DL 208 is the form the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) uses to correct a traffic accident that appears on your driver record. You use it when a law enforcement Traffic Accident Report put the accident on your record and you state that you were not involved in it or were not at fault. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the DMV publishes the original form at its website and receives it only by mail.
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What is DL 208?
Form DL 208, Traffic Accident Record Correction Request (Traffic Accident Information Only), is the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) form for asking the DMV to correct traffic accident information on your driver record.
The DMV states that it uses this form only to correct a traffic accident that the California Highway Patrol or another law enforcement agency reported through a Traffic Accident Report. On the form you identify yourself and, if one exists, your Financial Responsibility case number. You then check one statement: that you were not involved in a traffic accident, or that you were not at fault in the accident, that occurred in or near a city or county you name, on a date you give. You sign it under penalty of perjury.
The form does not correct everything on a driver record. Traffic violations and convictions have their own form, DL-207, Driver License Record Correction Request (Traffic Violations/Convictions Only), and the DL 208 tells you not to use it for those.
The DMV says it cannot correct any accident information without the supporting documents sent with the form. The DMV completes the "DMV Use Only" section when the record is updated, and uses the "Driver Return Response" section to tell you what is missing.
Who needs to file DL 208?
Drivers whose California driver record shows a traffic accident, reported by the California Highway Patrol or another law enforcement agency through a Traffic Accident Report, and who say the record is wrong, use Form DL 208. The form covers two claims: that you were not involved in the accident, or that you were not at fault in it.
Do not use Form DL 208 to correct a traffic violation or conviction. For those, the DMV directs you to form DL-207, Driver License Record Correction Request (Traffic Violations/Convictions Only).
If a law enforcement officer did not prepare a traffic accident report, or you are uncertain who reported the accident, the form tells you to call the DMV's Financial Responsibility Unit at (916) 657-6677 before sending anything.
The form asks for the signature of the person whose record is being corrected, and the signer certifies under penalty of perjury that the information is true. It does not describe any representative or other person signing on your behalf.
When to file DL 208
Send Form DL 208 when your driver record shows a law-enforcement-reported traffic accident that you were not involved in or were not at fault in, and you have the documents the DMV requires to prove it. The form prints no filing deadline, and it is not tied to another application.
Send it only once the original Traffic Accident Report and either an amended or supplemental law enforcement report or an original signed letter of explanation are ready, because the DMV cannot correct the record without them.
The DMV asks you to allow four to six weeks from the date you submit the request for it to review and respond. If you have questions while you wait, call (916) 657-6525.
Documents you need
- The original Traffic Accident Report, submitted with the form; the DMV cannot correct accident information without it.
- An amended or supplemental law enforcement Traffic Accident Report, to accompany the original report; the form accepts this as supporting evidence in place of a letter.
- An original signed letter of explanation, to accompany the original report when you do not send an amended or supplemental law enforcement report.
How to fill out DL 208
Enter your name and driver license number
At the top, enter your NAME and DRIVER LICENSE NUMBER, then your DATE OF BIRTH. Add the VEHICLE LICENSE NUMBER for the vehicle involved.
Add the Financial Responsibility case number
Enter the FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CASE NUMBER if you have one from the DMV. If you do not have it, call the Financial Responsibility Unit at (916) 657-6677.
Enter mailing address and phone
Fill in MAILING ADDRESS, CITY, STATE and ZIP CODE, then a WORK OR DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER with area code.
Add a residence address if different
Complete RESIDENCE ADDRESS (IF DIFFERENT FROM MAILING ADDRESS) only when your residence differs from your mailing address.
Choose the statement that applies
Under Traffic Accident Information, check I was not involved in a traffic accident that occurred in or near: or I was not at fault in the accident that occurred in or near:. Choose the one that matches your claim.
Enter the place and date of the accident
Write the CITY/COUNTY where the accident occurred and the date in the ON THE DATE OF space, matching the Traffic Accident Report you will attach.
Read the certification
Read Penal Code Section 115(a) and the statement certifying under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct and that you read all instructions and warnings.
