✓Most routine DMV tasks are online at dmv.ca.gov — registration and license renewals, change of address, record requests, and appointments — no office visit.
✓A free MyDMV account is the hub: it ties your license and vehicles together for renewals, status checks, and paperless notices.
✓The Virtual Field Office handles document-review transactions (replacement title/plates, disabled placards, CDL renewals) by upload instead of a counter visit.
✓A change of address is free; a license renewal is $46; a registration renewal is your normal registration amount.
✓Some tasks still need an in-person visit — a first license, a first REAL ID, the drive test, paying in cash, a 70+ renewal.
Best forRenewals · address · records
AccountMyDMV — free
Change of addressFree, a few minutes
RecordsRequested online
Must visitA few tasksfirst license, REAL ID, tests, 70+
What you can do online
Most of the DMV errands people actually do are online at dmv.ca.gov — no appointment, no counter. The big ones:
Renew your vehicle registration — with your plate number and the last 5 digits of the VIN; smog and insurance are checked electronically.
Renew your driver’s license or ID — if you’re eligible (see below).
Change your address — free; update both your license and registration (it’s not automatic). See change of address.
Request your driver record or a vehicle record — official copies, for a small fee.
Book or change an appointment, or join the line at an office before you arrive.
Join the mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot — a digital license in a phone wallet.
The smartest move before driving to an office is to check whether your task is on this list — most renewals and record requests never need a visit.
MyDMV & the Virtual Field Office
MyDMV is a free account at dmv.ca.gov and the hub for everything above — it ties your license and registered vehicles together, remembers your transactions, lets you check status, and switches you to paperless notices. Most online services start by signing in to MyDMV.
The Virtual Field Office is the channel for transactions that still need a DMV employee to look at documents. Instead of visiting, you complete a form and upload what’s needed; a representative reviews it and contacts you to finish. It handles things like replacement titles and plates, disabled-person parking placards (apply, replace, or renew), and commercial driver’s license renewals and medical-certificate submissions.
What still needs an office visit
A short list of tasks can’t be finished online — a first license or ID, a first REAL ID, the drive test, a CDL skills test, VIN verification, paying in cash, and a renewal at 70+. The full rundown (with the “start online, finish in person” shortcuts) lives on in-person services — this page links there instead of keeping a second copy that could drift. Before any visit, check the document checklist so one trip is enough.
Cost
Change of address
Update your license and registration separately — it's not automatic.
Free
Driver's license / ID renewal
If you're eligible to renew online — see who qualifies below.
$46
Vehicle registration renewal
The same fees you'd pay in person; calculated from your record.
Your registration amount
Driver or vehicle record
The exact amount is shown at checkout; request through MyDMV.
Small fee
Frequently asked questions
What is MyDMV?
MyDMV is a free account at dmv.ca.gov that ties your driver's license and registered vehicles together in one place. You use it to renew, request records, change your address, check transaction status, and switch to paperless notices. Most online services start by signing in to MyDMV.
Can I renew my driver's license online?
Most California drivers under 70 can, as long as you have no suspensions, you're not upgrading to a REAL ID, and the DMV hasn't flagged a new test or photo. Drivers 70 and older, REAL ID upgrades, and certain renewal-notice flags must renew in person. See the full online license renewal guide.
Can I renew my vehicle registration online?
Yes for most personal vehicles — you need your license-plate number and the last 5 digits of the VIN, and smog and insurance are checked electronically. You can't renew online if there's a registration hold, a name or address change, or the vehicle isn't in your name yet. See renew registration online.
Is changing my address with the DMV free?
Yes — a change of address is free and takes a few minutes online. It does not update your license and registration automatically, so update both — see change of address.
What is the DMV Virtual Field Office?
An online channel for transactions that need a DMV employee to review documents — you complete a form and upload what's needed, and a representative finishes the process and contacts you. It covers things like replacement titles and plates, disabled-person placards, and commercial license renewals.
Can I get my driving record online?
Yes. You can request an official driver record (and a vehicle record) online through MyDMV, or at a kiosk, by phone, or by mail. A small fee applies, shown at checkout.
What can't I do online?
A first driver's license, a first REAL ID, the drive test, the CDL skills test, cash payment, and a 70+ renewal all need a counter visit — the full list (and the start-online shortcuts) is on in-person services.