California's New DUI Laws: What the Four Signed Bills Do

In brief

• Governor Newsom signed SB 907, AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 on September 25. SB 907 and AB 1546 name no start date for these changes, so under the California Constitution they take effect January 1, 2027; that date is our inference. AB 1685 and AB 1687 say they become operative January 1, 2031.
• SB 907, Braun's Law, makes a judge give the Section 23593 murder advisement when a Section 23152 DUI charge is pleaded down to a different or lesser offense. It also raises prison terms for a hit and run committed within 10 years of a separate DUI, alcohol related reckless driving or vehicular manslaughter violation that led to a conviction.
• AB 1546 lets a third DUI within 10 years be sentenced as a felony under Penal Code 1170(h) (16 months, 2 or 3 years). A DUI with four or more priors in 10 years becomes a felony only, with no misdemeanor jail option. Both apply to new convictions under Section 23152, not 23153.
• AB 1687 sets a fixed 72-month suspension, not the press release's 'up to six years', and only for an alcohol related DUI that injures someone after four or more priors. None of the four laws changes a rule tested on the California permit test.

What changed

Four Bills, Two Start Dates

California's four new DUI laws were signed on September 25, and not one of them is in force yet. The dates matter more than the headlines, because a law that sounds immediate in a press release may not touch a single case for years.

AB 1685 and AB 1687 each carry an explicit clause: the new sections become operative January 1, 2031. That is more than four years away, and the governor's signing message on AB 1687 asks the Legislature to return next year to a broader framework for suspension periods, ignition interlock, treatment and restricted licenses, and to decide how these provisions fit into it. Read that as a signal that the 2031 rules could be amended before they ever apply.

SB 907 and AB 1546 contain no operative date for the changes described here and no urgency clause; both passed on a majority vote, and an urgency statute needs two thirds of each house. (AB 1546's only dates sit in alternate sections that apply only if another bill, AB 1830, had also been enacted; more on that below.) Article IV, Section 8(c)(1) of the California Constitution says a statute enacted at a regular session goes into effect on January 1 next following a 90 day period from the date of enactment. Ninety days from September 25 is December 24, so the next January 1 is January 1, 2027. That date is our inference from the constitution, not a start date either bill sets, and we will correct this post if the chaptered text says otherwise.

When we checked on September 26, SB 907's status page showed it chaptered on September 25 as Chapter 443, Statutes of 2026; AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 had no chapter numbers yet. The bill text pages for all four still showed the enrolled versions, dated August 30 to September 4. The enrolled bill is the version presented to the governor for signature, so it is the text quoted throughout this post.

• SB 907 (Braun's Law, hit and run penalties): January 1, 2027, our inference
• AB 1546 (repeat DUI sentencing): January 1, 2027, our inference
• AB 1685 (DMV points and record disclosure): January 1, 2031, stated in the bill
• AB 1687 (72-month suspension): January 1, 2031, stated in the bill

SourcesCalifornia Legislature, California Constitution, Article IV, Section 8, subdivision (c)(1): a regular session statute takes effect January 1 next following a 90 day period from enactment; urgency statutes take effect immediately (checked 2026-09-26); Governor of California, signing message on Assembly Bill 1687 (checked 2026-09-26)

Braun's Law and the Plea Deal Warning

The part of SB 907 that carries the name Braun's Law is short. Vehicle Code Section 23635 already makes a court state on the record why it dismisses a DUI charge, substitutes a lesser offense, or strikes a prior conviction, and whether the prosecution asked for it. It also makes the prosecution file a written statement of reasons when it moves for any of those. SB 907 names the section Braun's Law and adds subdivision (d): if a defendant pleads guilty or no contest to a different or lesser offense as a substitute for a Section 23152 DUI charge, the court must give the advisement described in Section 23593.

Under existing law that advisement already goes to people convicted of a DUI under Section 23152 or 23153, or of a reckless driving offense that Section 23103.5 ties to alcohol or drugs, so the new rule matters for pleas to any other substituted offense. The bill's digest describes it as a warning about how dangerous the conduct is, and that if the same behavior later results in someone's death, the person may be charged with murder. The change is about what goes on the record, not the sentence: a driver who pleads a DUI down to a lesser charge will have been told, in court, what a repeat can lead to. The governor's release describes the purpose the same way, saying drivers whose DUI charges are pled down will know they could face a more serious charge, including murder.

SourcesCalifornia Legislature, SB 907 enrolled text (checked 2026-09-26)

Hit and Run With a DUI Record Behind It

The other half of SB 907 rewrites the penalties in Vehicle Code 20001, the duty to stop after a crash that injures or kills someone. The duty itself does not change: you stop immediately at the scene and meet the requirements of Sections 20003 and 20004, which the bill's digest describes as giving specified personal information to the injured person or the occupants of the other vehicle and to any officer at the scene. What changes is the punishment when the failure to stop happens within 10 years of a separate qualifying violation that led to a conviction.

