The California Vehicle Code, informally referred to as the Veh. Code or the CVC, is the section of the
California Codes
The California Codes are 29 legal codes enacted by the California State Legislature, which together form the general statutory law of California. The official Codes are maintained by the California Office of Legislative Counsel for the Legislatur ...
which contains almost all
statutes relating to the operation, ownership and registration of
vehicles
A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), ...
(including
bicycles
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bi ...
and even animals when riding on a public roadway) in the
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. The Vehicle Code's "Rules of the Road" generally apply to operating vehicles, bicycles, and animals on a public roadway, except for provisions which by their very nature can have no application. The Vehicle Code also contains statutes concerning the
California Department of Motor Vehicles
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the state agency that registers motor vehicles and boats and issues driver licenses in the U.S. state of California. It regulates new car dealers (through the New Motor Vehicle Board), c ...
and the
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enforcem ...
.
The Vehicle Code includes various topics from defining the size of
license plates
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate (American English), or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identificat ...
to
criminal law sections relating to the theft and misuse of motor vehicles. The Vehicle Code is one of 29
codes
In communications and information processing, code is a system of rules to convert information—such as a letter, word, sound, image, or gesture—into another form, sometimes shortened or secret, for communication through a communication ...
containing general statutes adopted by the California legislature and that have either been signed into law by the governor or that have become law without the governor's signature.
History
The Motor Vehicle Act of 1913 made driver's licenses mandatory for all motor vehicle operators in California as of December 31, 1913. That law as well as the Vehicle Acts of 1915 and 1923 were codified into the first version of the Vehicle Code in 1935. In 1959, the
California State Legislature recodified the Vehicle Code (meaning that it was reorganized for clarity and numerous sections were renumbered). Among other things, the code specifies weight and height restrictions for vehicles in certain zones, such as on freeways.
See also
*
Bicycle law in California
Bicycle law in California is the parts of the California Vehicle Code that set out the law for persons cycling in California, and a subset of bicycle law in the United States. In general, pretty much all the same rights and responsibilities that a ...
*
Law of California
The law of California consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, and regulatory law, as well as case law. The California Codes form the general statutory law, and most state agency regulations are available in the Californi ...
References
External links
California Vehicle Code California law
Vehicle law
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