Edward D. Swenson Chief Deputy Director | State of California DMV
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has provided updated statistics detailing its operations and the distribution of collected fees. The department oversees a network of 218 facilities, employing approximately 8,213 individuals. As of January 1, 2025, there are 35,983,261 registered vehicles, and 34,777,752 driver’s licenses and identification cards across the state.
The DMV also collaborates with 170 auto clubs and 6,438 business partner sites to facilitate its services. The transaction data used in these statistics reflect multiple service channels within the department.
The distribution of collected DMV fees highlights that 35.6% go to local government entities, such as cities and counties. The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) receives 26.4%, while the California Highway Patrol is allocated 21.1% of these funds. The DMV itself retains 10.2% of the fees.
Other beneficiaries include the General Fund with 2.1%, other state agencies receiving 2.0%, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) with 1.2%. The Reserve for Economic Uncertainties is allocated 0.8%, Environmental Protection Agencies 0.4%, and the Department of Justice 0.2%.
Data sources include the DMV’s own transaction data, accurate as of the first day of 2025. Further detailed information and various resources about California DMV statistics and fee distributions are available in PDF format, reflecting data also current as of the beginning of the year.