San Francisco hit and run laws come from the California Vehicle Code, and they apply to every driver involved in a collision, at fault or not. Leaving the scene without stopping and exchanging information is a misdemeanor when only property was damaged and a felony when someone was injured or killed. Penalties range from a $1,000 fine and up to six months in county jail for property-only cases to state prison time and fines up to $10,000 when a victim suffers permanent injury or death.
The Duty to Stop After Any Collision
California requires every driver in a collision to stop immediately, no matter who caused it. For property-only crashes, Vehicle Code 20002 says you must pull over at the nearest safe spot that won’t block traffic.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 20002 – Accident Damage to Property When someone is hurt or killed, Vehicle Code 20001 imposes the same duty with much heavier penalties for leaving.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code VEH 20001
The duty applies no matter what you hit. A parked car, a fence, a city light pole, someone’s pet. The moment you drive off without giving your information, a minor fender-bender turns into a criminal case.
Information You Must Share at the Scene
When a collision causes injuries, Vehicle Code 20003 lists what you owe the other parties: your name, current home address, your vehicle’s registration number, and the name and address of the vehicle’s owner if that isn’t you. You also have to show your driver’s license on request, and give the same information to any officer who shows up.3California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 20003 – Duties Upon Injury or Death
For property-only collisions, Vehicle Code 20002 requires you to share your name, address, and the vehicle owner’s name and address with the owner of the damaged property. Insurance information, including the carrier name and policy number, should be exchanged as well.
Beyond the legal minimum, gather your own evidence. Photograph the vehicles’ positions, damage, traffic signs, and road conditions. Get names and phone numbers from any witnesses. Those records matter later for insurers and attorneys.
Hitting an Unattended Vehicle or Property
If you strike a parked car with no owner around, you still can’t just leave. Vehicle Code 20002 requires you to leave a written note in a visible spot on the damaged vehicle or property. The note needs your name and address, the vehicle owner’s name and address, and a brief explanation of what happened. You then have to report the collision to local police without unnecessary delay. Skipping either step still counts as a hit and run.
Misdemeanor Penalties: Property Damage Only
Leaving the scene of a property-only collision is a misdemeanor under Vehicle Code 20002. A conviction can bring up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. First-time offenders with minor damage often receive informal probation of one to three years, community service, and restitution to the property owner instead of jail. That’s a common sentencing outcome, not a guarantee; judges can impose the full statutory penalty.
This charge covers more than people expect. Clipping a parked car and driving off, knocking over a mailbox, or hitting a dog and not stopping all fall under the same misdemeanor statute.
Felony Penalties: Injury or Death
When a collision injures or kills someone and the driver flees, the charge becomes a felony under Vehicle Code 20001. The penalty depends on how serious the harm was.
For injuries that are not permanent or fatal, a conviction can mean state prison time or up to one year in county jail, a fine between $1,000 and $10,000, or both. Most felony hit-and-run cases land here.
When the victim dies or suffers a permanent, serious injury, the penalties jump. The statute defines serious injury as the loss or permanent impairment of a bodily organ or limb. A conviction carries two, three, or four years in state prison, or 90 days to one year in county jail, plus fines of $1,000 to $10,000. The court can also order restitution on top of these penalties.
DMV Points and Insurance Fallout
The DMV treats a hit-and-run conviction as a two-point violation on your driving record.4California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Negligence You get flagged as a negligent operator at four points in 12 months, six in 24 months, or eight in 36 months. One hit-and-run conviction puts you halfway there in a single event, and the negligent operator designation can lead to license suspension.
Insurance consequences stretch out longer. Carriers see a hit-and-run conviction as a signal of extreme risk, and premium increases of 50% or more are common. Some carriers drop the policy outright. These rate impacts typically persist for three to five years.
How to Report a Hit and Run in San Francisco
Hit and run collisions cannot be reported online through the San Francisco Police Department’s website. SFPD lists traffic collisions and hit-and-run traffic collisions among the report types that require an in-person visit.5San Francisco Police Department. Police Reports You have to go to your nearest district station, such as Central, Mission, or Northern, and file the report with an officer.