The qualifying list in the bill is a DUI under Section 23152 or 23153, a reckless driving conviction that Section 23103.5 ties to alcohol or drugs, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated under Penal Code 191.5, with or without gross negligence, or vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence under Penal Code 192(c)(1).

For a hit and run that causes injury, today's law allows state prison, up to a year in county jail, or a fine of $1,000 to $10,000. With a qualifying prior, the prison option becomes a set range of two, three or four years. For a hit and run causing death or permanent, serious injury, the current range is two, three or four years in state prison or 90 days to a year in county jail, or the fine. With a qualifying prior it becomes three, four or five years, or the same jail range, and the fine stops being an alternative: the new paragraph imposes it as well. The existing extra five years for fleeing after a vehicular manslaughter stays.

Everything here about penalties is general information about what the bills say, not legal advice. If you have a pending case, a California criminal defense attorney is the person to ask how these changes apply to you.

SourcesCalifornia Legislature, SB 907, Today's Law As Amended view, shows the new subparagraphs 20001(b)(1)(B) and (b)(2)(B) against current law (checked 2026-09-26)

Third, Fourth and Fifth DUI Convictions Under AB 1546

AB 1546 changes how California sentences a DUI when the driver already has DUI convictions inside the 10 year lookback. The counting rule is the one the Vehicle Code already uses: prior violations of Section 23152 or 23153, or alcohol related reckless driving under 23103.5, that ended in convictions.

With two priors, a third offense, Section 23546 today allows 120 days to one year in county jail and a $390 to $1,000 fine. AB 1546 adds a felony option under Penal Code 1170(h), which the bill's digest describes as 16 months, 2 or 3 years. The offense becomes what lawyers call a wobbler: it can be sentenced either way.

With three priors, a fourth offense, Section 23550 already allows either an 1170(h) term or 180 days to one year in county jail. AB 1546 keeps that choice for exactly three priors. With four or more priors, a new subdivision removes the misdemeanor option of 180 days to one year, so the sentence is an 1170(h) felony term plus the $390 to $1,000 fine. In each tier the DMV revocation and the three year habitual traffic offender designation continue as before.

AB 1546 also contains alternate versions of these sections (Sections 4.1 to 6.2). They would have replaced Sections 4, 5 and 6 from the bill's start date, with a further set of versions from January 1, 2031, but only if another bill, AB 1830, had also been enacted and AB 1546 had been enacted after it. The governor's signing message on AB 1687 says AB 1830 did not advance from the Senate floor, so on the text as written those alternates do not become operative and the versions described above are the ones that apply.

SourcesCalifornia Legislature, AB 1546, Today's Law As Amended view, Sections 8 to 10 of the bill make Sections 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2 operative only if AB 1830 is also enacted and AB 1546 is enacted after it (checked 2026-09-26)

AB 1687: What the Bill Says, Not the Press Release

The governor's release summarizes the package in four bullets, and one of them does not match the bill it describes. It says the laws extend how long the DMV can revoke a license, 'for up to six years', for someone with four or more qualifying convictions in 10 years. Where a release and a bill differ, the bill is the law, and AB 1687 is both narrower and firmer than that sentence.

First, the trigger. New Section 13352.7 applies only on a conviction or finding under Section 23153(a), (b), (d), (e) or (g), a DUI involving alcohol, alone or combined with drugs, that causes bodily injury to someone other than the driver. An injury DUI on drugs alone, under 23153(f), is not listed. It also applies only if the offense happened within 10 years of four or more separate DUI or alcohol related reckless driving violations that ended in convictions. A fifth DUI that injures no one is not covered by this section.

Second, the length. The bill says the privilege shall be suspended for 72 months. That is a set six years, not a ceiling. The digest calls it a revocation and the section later refers to the revocation period, while the governor's signing message calls it a six year suspension; whichever word applies, the term is 72 months.

Third, the way back. Reinstatement requires proof of financial responsibility and completion of a 30 month DUI program, or an 18 month program where no 30 month program exists in the county, or a program under Penal Code 8001. The DMV must advise the person that after 12 months of the revocation period, which can include credit for a suspension already served under Section 13353.3(c), they may apply for a restricted license if they have finished the first 12 months of the program, keep attending, file the Verification of Installation form, agree to keep a certified ignition interlock device for a mandatory 72 months, show financial responsibility and pay the fees. None of it operates until January 1, 2031.

