General Information
If you want to sell cars for a living in California you need to obtain a vehicle dealer license from DMV’s Occupational Licensing Division unless you meet one of the exceptions listed in California Vehicle Code § 286. The majority of prospective applicants contact DMV to get some preliminary information about the application process and licensing requirements. Those calls get routed to DMV Inspector Offices who are responsible for processing applications. Though some preliminary information is shared, they will direct you to take the required 6 hour pre-licensing course to get a comprehensive overview of the application process.
Education Providers
By now you’re probably familiar with the DMV Dealer Education Provider List. But you’re probably asking yourself who are these people? Education providers are private companies, not DMV employees.
DMV does not provide education providers with handbooks, manuals or other course materials to be used in class. Every provider is responsible for creating their own curricula. DMV ultimately decides whether to approve it or not. There are several dealer pre-licensing programs out there. You should ascertain how long the company has been in business and specifically who will teach the course before you sign up.
Why Dealer Intel?
Dealer Intel was approved as a DMV dealer education provider in 2007. The founder of the company is the sole course instructor. He obtained his California dealer license when he was 18 years old. Shortly thereafter, he became a DMV approved dealer education provider to get a better grasp of the legal framework surrounding the dealer industry. He quickly realized dealers and consumers were both ill informed on the laws governing the auto industry. He eventually enrolled in law school and currently runs a legal practice primarily focused on the auto industry representing both consumers and dealers alike. Unlike most providers, this course is taught from a legal perspective to assist you in limiting your litigation exposure.
Fee & Schedule
The course fee is $500 per person.
There is no set schedule because we only offer private courses.
Please list your preferred course date on the registration form.
Course Location
Due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, DMV permits education providers to administer the course via live video web conferencing. For safety concerns we will follow this method of instruction. In person courses are not available until further notice.