§ 16374 License Suspension For Unpaid Judgments

Vehicle Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says if you get in a car crash, get sued, and lose in court, you have to pay the money you owe. If you don’t pay within 15 days, you lose your driver’s license until you pay up.

Key Takeaways

•If you lose a lawsuit from a car crash, you must pay the money the court says you owe.
•You have 15 days to pay after the court’s decision is final.
•If you don’t pay, your driver’s license gets suspended until you do.
•This only applies to crashes that happened before you proved you had insurance or money to pay.

Example

You cause a car crash and the court says you have to pay $5,000 to the other driver. You pay it, but then another person from a different crash sues you and wins $3,000.

If you don’t pay the $3,000 within 15 days, the DMV will take away your driver’s license until you pay.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 16374 License Suspension For Unpaid Judgments

Whenever after a judgment is satisfied and proof of financial responsibility is given, another judgment is rendered against the same person for any accident occurring prior to the date of the giving of the proof and the person fails to satisfy the latter judgment within the amounts specified in this chapter within 15 days after the latter judgment became final, then the department shall again suspend the driver’s license of the judgment debtor and shall not issue to him or her any driver’s license while the latter judgment remains unsatisfied and subsisting within the amounts specified in this chapter. (Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1157, Sec. 7.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

judgment proof of financial responsibility driver’s license suspend

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Vehicle Code. Section 16374.

§ 16374 License Suspension For Unpaid Judgments

Vehicle Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

§ 16374 License Suspension For Unpaid Judgments

This law says if you get in a car crash, get sued, and lose in court, you have to pay the money you owe. If you don’t pay within 15 days, you lose your driver’s license until you pay up.

Key Takeaways

•If you lose a lawsuit from a car crash, you must pay the money the court says you owe.
•You have 15 days to pay after the court’s decision is final.
•If you don’t pay, your driver’s license gets suspended until you do.
•This only applies to crashes that happened before you proved you had insurance or money to pay.

Example

You cause a car crash and the court says you have to pay $5,000 to the other driver. You pay it, but then another person from a different crash sues you and wins $3,000.

If you don’t pay the $3,000 within 15 days, the DMV will take away your driver’s license until you pay.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 16374 License Suspension For Unpaid Judgments

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

judgment proof of financial responsibility driver’s license suspend

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Vehicle Code. Section 16374.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References