SourcesCalifornia Legislature, AB 1687 enrolled text (checked 2026-09-26); Governor of California, news release of September 25 on Braun's Law and the DUI package, its fourth summary bullet says 'up to six years' for four or more qualifying convictions and does not mention the injury requirement (checked 2026-09-26)

A Third Point on the Driving Record, From 2031

AB 1685 is the smallest of the four and the second place where the release reads wider than the bill. The release says points rise from two to three for convictions of vehicular manslaughter and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The bill adds one line to the Section 12810 point table: a conviction under Penal Code 191.5(a), gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, counts three points. Vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence, Penal Code 191.5(b), stays at two points in the new text.

The same bill tells the DMV to disclose 191.5(a) convictions for 10 years from the date of the offense, joining the 10 year window Section 1808 already uses for DUI convictions under 23140, 23152 and 23153. Both changes become operative January 1, 2031. Existing law already requires the DMV to revoke the license of anyone convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, as the AB 1687 digest notes, so the new point value adds to a record that already carries a revocation.

SourcesCalifornia Legislature, AB 1685 enrolled text (checked 2026-09-26)

What to do now

• Studying for the California permit test: there is nothing to relearn, before or after these laws start. Drill the existing alcohol questions (the 0.08 and 0.01 percent limits, implied consent, open containers) on the California practice test.
• Facing a DUI charge or weighing a plea deal: talk to a California defense attorney before you decide, because from January 1, 2027 (our inferred date) a plea to a different or lesser offense in place of a Section 23152 DUI charge comes with the Section 23593 murder advisement on the record, as a plea to alcohol related reckless driving already does.
• If you have a DUI, alcohol related reckless driving or vehicular manslaughter violation within the past 10 years that ended in a conviction: from January 1, 2027 (our inferred date), leaving the scene of an injury crash can bring 2, 3 or 4 years in state prison, though up to a year in county jail or a fine remain possible. If someone dies or is permanently, seriously injured, it can bring 3, 4 or 5 years in prison or 90 days to a year in jail, plus a $1,000 to $10,000 fine that the court can reduce based on ability to pay.
• Mark January 1, 2031 if you follow California license law: AB 1685's three point rule and AB 1687's 72-month suspension start then, and the governor has asked the Legislature to revisit the AB 1687 framework before that date.
• Check back by October 25: we will add the chapter numbers for AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 once the Legislature posts them and date a correction here if the chaptered text shows a start date other than our January 1, 2027 inference.

Frequently asked

Sources

• Governor of California, Governor Newsom signs Braun's Law and package of bills to crack down on DUI offenders (Primary source), Office of the Governor of California, published September 25, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Confirms the four signings on September 25. Its summary bullets overstate two bills: points rise 'from two to three' for both vehicular manslaughter offenses (AB 1685 changes only Penal Code 191.5(a)) and the DMV can revoke 'for up to six years' (AB 1687 sets a fixed 72 months and requires an injury DUI).
• Governor of California, signing message on Assembly Bill 1687 (Primary source), Office of the Governor of California, published September 25, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Describes a six year suspension from January 1, 2031 for a DUI causing bodily injury after four or more prior qualifying convictions, with restricted privileges and an interlock after the first year; says AB 1830 did not advance from the Senate floor.
• California Legislature, SB 907 (Archuleta), enrolled text (Primary source), California State Legislature, published September 4, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Amends Vehicle Code 20001 and 23635. No operative date and a majority vote, so no urgency clause. Chaptered September 25 as Chapter 443, Statutes of 2026, per the bill's status page.
• California Legislature, SB 907, Today's Law As Amended (Primary source), California State Legislature, published September 4, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Used for the before column: shows current Vehicle Code 20001 text with the bill's insertions marked.
• California Legislature, AB 1546 (Schultz), enrolled text (Primary source), California State Legislature, published September 4, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Amends Vehicle Code 14601.2, 14601.3, 23546, 23550, 23550.5 and 23572 and Insurance Code 1861.025. No operative date for Sections 4, 5 and 6; the 2031 alternates depend on AB 1830.
• California Legislature, AB 1546, Today's Law As Amended (Primary source), California State Legislature, published September 4, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Used for the before column on Sections 23546 and 23550.
• California Legislature, AB 1685 (Lackey), enrolled text (Primary source), California State Legislature, published August 30, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Repeals and re-adds Vehicle Code 1808 and 12810; the new versions are operative January 1, 2031.
• California Legislature, AB 1687 (Lackey), enrolled text (Primary source), California State Legislature, published September 3, 2026, accessed September 26, 2026. Adds Vehicle Code 13352.7, operative January 1, 2031.
• California Constitution, Article IV, Section 8 (Primary source), California State Legislature, published November 8, 2016, accessed September 26, 2026. Basis for the January 1, 2027 inference. The date shown is the section's last amendment (Proposition 54).