Sign and date the form
Sign on the line marked SIGNATURE and enter the DATE. An unsigned form is returned with "Missing signature" marked.
Leave the DMV sections blank
Do not write in the DRIVER RETURN RESPONSE SECTION or the DMV USE ONLY SECTION; the DMV uses them to respond and to record the update.
Review, download and assemble the package
Check every entry against your accident report, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Add the original Traffic Accident Report and your amended report or signed letter, and send them as described under How to submit.
How to submit DL 208
Form DL 208 goes to the DMV by mail; the form names no other channel.
- By mail: send the completed, signed form and all supporting documents to: Department of Motor Vehicles, Mandatory Actions Unit, M/S J-233, P.O. Box 942890, Sacramento, CA 94290-0001.
- Questions about your request: call (916) 657-6525.
- If no officer prepared a report, or you do not know who reported the accident: call the DMV's Financial Responsibility Unit at (916) 657-6677.
The package must include the original Traffic Accident Report and either an amended or supplemental law enforcement Traffic Accident Report or an original signed letter of explanation. The DMV recommends that you keep copies of the completed form and the documents for your records. After the correction, you may go to any DMV field office and pay a fee to get a copy of your updated driver record; ask the DMV for the current amount. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the DMV channel above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using Form DL 208 to correct a traffic violation or conviction; the form directs those requests to DL-207 instead.
- Sending the form without supporting documents; the DMV's response section has a box for "No supporting documentation attached" and cannot correct the record.
- Attaching only a copy of the accident report when the form asks for the original Traffic Accident Report.
- Sending the original report without an amended or supplemental law enforcement report or an original signed letter of explanation.
- Leaving the signature line blank; the response section lists "Missing signature" as a reason the request comes back.
- Mailing the request to a DMV field office instead of the Mandatory Actions Unit, M/S J-233, P.O. Box 942890, Sacramento, CA 94290-0001.
- Sending the form when no officer prepared an accident report or you are unsure who reported it, instead of first calling the Financial Responsibility Unit at (916) 657-6677.
- Submitting a false or forged document; Penal Code Section 115(a), printed on the form, makes this a felony, and you certify under penalty of perjury.
Frequently asked questions
What is DL 208 used for?
DL 208 is the California DMV's Traffic Accident Record Correction Request. You use it to ask the DMV to correct a traffic accident on your driver record, reported by law enforcement through a Traffic Accident Report, by stating that you were not involved in it or were not at fault.
What is the difference between DL 208 and DL-207?
DL 208 corrects traffic accident information only. DL-207, Driver License Record Correction Request (Traffic Violations/Convictions Only), is the form the DMV directs you to use for traffic violations or convictions. Do not use DL 208 for a violation or conviction.
What documents do I send with the DL 208?
Send the original Traffic Accident Report together with either an amended or supplemental law enforcement Traffic Accident Report or an original signed letter of explanation. The DMV says it cannot correct accident information on your record without these documents.
Where do I mail Form DL 208?
Mail it to the Department of Motor Vehicles, Mandatory Actions Unit, M/S J-233, P.O. Box 942890, Sacramento, CA 94290-0001, along with your supporting documents. The form lists no other submission channel. For questions, call (916) 657-6525.
How long does the DMV take to process a DL 208?
The form asks you to allow four to six weeks from the date of submission for the DMV to review and respond. For questions about your request, call (916) 657-6525.
What if no officer prepared an accident report?
Call the DMV's Financial Responsibility Unit at (916) 657-6677 before sending the form. The DL 208 gives this number for cases where no law enforcement officer prepared a traffic accident report, or where you are uncertain who reported the accident.
Can I fill out DL 208 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not send the form to the DMV; you mail the completed form with your documents to the DMV's Mandatory Actions Unit.
Can I get a copy of my driver record after the correction?
Yes. The form says you may go to any DMV field office and pay a fee to get a copy of your updated driver record. Ask the DMV for the current fee. The DMV notes the date of the update in the DMV Use Only section.
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