DMV SR-19C Form: Getting the Other Driver's Insurance Info
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This page was written and reviewed by Michael J. Cefali, Esq. Attorney Cefali is a founding partner of Cefali & Cefali, APC, based in San Juan Capistrano, CA. He holds a Juris Doctor from Chapman University Fowler School of Law and a B.A. in Global Studies & Maritime Affairs from the California Maritime Academy. Widely recognized for his advocacy in personal injury law, he has secured multi-hundred-thousand-dollar settlements in motorcycle accidents, hit-and-runs, and red-light collision cases. He maintains a perfect 10.0 “Superb” rating on Avvo.
Beyond his legal practice, Mr. Cefali actively supports his community through the Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano, contributes to housing and meal programs for those in need, and enjoys fishing and spending time with his rescue dogs.
The date below reflects when this page was last reviewed for accuracy. Please see our Editorial Guidelines.
DMV SR-19C Form: Getting the Other Driver's Insurance Info
After a car accident in California, one of the most important questions you face is a simple one: was the other driver insured, and for how much? The DMV Form SR-19C, officially the Financial Responsibility Information Request, is how you find out. Filing it lets you request the other driver's insurance information, an official certification that they were uninsured, or a photocopy of the SR-1 accident report they filed with the DMV. Each document costs a $20 fee, and the DMV asks you to allow 30 days for processing. Call (949) 325-7790 for a free consultation, available 24/7. No fee unless we win.
This guide explains exactly what the SR-19C is, what it can get you, who is allowed to request it, how to fill it out and file it, what it costs, and the reasons a request sometimes comes back empty. If the other driver turns out to have been uninsured, we also explain how that certification opens the door to an uninsured motorist claim on your own policy. You can review a sample of our results on our case results page.
What Is the DMV SR-19C Form?
The SR-19C is a California DMV form used to request financial responsibility information from the DMV's records after a reportable traffic accident. "Financial responsibility" is the legal term for a driver's ability to pay for the damage they cause, usually through liability insurance. Under California's Financial Responsibility Law, when a reportable accident happens, the drivers involved must file an SR-1 accident report with the DMV, and the DMV then collects the insurance details connected to that accident. The SR-19C is the tool that lets an involved party ask the DMV to release that information.
The current version is the SR 19C (Rev. 1/2017), titled Financial Responsibility Information Request. It is a one-page form with a separate instructions sheet, and it is filed by mail with the DMV's Financial Responsibility unit in Sacramento.
What You Can Request with an SR-19C
The SR-19C lets you request one of three specific documents. On the form, you check one box in Section 1 to indicate which one you want:
What you can request
What it gives you
Insurance Information from File
The liability insurance details the other driver reported to the DMV for this accident, so you know who their insurer was and can pursue a claim.
Uninsured Motorist Certification
An official DMV certification that the other driver had no liability insurance on file at the time of the accident. This is key documentation for an uninsured motorist claim.
Photocopy of the SR-1 Report
A copy of the Report of Traffic Accident (SR-1) that the other driver filed with the DMV about your accident.
You can request more than one of these, but each document carries its own $20 fee, and it is cleanest to use a separate form for each item. Requesting all three, for example, would cost $60.
Why an Injured Driver Needs the SR-19C
After a crash, the at-fault driver's insurance is usually what pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. But drivers do not always share accurate insurance information at the scene, and some have no insurance at all. The SR-19C gives you an independent, official way to confirm the other driver's coverage through the DMV instead of relying on what they told you.
The Uninsured Motorist Certification is the most valuable part for many injured people. If the certification confirms the other driver was uninsured, that document supports a claim under your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. In California, insurers must offer UM and underinsured motorist coverage, and it exists precisely for this situation: when the person who hurt you cannot pay. Having the DMV's certification in hand strengthens that claim considerably.
The photocopy of the other driver's SR-1 can also be useful evidence, showing what they reported to the state about the accident and their coverage.
An SR-1 Must Be on File First
This is the single most important thing to understand about the SR-19C: it only works if an SR-1 accident report has already been filed with the DMV. The DMV builds its financial responsibility file from the SR-1, not from police reports. As the form itself states, law enforcement accident reports cannot be used as the basis for establishing a financial responsibility file; an SR-1 must be filed.