Bring everything you have. Photos of the scene, witness contact details, descriptions of the other vehicle, and any surveillance footage from nearby businesses. The more detail you provide, the better the chance investigators can identify the driver. Once the report is processed you get a permanent case number, which you’ll need for insurance claims and follow-up with the hit-and-run detail.
The 10-Day DMV Deadline
Separately from the police report, California requires you to file a Report of Traffic Accident (SR-1) with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured, no matter how slightly, or if property damage exceeds $1,000.6California DMV. Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California SR-1 This applies even if you weren’t at fault and even if the other driver fled. You can file the form yourself or through your insurance agent or attorney.7California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 16000 – Accident Reports
Compensation Options for Victims
If a hit-and-run driver hurt you in San Francisco, you have more than one path to recovery, and pursuing several at once is normal.
Criminal Restitution
When prosecutors catch and convict the driver, California requires the court to order full restitution to the victim for every economic loss caused by the crime. That includes medical bills, mental health counseling, lost wages, and the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property.8California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1202.4 – Restitution The restitution order is enforceable like a civil judgment, so collection can continue after the criminal case closes.
Civil Lawsuit
A civil lawsuit can recover damages a restitution order may not fully cover, including pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life. Punitive damages may also be available if the driver’s conduct was particularly egregious. California requires clear and convincing evidence that the driver acted with a willful disregard for your safety, and fleeing the scene after causing serious injuries can support that standard.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
When the hit-and-run driver is never identified, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage becomes the main source of compensation. California requires insurers to include UM coverage in every auto policy unless the policyholder rejects it in writing. For hit-and-run claims where the other driver is unknown, the law requires physical contact between the fleeing vehicle and you or your car.9California Legislative Information. California Code Insurance Code INS 11580.2 Even slight contact counts, and courts have extended this to include debris kicked up by the other vehicle.
You also have to report the accident to police within 24 hours and file a sworn statement with your insurer within 30 days describing what happened and confirming the other driver can’t be identified. Missing either deadline can void the claim entirely. This is where victims lose money most often; they don’t realize a 24-hour clock is running on the police report.
California Victim Compensation Board
Hit-and-run victims who suffered physical or emotional injuries may be eligible for assistance through the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB), which reimburses crime victims for out-of-pocket costs. Covered expenses include medical and dental care, mental health services, lost income, rehabilitation, relocation, and funeral expenses.10California Victim Compensation Board. State Victim Compensation Board Acts to Increase Benefits for Crime Victims You have to cooperate with law enforcement and file your application within seven years of the incident.11California Victim Compensation Board. Who Is Eligible
Deadlines to File a Civil Lawsuit
California gives you a limited window to sue after a hit and run. Personal injury claims have a two-year deadline from the date of the collision.12California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 335.1 – Statute of Limitations Property damage claims have three years.13California Courts. Deadlines to Sue Someone If the driver was operating a government vehicle, the timeline shortens dramatically; you generally need to file an administrative claim with the agency within six months before you can sue.
If You Were Uninsured: Proposition 213
California’s Proposition 213, codified in Civil Code 3333.4, limits what uninsured drivers can recover even when they were completely innocent victims. If you owned the vehicle you were driving and it wasn’t insured as state law requires, you cannot recover noneconomic damages like pain, suffering, or disfigurement.14California Legislative Information. California Code Civil Code CIV 3333.4 You can still recover economic losses like medical bills, lost wages, and property repair costs, but cutting out pain and suffering often slashes the total recovery.
Narrow exceptions apply. The restriction doesn’t bite if you were driving someone else’s uninsured car but had your own insurance on another vehicle, if the accident happened on private property, or if the driver who hit you was convicted of DUI. Passengers in an uninsured vehicle are not affected either. For most uninsured vehicle owners, though, Proposition 213 is a painful surprise that cuts deeply into what a hit-and-run driver can be made to pay.