| Update:
Those who receive notice but do not complete and pass the written retest will have their driver’s licenses revoked. (Damien Dovarganes/Associated Press)
key takeaways:
- California’s DMV informed 11,000 driver’s license holders that they will have to retake written tests after a review found potentially fraudulent irregularities.
- The DMV said the notices involved potential examinee misconduct, not technical problems or artificial intelligence, and did not involve commercial driver licenses.
- Recipients have 30 days to pass the written test again or lose their license as investigators take possible legal action.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has notified 11,000 driver’s license holders that they will have to retake their written test after possible fraud was discovered.
A DMV spokesperson told Transportation Topics, “The state has identified irregularities in certain driver knowledge test results that may indicate instances of fraud. Through our routine internal monitoring, we reviewed multiple data points and discovered that certain individuals may have attempted to circumvent the testing process using various fraudulent methods.”
As part of its internal review, the DMV recently issued notices to thousands of driver’s license holders, giving them 30 days to retake the written portion of the test. The notices are unrelated to commercial driver licenses.
“It is necessary to ensure the integrity of the knowledge testing process for the sake of public safety and to confirm that drivers understand California’s rules of the road,” the spokesperson said.
Those who receive notice but do not complete and pass the written retest will have their driver’s licenses revoked.
The DMV spokesperson emphasized that receiving a notice to retake the written driver’s license test “alone does not indicate a final determination that fraud occurred in that instance,” as some test results have been identified as potentially problematic.
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“Nonetheless, these irregularities are test-taker related and are not the result of an internal DMV technical issue or the involvement of artificial intelligence,” the spokesperson said.
The DMV has also initiated possible legal action against people suspected of engaging in fraudulent testing.
“Multiple cases have been referred to county district attorneys for further investigation, and we will continue to share updates as more information becomes available,” the spokesperson said. “The DMV is not sharing additional information at this time so as not to disclose investigative methods and protect the integrity of the investigative process.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that retest notices apply to driver’s licenses generally and are not related to commercial driver’s licenses.
