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AB-1765 • 2026

Vehicles: fee waivers for disabled veterans.

Vehicles: fee waivers for disabled veterans.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Alanis
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about which fees are waived or when the bill will take effect after passing both chambers.

Fee Waivers for Disabled Veterans

This law changes the definition of vehicles eligible for fee waivers to include commercial motor vehicles up to 10,000 pounds unladen weight.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes a limit on the size of commercial vehicles that can get fee waivers.
  • Changes how 'vehicle' is defined in certain laws about disabled veterans.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Disabled veterans who own eligible vehicles.
  • Former American prisoners of war with eligible vehicles.
  • Purple Heart recipients or Congressional Medal of Honor recipients with eligible vehicles.
  • Surviving spouses of former American prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, and Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.

Terms To Know

Disabled veteran
A person who served in the military and now has a disability related to their service.
Unladen weight
The weight of a vehicle without any cargo or passengers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear what specific fees are waived.
  • This law only affects vehicles registered under the Vehicle Code and not used for hire, compensation, or profit.
  • The bill does not specify when it will take effect after passing both chambers of the legislature.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.

  3. 2026-03-09 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  4. 2026-03-05 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.

  5. 2026-02-23 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and M. & V.A.

  6. 2026-02-10 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.

  7. 2026-02-09 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1765, as amended, Alanis.
Vehicles: fee waivers for disabled veterans.
Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special license plates or distinguishing placards to disabled veterans for purposes of certain parking privileges and fee exemptions. Commencing January 1, 2027, existing law exempts, except as specified, a vehicle that is owned by a disabled veteran, a former American prisoner of war, or a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient or a Purple Heart recipient, or the surviving spouse of a former American prisoner of war or Congressional Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipient, who has elected to retain special license plates, that is of a type subject to registration under the Vehicle Code, and that is not used for hire, compensation, or profit, from certain fees imposed pursuant to the Vehicle Code and a vehicle license fee imposed for the privilege of operating specified vehicles. Existing law defines “vehicle” for
purposes of these provisions as a passenger motor vehicle, a motorcycle, or a commercial motor vehicle of less than 8,001 pounds unladen weight.
This bill would
delete the above-described weight limit for commercial motor vehicles.
instead define a vehicle for purposes of the above-described provisions as a passenger motor vehicle, a motorcycle, or a commercial motor vehicle of less than 10,000 pounds unladen weight.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF