5 New CA Laws to Know for 2025

By Eugene Bruno on January 31, 2025

Heads up, San Diego! There are a handful of new laws that came into effect in 2025 that will impact the way you drive. From insurance claims for car break-ins to parking restrictions and license and insurance requirements, here’s the run-down on new driving laws impacting Californians for 2025.

“Daylighting Law”: Enforcement Starts Now!

California’s new “Daylighting Law” bans drivers from parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk. This will eliminate millions of parking spots statewide (boo!)—but it’s in order to make intersections safer for pedestrians (yay!). We first told you about this HERE, but it’s worth a reminder because this law applies regardless of whether or not the crosswalk is marked or if the curb is painted red. So, what’s our advice?

If you’re parking facing a crosswalk, look for a red curb first. If it’s there, respect that distance. If it’s not there, still leave a space of 20 feet between your parked car and that intersection to avoid a ticket.

The exact amount of that ticket is pending City Council approval, but it is projected to be $65 per violation. However, there will be a 60-day grace period from January 1 to March 1, 2025, during which warnings will be issued instead of fines.

Insurance Coverage Is Going Up (But Probably So Is Your Bill)

Starting January 1, 2025, California’s minimum insurance liability limits for when someone is injured or killed in a crash increase to the following:

• $30,000 for injury or death of one person
• Up to a limit of $60,000 per crash
• $15,000 for property damage as a result of any one crash

If you previously had California state law minimum coverage, watch for new coverage limits and a new, higher bill from your insurance company!

No License Required for Non-Driving Employment

As of 2025, job postings can no longer require that applicants have a valid driver’s license anymore unless employees actually need to drive as part of the job and can’t perform the job using an alternate form of transportation. Advocates of the new law say that requiring a driver’s license for jobs that don’t involve actual driving can make it harder for low-income job seekers to find work.

Locked Door Loophole Is Closed

California law used to define burglary as “entering a vehicle when the doors are locked with the intent to commit grand or petit larceny or a felony.” The law now closes the “locked doors” loophole. It used to be that if a crook smashed your window to get into your vehicle, you still had to prove that your doors were locked. With this new law, you won’t have to prove your car was locked; only that “forcible entry” occurred. Let’s hope you don’t have to use this one!

Medical Debt No Longer Damages Your Credit

Medical debt will now be excluded from consumers’ credit reports to ensure that people are “not penalized for the high costs of necessary healthcare,” according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. This would prohibit using medical debt that happens to be listed on a credit report as a negative factor against consumers. The bill is backed by attorney General Rob Bonta.

No Californian should struggle or be unable to secure housing, a loan, or employment because they needed medical care and could not afford to pay for it. Sadly, about 40 percent of Californians are affected by medical debt, according to the California Health Care Foundation. But if you’ve been involved in a crash, it’s important to get checked out. You can’t be refused treatment at any ER just because you don’t have health insurance. However, even if you can’t afford it, this new bill makes it so medical debt can no longer negatively impact your credit.

Contact Eugene Bruno & Associates for More Legal Guidance

Understanding new laws can be challenging, but there are resources available to help. Reach out to the experienced San Diego injury lawyers at Eugene Bruno & Associates for more information. We have decades of experience—in fact, over 40 years combined—with a 99.7 percent success rate. Call 1-888-BRUNO-88 (1-888-278-6688) to speak to our attorneys.