{"id":312464,"date":"2026-02-17T16:37:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T00:37:17","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-02-19T09:47:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T17:47:02","slug":"tesla-takes-corrective-action-to-avoid-dmv-suspension","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/news-and-media\/tesla-takes-corrective-action-to-avoid-dmv-suspension\/","title":{"rendered":"Tesla Takes Corrective Action to Avoid DMV Suspension"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Contact: \u00a0Office of Public Affairs<br>2415 First Avenue<br>Sacramento, CA 95818<br>(916) 657\u20136437 |\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:dmvpublicaffairs@dmv.ca.gov\">dmvpublicaffairs@dmv.ca.gov<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><strong><strong>February 17, 2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What you need to know:<\/strong> In December 2025, the California DMV found Tesla Motors in violation of state law for misleadingly using the terms \u201cAutopilot\u201d and \u201cFull Self-Driving\u201d in the marketing of its electric vehicles. Since then, Tesla took corrective action and has stopped using the misleading term \u201cAutopilot\u201d in the marketing of its electric vehicles in California. Tesla had previously modified its use of the term \u201cFull Self-Driving\u201d to clarify that driver supervision is required. By taking this prescribed action, Tesla will avoid having its dealer and manufacturer licenses suspended in the state for 30 days by the DMV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sacramento<\/strong> \u2014 Tesla successfully took the required action to stop using the term \u201cAutopilot\u201d in the marketing of its vehicles in California, as required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) last December. In doing so, Tesla avoids having its dealer and manufacturer licenses suspended by DMV for 30 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe DMV is committed to safety throughout all California\u2019s roadways and communities,\u201d said DMV Director Steve Gordon. \u201cThe department is pleased that Tesla took the required action to remain in compliance with the State of California\u2019s consumer protections.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On December 16, 2025, the DMV issued its decision in the Tesla administrative case (Case Nos. 21-02188 and 21-02189), adopting the administrative law judge\u2019s (ALJ) proposed decision, which concluded that Tesla\u2019s use of the term \u201cAutopilot\u201d to describe its vehicles\u2019 Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features is misleading and violates state law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ALJ\u2019s proposed decision ordered suspensions of Tesla\u2019s manufacturing license and its dealer license for 30 days. Upon review, the DMV\u2019s decision adopted the ALJ\u2019s findings regarding violations, but reduced the penalties, immediately imposing a permanent stay of the suspension of Tesla\u2019s manufacturer\u2019s license and giving Tesla 60 days to act regarding its use of the term \u201cAutopilot.\u201d California has zero tolerance for misleading advertising that puts safety at risk. When companies make false claims about vehicle capabilities, they endanger lives and the state will hold them accountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>Background<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DMV alleged that Tesla made and disseminated statements that were misleading in advertising its vehicles as equipped, or potentially equipped, with features tantamount to autonomous driving capability. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginning in May 2021, Tesla ADAS features in written marketing materials primarily on Tesla&#8217;s website using the product label and descriptions \u201cAutopilot\u201d and \u201cFull Self-Driving Capability,\u201d and the phrase \u201cThe system is designed to be able to conduct short and long-distance trips with no action required by the person in the driver&#8217;s seat.\u201d However, vehicles equipped with those ADAS features could not at the time of those advertisements, and cannot now, operate as autonomous vehicles. Based on these false advertisements, DMV filed accusations against Tesla\u2019s manufacturer and dealer licenses in November 2023. Tesla subsequently discontinued use of the term \u201cFull Self-Driving Capability,\u201d instead specifying that the system requires driver supervision by using the term \u201cFull Self-Driving (Supervised).\u201d The California Office of Administrative Hearings held a hearing before an ALJ in this case on July 21\u201325, 2025, and the ALJ issued a proposed decision on November 20, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-dmv-spacer-block spacer-box\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Before Going to a DMV Office \u2014 Try Online First<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most DMV tasks do not require an office visit. The DMV encourages customers to use its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/dmv-online\/\">online services<\/a>&nbsp;and other service channels for tasks such as eligible driver\u2019s license and vehicle registration renewals. Customers can also use the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/make-an-appointment\/service-advisor\/\">Service Advisor<\/a>&nbsp;on the DMV website to learn about options to complete DMV tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go Paperless \u2014 Customers must create a MyDMV account at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/mydmv\">dmv.ca.gov\/mydmv<\/a> and opt in to receive their paperless vehicle registration, driver\u2019s license and identification card renewal notices by email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">###<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Sign up to receive the latest DMV News Alerts:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/dmv-news-alerts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DMV NEWS ALERTS \u2013 California DMV<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 17, 2026 What you need to know: In December 2025, the California DMV found Tesla Motors in violation of state law for misleadingly using the terms \u201cAutopilot\u201d and \u201cFull Self-Driving\u201d in the marketing of its electric vehicles. Since then, Tesla took corrective action and has stopped using the misleading term \u201cAutopilot\u201d in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2600,"featured_media":0,"parent":1542,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"dmv_page_popups":[],"dmv_ribbon_color":"","dmv_top_illustration":"","dmv_page_title":"","dmv_page_subtitle":"","dmv_exclude_from_search_results":false,"dmv_allowed_editors":[],"dmv_display_translate_button":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1627],"tags":[],"dmv_task":[65],"dmv_functional_page_type":[3],"dmv_content_type":[],"class_list":["post-312464","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-news-media","dmv_task-regulations","dmv_functional_page_type-press-release"],"featured_image_src":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Tesla Takes Corrective Action to Avoid DMV Suspension - California DMV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/news-and-media\/tesla-takes-corrective-action-to-avoid-dmv-suspension\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tesla Takes Corrective Action to Avoid DMV Suspension - California DMV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 17, 2026 What you need to know: In December 2025, the California DMV found Tesla Motors in violation of state law for misleadingly using the terms \u201cAutopilot\u201d and \u201cFull Self-Driving\u201d in the marketing of its electric vehicles. 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