Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations setting forth requirements for the submission and approval of an application, including, among other things, any testing, equipment, and performance standards the department concludes are necessary to ensure the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads, as specified.
California SB 480 (20252026) — Autonomous vehicles.
Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations setting forth requirements for the submission and approval of an application, including, among other things, any testing, equipment, and performance standards the department concludes are necessary to ensure the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads, as specified.
Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
SB 480 Archuleta Consent Calendar Second Day — 74–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass. To Consent Calendar. — 15–0 (pass) · lower
Unfinished Business SB480 Archuleta Concurrence — 40–0 (pass) · upper
3rd Reading — 39–0 (pass) · upper
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Communications and Conveyance] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar — 16–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar — 9–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 14–0 (pass) · upper
Sponsors
Archuleta — primary (person)
Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
2025-02-19 Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print. introduction, reading-1
2025-02-20 From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
2025-02-26 Referred to Com. on TRANS. referral-committee
2025-03-18 Set for hearing March 25.
2025-03-26 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0. Page 534.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2025-03-28 Set for hearing April 7.
2025-04-07 From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8. committee-passage, reading-2
2025-04-08 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-1, reading-2
2025-05-27 Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1236.) Ordered to the Assembly. passage, reading-1, reading-3
2025-05-28 In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. reading-1
2025-06-05 Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and C. & C. referral-committee
2025-06-26 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1, reading-2, referral-committee
2025-07-08 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on C. & C. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on C. & C. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2025-07-17 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2025-08-20 From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 20). committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2025-08-21 Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar. reading-1, reading-2
2025-08-28 Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 2776.) Ordered to the Senate. passage, reading-1, reading-3
2025-08-28 In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-03 Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2443.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. amendment-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-09 Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-10-06 Approved by the Governor. executive-signature
2025-10-06 Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 415, Statutes of 2025. became-law
Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/f9108655-2446-4579-a74e-8edc20fa103e. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).