Notice of Change of Address

Moved Recently? Tell DMV Within 10 Days

DMV 14 is California’s Notice of Change of Address. It tells the Department of Motor Vehicles where you live now, so your driver license, ID card, vehicles, vessels, and disabled parking placard all point to the right place. State law gives you 10 days after a move to report it, and the change costs nothing.

Most people file online in a few minutes, and that is the fastest route. The paper form still matters, because some people cannot use the online system at all. If that sounds like you, this page walks through who needs the form, how to fill out every section, and where to send it.

Online, by Mail, or in Person: How to File the DMV Address Change Form

DMV takes a change of address three ways. All three are free.

• Online. Use your MyDMV account. You need a California driver license or ID card and a Social Security number. DMV says to allow up to 3 days for processing. To change a vehicle, add it to your MyDMV garage first. You can update up to three vehicles in one request.
• By mail. Fill out the paper form and send it to DMV Change of Address, P.O. Box 942859, Sacramento, CA 94259-0001.
• In person. Visit any DMV field office, fill out the form there, and hand it to a representative. They forward it to DMV headquarters for processing.

DMV sends you to the paper form when the online system will not take your request. That happens when you:

• Do not have a Social Security number
• Do not have a California driver license or ID card
• Have an APO or FPO address, or an address outside the United States
• Hold a California commercial license but live in another state
• Applied for a REAL ID card and have not received it yet
• See a message that your record needs special handling

Disabled parking placards have their own online application, so the standard system will not change a placard address. The paper form has a line for a placard number in Section 5.

Before You Start: What to Have in Front of You

DMV cannot update a name that does not match its records, and it cannot update anything it cannot read. Copy your details exactly as they appear on your license, ID card, or registration card. If your legal name has changed, DMV treats that as a separate request, so settle it first.

Gather these before you start the DMV 14:

• Your driver license or ID card number and your birth date, if you are updating a license or ID
• Your old address and your new address
• For each vehicle: the plate number and the full 17 character VIN
• For each vessel: the CF number and the hull ID
• The leasing company’s name, if you lease
• A black or dark blue pen. The form asks for capital letters in black or dark blue ink only.

Each driver and each vehicle owner needs a separate DMV 14. If two people own a car together, both owners fill out their own copy. The DMV 14 form California publishes has two pages to fill out, and DMV needs both of them.

Filling Out Sections 1 to 4 of the DMV 14

• Section 1, personal or business information. Print your last name or business name, first name, and middle initial. Add your license or ID number and birth date only when you are changing a license or ID card.
• Section 2, previous address. Put the street number in its own box, then the street name with St., Ave., Rd., or Ct. Add an apartment number if you had one. Write the city out in full and use no more than the first 22 characters.
• Section 3, new address. Enter the place where you now live or run your business. A P.O. box does not belong here, and it is an easy mistake to make.
• Section 4, new mailing address. Fill this in only when your mail goes somewhere other than the Section 3 address. A P.O. box or private mailbox works here. If you get mail at home, skip it.
• Section 4a, voter change of address. DMV uses your new address to update your voter registration unless you check this box. It applies only to license and ID changes.

Sections 5 to 7: Vehicles, Leased Cars, Trailers, and Vessels

This is where you list everything that needs the new address.

• Section 5. Enter the California plate, CF, or placard number for each item, then the full VIN or vessel hull ID. Check the box if the vehicle is leased or registered outside California. Need more rows? Use an extra form. If you manage several business vehicles, attach a list on company letterhead.
• Section 6. Write the leasing company’s name for any leased vehicle. Read your lease first, because the leasing company may need to hear about the move too.
• Section 7. Fill this in only when a trailer coach or vessel stays somewhere other than your home or business address. Add the street, the city (first 16 characters), and the county.

Section 5 ends page one. Send both pages of your DMV 14, because DMV cannot process an application without them.

Voter Registration on the Form: Sections 8 and 9

These sections apply only when you update a license or ID address. Skip straight to Section 10 if you are only updating a vehicle, vessel, or placard, or if you are in a confidential address program such as Safe at Home.

California registers eligible citizens automatically, and Section 8 is where you can opt out.

• 8a. Are you a United States citizen? If you answer no, skip to Section 10.
• 8b. Do you meet every requirement? You must live in California, be at least 18 (16 and 17 year olds can pre-register), not be in prison or on parole for a felony, and not be found mentally incompetent by a court.
• 8c. Check this box only if you are eligible but do not want to register or update your registration.

Section 9 is optional. It lets you pick a party, ask for a ballot by mail, choose a language for election materials, and share a phone number or email address. DMV does not decide who is eligible to vote. If no voter notification card shows up within four weeks, contact your county elections official.

Signing Section 10

Sign and date your DMV 14 in ink. Your signature says that you are the person named on the form, that the mailing address is real and accurate, and that you accept legal papers at that mailing address. You also sign under penalty of perjury, so every answer must be true. DMV may pursue criminal charges for fraudulent information.

Where to Send Your Completed Change of Address Form

Mail both pages to:

DMV Change of Address
P.O. Box 942859
Sacramento, CA 94259-0001

DMV does not publish how long a mailed change takes, so keep a copy and send it with tracking. The tracking record proves you filed inside the 10 day window. If you would rather hand it over, any field office will take it. You can also call DMV at 1 800 777 0133 and ask for a form by mail, which can take up to 5 days to arrive.

After You File: Update the Cards You Carry

DMV does not mail you a new license or registration card when you change your address. Fix the cards you already have this way:

Driver license or ID card. Write your new address on a small piece of paper, add your signature and the date, and keep it with the card.

Registration card. Write the new address on the card and initial it.

Want a printed card? You can request a replacement license or registration card after DMV confirms your change. DMV treats that as a separate request.

If you filed online, log in to MyDMV after 3 days and check the status of your change. Also tell your insurance company, because a change with the post office never reaches DMV. DMV mails registration renewal notices to the address on file, so an old address means a missed notice.

Mistakes That Hold Up Your Change of Address

• A name that does not match your DMV record
• A P.O. box in Section 3
• Mailing only one page
• Two people sharing one form
• A city name that is abbreviated or runs past the character limit
• A missing signature or date in Section 10
• Forgetting to list a vehicle, trailer, or vessel in Section 5

Frequently Asked Questions