Every driver involved in an accident that caused more than $1,000 in property damage (the threshold was $750 for accidents before January 1, 2017), or any injury or death, must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days. If you have not filed yours yet, see our full guide to the California SR-1 form and its 10-day deadline. If no SR-1 was ever filed for your accident, the DMV will have no file to release, and your SR-19C request will come back empty.
Who Can Request Financial Responsibility Information?
The DMV does not release accident information to just anyone. Under California Vehicle Code section 16005, information can be released only to individuals who have a "proper interest" in the accident. Those parties include:
A driver involved in the accident, or their parent, employer, or legal guardian
An injured party, including an injured passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist
The owner of a vehicle or property damaged in the accident
Authorized representatives of any of the above, such as an attorney or insurer
Courts and law enforcement agencies
Because of this rule, the form includes a perjury statement. You must declare, under penalty of perjury, that you have a proper interest in the case as required by CVC section 16005. The DMV will not release any accident information until you establish that you are entitled to it.
How to File an SR-19C, Step by Step
Get the form. Download the SR-19C from the California DMV website, or pick one up at a DMV office.
Choose what you are requesting (Section 1). Check the box for insurance information, an uninsured motorist certification, or a photocopy of the SR-1. Use a separate form for each document you want.
Fill in your information and your interest (Section 2). Provide your name, address, and phone number, and check the box that describes your interest in the accident (driver or owner, passenger, pedestrian, bicyclist, owner of damaged property, attorney, or insurer).
Provide the accident details (Section 3). Enter the date and city of the accident, the DMV financial responsibility file number if you know it, and the requested client or driver information.
Identify the subject of your inquiry (Section 4). Enter the name, birth date, address, driver license number, and license plate of the other driver or vehicle owner whose information you are requesting. Use one name per request.
Sign the perjury statement (Section 5). Date, print your name, and sign to certify under penalty of perjury that you have a proper interest in the case.
Enclose the fee. Include a $20 check or money order payable to DMV for each document requested.
Mail it to the DMV. Send the completed form and fee to: Department of Motor Vehicles, Financial Responsibility (FR), P.O. Box 942884, Mail Station J237, Sacramento, CA 94284-0884.
Allow 30 days. The DMV asks that you allow about 30 days for processing. Questions can be directed to the DMV Financial Responsibility unit at (916) 657-6677.
If an SR-1 was never filed for your accident, you may complete one and attach it to your SR-19C request. Again, a law enforcement report will not substitute for the SR-1.
SR-19C Fees and Processing Time
Fee: $20, nonrefundable, for each document requested. Two documents cost $40, and all three cost $60.
Payment: Check or money order payable to DMV. Commercial requesters with a DMV account can be billed through the Automated Billing Information Service instead.
Processing time: Allow approximately 30 days.
Resubmissions: If a request cannot be processed and you resubmit it, an additional $20 fee is due.
Reasons an SR-19C Request May Come Back Empty
Because the DMV can only release what is actually in its financial responsibility file, some requests are returned without the information. Common reasons include:
No SR-1 was filed. Without an SR-1 on file, the DMV has no financial responsibility file to draw from.
The SR-1 arrived more than a year after the accident. A financial responsibility request cannot be processed when the SR-1 was received over one year after the accident date.
The file was purged. The DMV purges financial responsibility files on a 48-month cycle, so older accident information may no longer be available.
The accident was not reportable. If the SR-1 shows no damage over $1,000 and no injury or death, the accident does not fall under the Financial Responsibility Law.
The subject is not named or did not file. If the person you are asking about is not named in the file, or never filed an SR-1, the information cannot be provided.
The driver was self-insured or exempt. Some vehicles belong to authorized self-insurers or cash deposit holders that are exempt from the reporting requirement.
Insufficient information or no stated interest. The request must contain enough detail to identify the subject and must state your proper interest under CVC section 16005.
What to Do If the Other Driver Was Uninsured
If your SR-19C comes back with an Uninsured Motorist Certification, it means the DMV has no record of liability insurance for the other driver. That does not leave you without options. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage, you can file a UM claim with your own insurance company to recover for your injuries, and the DMV certification is strong supporting evidence. In some cases you may also be able to pursue the at-fault driver's personal assets directly.
