Section 16020 Of Article 2. Financial Responsibility From California Vehicle Code >> Division 7. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 2.
16020
. (a) All drivers and all owners of a motor vehicle shall at
all times be able to establish financial responsibility pursuant to
Section 16021, and shall at all times carry in the vehicle evidence
of the form of financial responsibility in effect for the vehicle.
(b) "Evidence of financial responsibility" means any of the
following:
(1) A form issued by an insurance company or charitable risk pool,
as specified by the department pursuant to Section 4000.37.
(2) If the owner is a self-insurer, as provided in Section 16052
or a depositor, as provided in Section 16054.2, the certificate of
self-insurance or the assignment of deposit letter issued by the
department.
(3) An insurance covering note or binder pursuant to Section 382
or 382.5 of the Insurance Code.
(4) A showing that the vehicle is owned or leased by, or under the
direction of, the United States or a public entity, as defined in
Section 811.2 of the Government Code.
(c) For purposes of this section, "evidence of financial
responsibility" also may be obtained by a law enforcement officer and
court personnel from an electronic reporting system when that system
becomes available for use by law enforcement officers.
(d) For purposes of this section, "evidence of financial
responsibility" also includes any of the following:
(1) The name of the insurance company and the number of an
insurance policy or surety bond that was in effect at the time of the
accident or at the time that evidence of financial responsibility is
required to be provided pursuant to Section 16028, if that
information is contained in the vehicle registration records of the
department.
(2) The identifying motor carrier of property permit number issued
by the Department of the California Highway Patrol to the motor
carrier of property as defined in Section 34601, and displayed on the
motor vehicle in the manner specified by the Department of the
California Highway Patrol.
(3) The identifying number issued to the household goods carrier,
passenger stage carrier, or transportation charter party carrier by
the Public Utilities Commission and displayed on the motor vehicle in
the manner specified by the commission.
(e) Evidence of financial responsibility does not include an
identification number in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision
(d) if the carrier is currently suspended by the issuing agency for
lack or lapse of insurance or other form of financial responsibility.