Automobile Registration, Driver's License & Parking

Parking in San Francisco can be challenge, if not frustrating. According to the California Department of Transportation, San Francisco has more than 308,000 total available parking spaces for its 776,733 residents, which can make parking a difficult tasks.

With 2 million-plus parking violations issued annually, indoor parking is often the only solution.

Parking garages rates vary - some are based on 20-minute intervals, some every 30 minutes and other are on hourly usage. Be sure to check prices before parking.

Preferential neighborhood parking allows residents of designated neighborhoods to obtain stickers for their cars in order to park on the street legally, but less than half of San Francisco's streets offer this program. Cars without stickers are restricted to two-hour parking or face a $35 ticket. First-time applicants must show proof of residence with a printed car registration and one other proof of residence (utility bill, car-insurance policy, copy of lease/rental agreement). For more information, call the Residential Permit Parking Program Office at 415-554-5000.

Any person, except tourists and out-of-state students, who owns and drives a car and declaring him or herself a resident in the state (owns or rents a home within the state of California, accepts employment and/or registers a child in school), is required to obtain a driver's license, it is necessary to take a written test, a vision test and, in the case of new drivers, a road test. The license fee is $12.

A nonresident-owner of a vehicle may operate, or allow operation of, a vehicle in this state if the vehicle is registered in the owner's state of residence and displays valid license plates issue by that state. The exemption does not apply if the nonresident-owner rents, leases, lends or otherwise furnishes the vehicle to a California resident for regular use on the highways of this state.

If you become a resident of California or accept employment here, check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles office for registration requirements. If you own a pickup truck or any commercially designated vehicle, check with your local DMV office within 20 days of the date the vehicle enters California.

A Certificate of Compliance (Smog Certificate) from an official Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devise Installation and Inspection Station is also required. These shields are displayed by new-car dealers and at some service stations and private garages.

Though prices are subject to change, current DMV fees are:

• Driver's license $12.00
• Identification card $6.00
• Senior citizen $3.00

To renew your driver's license online,
contact the DMV's website

Department of Motor Vehicles
1377 Fell Street.
San Francisco, CA 94117
415-557-1179
www.dmv.ca.gov