Uninsured motorist claims can be surprisingly adversarial, even though you are dealing with your own insurer, because the company still has a financial interest in paying you less. An experienced attorney can handle the SR-19C process, the UM claim, and the negotiation so you are not navigating it alone.
How a California Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
At Cefali & Cefali, we handle the administrative steps that follow an accident, including filing the SR-1, requesting financial responsibility information with the SR-19C, and confirming the other driver's coverage, so you can focus on recovering. If the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, we pursue every available source of compensation, including your own UM and UIM coverage. If you are still gathering the basics, our guides on getting your police report and the SR-1 filing deadline walk you through the first steps.
Because we work on a contingency fee basis, you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you, and every consultation is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DMV SR-19C form?
The SR-19C is the California DMV's Financial Responsibility Information Request. After a reportable accident, an involved or injured party can use it to request the other driver's insurance information, an official certification that the other driver was uninsured, or a photocopy of the SR-1 accident report the other driver filed with the DMV.
How much does an SR-19C cost?
There is a nonrefundable $20 fee for each document you request. Requesting two documents costs $40, and all three cost $60. Payment is by check or money order made payable to DMV. If a request cannot be processed and you resubmit it, another $20 fee applies.
How long does it take to get the information back?
The DMV asks that you allow approximately 30 days for processing an SR-19C request. Filing a complete, accurate form with the correct fee helps avoid delays or a rejected request that you would have to resubmit.
Do I need to file an SR-1 before requesting information with an SR-19C?
Yes. The DMV builds its financial responsibility file from the SR-1 accident report, not from police reports. An SR-1 must be on file for the accident before the DMV can release information. If one was never filed, you can complete an SR-1 and attach it to your SR-19C request, but a law enforcement report cannot be used in its place.
Who is allowed to request financial responsibility information?
Under California Vehicle Code section 16005, only people with a proper interest in the accident may request the information. That includes a driver, their parent, employer, or guardian; an injured party such as a passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist; the owner of a damaged vehicle or property; authorized representatives like attorneys or insurers; and courts and law enforcement. You must certify your proper interest under penalty of perjury on the form.
What is an Uninsured Motorist Certification?
It is an official DMV certification that the other driver had no liability insurance on file at the time of the accident. If the other driver was uninsured, this document is important evidence for a claim under your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which California insurers are required to offer.
Can I get a copy of the other driver's SR-1 report?
Yes. One of the three things you can request on the SR-19C is a photocopy of the SR-1 the other driver filed with the DMV for your accident. As with the other request types, it requires the $20 fee and that you have a proper interest in the accident under CVC section 16005.
What if the DMV file was already purged?
The DMV purges financial responsibility files on a 48-month cycle, so if too much time has passed the information may no longer be available. This is one reason to request the information sooner rather than later. An attorney can also help identify other ways to confirm the other driver's coverage if the DMV file is gone.
Injured in a California Accident? We Can Help
Finding out whether the other driver was insured is one of the first and most important steps after a crash, and it shapes how your entire claim proceeds. If you were injured in an accident in California, the personal injury lawyers at Cefali & Cefali can handle the SR-19C process, confirm the at-fault driver's coverage, and pursue full compensation for your injuries, including through your own uninsured motorist coverage when needed. Contact us today or call (949) 325-7790 for a free consultation, available 24/7. No fee unless we win.
Michael Cefali is a dedicated accident attorney based in San Juan Capistrano, California, committed to securing justice and fair compensation for accident victims.
A graduate of Newport Harbor High School, he went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and Maritime Affairs from the California Maritime Academy, followed by his Juris Doctor from Chapman University School of Law.
Deeply invested in his community, Michael is an active member of the Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano, contributing to efforts that provide meals, housing, and support to those in need. Outside of his legal work and volunteer service, he enjoys fishing in Dana Point and spending time with his three rescue dogs—a Chihuahua, a Spaniel mix, and a Shepherd mix.
Driven by his strong belief in justice and fairness, Michael remains steadfast in advocating for individuals harmed by the negligence or inaction of others.
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