The California Vehicle Code, informally referred to as the Veh. Code or the CVC, is the section of the
California Codes which contains almost all
statutes relating to the operation, ownership and registration of
vehicles (including
bicycles
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-powered assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
. 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 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 enfor ...
.
The Vehicle Code includes various topics from defining the size of
license plates to
criminal law sections relating to the theft and misuse of motor vehicles. The Vehicle Code is one of 29
codes 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
The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legislatur ...
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
*
Law of California
References
External links
California Vehicle Code California law
Vehicle law
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