SECTIONS 17700-17714

17700.  For the purposes of this chapter, all persons under 18 yearsof age are minors.17701.  No application for a driver's license shall be granted bythe department to any minor unless it is signed and verified by thefather and mother of such minor, if both father and mother are livingand have custody of the minor. If only one parent is living or has custody, the application shallbe signed and verified by that parent. If neither parent is living or has custody, the application shallbe signed and verified by the guardian, or if there is no guardian,by a person having custody of the minor. If the minor is a dependent or ward of the court, the applicationmay be signed by a grandparent, sibling over the age of 18 years,aunt, uncle, or foster parent with whom the minor resides. Theprobation officer or child protective services worker acting as anofficer of the court, on behalf of a child, may also sign and verifythe application of a minor who is a dependent or ward of the court,if the minor files proof of financial responsibility as provided inArticle 1 (commencing with Section 16430) of Chapter 3 of Division 7at the time of application. Prior to signing the application, theprobation officer or child protective services worker shall notifythe foster parents or other responsible party of his or her intent tosign and verify the application.17702.  If a minor under the age of 18 years is married, theapplication may be signed and verified by the adult spouse of theminor or by the parents of either spouse or in lieu of the signature,the minor may file proof of financial responsibility, as defined inSection 16430.17703.  If the person or persons required to sign and verify theapplication of a minor are not residents of this state, theapplication shall be signed and verified by a person residing withinthis state who has custody of the minor, or the department may acceptan application signed and verified by the minor and accompanied byproof of financial responsibility, as defined in Section 16430.17704.  If, at any time during the minority of the person who hasgiven proof of financial responsibility, as defined in Section 16430,the proof fails, the department shall immediately cancel the licenseuntil proof of the licensee's continued financial responsibility hasbeen given or until the minor has otherwise complied with therequirements of this code relative to the issuance of a driver'slicense.17705.  If the person who is required to sign and verify theapplication of a minor gives his or her written consent, or the minoris emancipated other than by marriage, the department may accept anapplication signed and verified only by the minor and accompanied byproof of financial responsibility, as defined in Section 16430. Theperson giving the consent to but not signing or verifying theapplication shall not be subject to the civil liability specified inSections 17707 and 17708 merely by reason of having given consent.17706.  (a) If the person who is required by the provisions of thiscode to sign and verify the application of a minor gives his writtenconsent, the department may accept an application signed and verifiedby the minor and his employer, but in such case the department shallissue to the minor only a driver's license restricted to theoperation of vehicles by the minor within the scope of his employmentby the employer, unless the employer in writing authorizes theissuance of an unrestricted driver's license. (b) The person giving his consent to, but not signing orverifying, the application as provided in this section shall not besubject to the civil liability specified in Sections 17707 and 17708merely by reason of having given such consent.17707.  Any civil liability of a minor arising out of his driving amotor vehicle upon a highway during his minority is hereby imposedupon the person who signed and verified the application of the minorfor a license and the person shall be jointly and severally liablewith the minor for any damages proximately resulting from thenegligent or wrongful act or omission of the minor in driving a motorvehicle, except that an employer signing the application shall besubject to the provisions of this section only if an unrestricteddriver's license has been issued to the minor pursuant to theemployer's written authorization. No liability may be imposed under this section or under Section17708 on the state or county, or on a probation officer or childprotective services worker acting as an officer of the court fordamages caused solely by the negligence or willful misconduct of aminor driver whose application for a driver's license was signed bythe child protective services worker or probation officer while theminor was a dependent or ward of the court.17708.  Any civil liability of a minor, whether licensed or notunder this code, arising out of his driving a motor vehicle upon ahighway with the express or implied permission of the parents or theperson or guardian having custody of the minor is hereby imposed uponthe parents, person, or guardian and the parents, person, orguardian shall be jointly and severally liable with the minor for anydamages proximately resulting from the negligent or wrongful act oromission of the minor in driving a motor vehicle.17709.  (a) No person, or group of persons collectively, shall incurliability for a minor's negligent or wrongful act or omission underSections 17707 and 17708 in any amount exceeding fifteen thousanddollars ($15,000) for injury to or death of one person as a result ofany one accident or, subject to the limit as to one person,exceeding thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for injury to or death ofall persons as a result of any one accident or exceeding fivethousand dollars ($5,000) for damage to property of others as aresult of any one accident. (b) No person is liable under Section 17707 or 17708 for damagesimposed for the sake of example and by way of punishing the minor.Nothing in this subdivision makes any person immune from liabilityfor damages imposed for the sake of example and by way of punishinghim for his own wrongful conduct.17710.  The person signing a minor's application for a license isnot liable under this chapter for a negligent or wrongful act oromission of the minor committed when the minor is acting as the agentor servant of any person.17711.  Any person who has signed and verified the application of aminor for a driver's license or any employer who has authorized theissuance of a license to a minor and who desires to be relieved fromthe joint and several liability imposed by reason of having signedand verified such application, may file a verified application withthe department requesting that the license of the minor be canceled.The department shall cancel the license, except as provided insubdivision (e) of Section 17712. Thereafter, the person shall berelieved from the liability imposed under this chapter by reason ofhaving signed and verified the original application on account of anysubsequent willful misconduct or negligent operation of a motorvehicle by the minor.17712.  (a) The department, upon receipt of satisfactory evidence ofthe death of the father and mother or the person or guardian whosigned and verified the application of any minor under Section 17701or any employer who signed and verified the application of any minorunder subdivision (a) of Section 17706, shall cancel the license,except as provided in subdivision (e). (b) The department, upon receipt of the verified application of aperson who has given written consent to the issuance of a license toa minor as prescribed in Sections 17705 and 17706, for thecancellation of such minor's license, shall cancel the license,except as provided in subdivision (e). (c) The department, upon receipt of satisfactory evidence thatthere has been a change of custody of a minor licensed under Chapter1 (commencing with Section 12500) of Division 6, and upon writtenrequest by the person to whom custody has been transferred, shallcancel the license. (d) The department, upon receipt of satisfactory evidence showingthat any minor to whom was issued a license pursuant to Section17706, has left the employ of the employer who signed and verifiedthe application for the license, shall cancel the license, except asprovided in subdivision (e). (e) The department, upon written request by the person to whomcustody of a minor has been transferred, shall transfer the liabilityimposed under this chapter to such person upon receipt of suchperson's written verified application for acceptance of liability.Upon receipt, by the department, of such application for acceptanceof liability, the person who had signed and verified the applicationof the minor for the driver's license presently held by the minorshall be relieved from the liability imposed under this chapter. Ifsuch application for acceptance of liability is on file with thedepartment prior to the receipt of a request for cancellation by theperson who had signed the application of the minor for a driver'slicense, the license issued under such application shall not becanceled so long as the license is otherwise valid. If, however, suchapplication for acceptance of liability is not on file with thedepartment prior to the receipt of a request for cancellation by theperson who had signed the application of the minor for a driver'slicense, the license issued under such application shall be canceled.17714.  In the event, in one or more actions, judgment is renderedagainst a defendant under this chapter based upon the negligent orwrongful act or omission of a minor in the operation of a vehicle,and also by reason of such act or omission rendered against suchdefendant under Article 2 (commencing with Section 17150) of Chapter1 of Division 9, then such judgment or judgments shall not becumulative but recovery shall be limited to the amount specified inSection 17709.