DMV Opens Second 15-Day Public Comment Period on Autonomous Heavy- and Light-Duty Vehicles

Contact: Office of Public Affairs
2415 First Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 657-6437 | [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2026

What you need to know: The California DMV opened an additional comment period to collect feedback on several technical changes to its revised proposed autonomous vehicle (AV) regulations, including a delay in the implementation date of new data reporting requirements for AV testing. Comments on the changes will be collected during the 15-day public comment period that begins today, January 21 and ends Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Sacramento - Today, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced an additional comment period to collect feedback on several changes to proposed autonomous heavy- and light-vehicle regulations, including a delay in the implementation date of new data reporting requirements. The deadline to submit comments is Thursday, February 5, 2026.

This follows the previous 15-day comment period, which ran from December 3-18, 2025, to collect comments on new AV regulations that allow autonomous vehicle companies to apply for permits to test and deploy their heavy-duty technology on California roads. These new regulations also include requirements for light-duty autonomous vehicles. DMV received exactly 200 comments during that period and made several technical changes in response. Based on the feedback received, the department determined that further revisions were necessary.

The DMV first released draft regulations in April 2025 for a 45-day public comment period. During that time, the department received extensive input from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, local governments, labor organizations, advocacy groups and members of the public. That feedback informed the revised proposed regulations released on December 3, 2025.

New comments may be submitted via email to: [email protected].

The revised proposed regulations for driverless testing and deployment are available on DMV's Autonomous Vehicles webpage.

Key changes include:

• Delayed Start for Data Reporting
  The department plans to give manufacturers additional time to prepare for new reporting requirements. Instead of starting immediately, the department proposes a 120-day delay after the regulations take effect for reporting categories required during testing phases. For deployment, data reports must be submitted to the department at the end of each quarter. The proposed regulations specify the due dates, with the first report due after the first full calendar quarter following the effective date. This approach allows manufacturers to establish the necessary reporting processes.
  
• Update to Collision Reporting Rules
  The department is updating collision reporting requirements to match the latest federal standards from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), based on their June 2025 guidance.
  
• Clarifying Safety Information Requirements
  Manufacturers will need to provide a clear and complete description of their safety case, summarizing how it demonstrates that the vehicle meets safety standards in areas such as functional safety, safety of the intended function, artificial intelligence safety, cybersecurity and operational safety. The changes clarify the format of the description manufacturers must submit.
  
• Economic Impact Explanation
  The department is adding more details to explain its conclusions about the economic impact of these regulations.

Before Going to a DMV Office - Try Online First

Most DMV tasks do not require an office visit. The DMV encourages customers to use its online services and other service channels for tasks such as eligible driver's license and vehicle registration renewals. Customers can also use the Service Advisor on the DMV website to learn about options to complete DMV tasks.

Go Paperless - Customers must create a MyDMV account at dmv.ca.gov/mydmv and opt in to receive their paperless vehicle registration, driver's license and identification card renewal notices by email.

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