license authorizes you to sell vehicles only while employed by a specific licensed dealer.