Vehicle Code 20002 is California’s misdemeanor hit-and-run law. It applies when your vehicle damages property and you fail to stop and identify yourself.
It is a misdemeanor carrying up to 6 months in county jail or a $1,000 fine, or both — and it is often resolvable through restitution and diversion.
What VC 20002 Requires
After your vehicle damages another person’s property, VC 20002 requires you to immediately stop at the nearest location that will not impede traffic, and then either locate and notify the owner — giving your name, address, and, on request, your driver’s license and vehicle registration — or leave a written note on the damaged property with that information and notify the police or CHP. Failing to comply with all of these requirements is a misdemeanor.
It's the Leaving, Not the Accident
The crime is the failure to stop and identify yourself — not the collision. VC 20002 can apply even where the accident itself was not your fault. That distinction matters, because a driver who did not realize any damage occurred lacks the knowledge the offense requires.
Penalties
A VC 20002 violation is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in county jail not exceeding 6 months, or a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both. Restitution for the property damage is a routine part of any resolution.
Defenses and Ways It Ends Without a Conviction
- No knowledge of the damage. If you did not know — and had no reason to know — that your vehicle caused damage, the offense is not made out.
- You did stop / did leave notice. Compliance with the statute’s requirements is a complete defense.
- You were not the driver. Identity is often the weakest part of a hit-and-run case.
- Civil compromise does not apply. Civil compromise (PC 1377/1378) is not available for hit and run under VC 20002 — in People v. Dimacali (2019) 32 Cal.App.5th 822, the court held the offense is the flight, not the property damage, so the victim is not injured by the criminal act. (A 2024 bill to change this, AB 2456, died in committee.)
- Judicial diversion (PC 1001.95) — misdemeanor hit and run is diversion-eligible; complete the court’s conditions and the case is dismissed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hit and run a misdemeanor in California?
Leaving the scene after damaging property, under VC 20002, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in county jail or a fine up to $1,000, or both. (Hit and run involving injury is charged under a different statute, VC 20001, and carries greater exposure.)
What does VC 20002 require a driver to do?
After your vehicle damages property, you must immediately stop and either locate and notify the owner with your name and address (and, on request, your license and registration), or leave a written note on the property with that information and notify the police or CHP. Failing to do all of this is the crime.
Can a hit-and-run charge be dismissed?
Sometimes, but not through civil compromise. Civil compromise (PC 1377/1378) is not available for hit and run under VC 20002. In People v. Dimacali (2019) 32 Cal.App.5th 822, the court held the offense is the flight, not the property damage, so the victim is not injured by the criminal act. Misdemeanor hit and run is, however, eligible for judicial diversion under PC 1001.95.
What if I didn't know I hit something?
Knowledge is part of the offense. If you did not know, and had no reason to know, that your vehicle caused damage, VC 20002 is not made out. The crime is the knowing failure to stop and identify yourself — not the accident itself.
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Ahmed S. Hasan
San Francisco Criminal Defense Attorney · State Bar of California #364992
Ahmed S. Hasan is the founder of ASH Legal, a solo criminal defense practice based in San Francisco. The firm runs on flat-fee representation: one lawyer, one fee, from arraignment through resolution. No hourly billing. No surprise invoices.
Ahmed is a graduate of Emory University School of Law and a member in good standing of the State Bar of California (Bar #364992). His practice focuses on San Francisco misdemeanor defense — DUI, domestic violence, petty theft and shoplifting, drug possession, vandalism, trespassing, and assault and battery — with particular attention to diversion-track outcomes that end in dismissal under PC 1001.95, PC 1001.36 (Mental Health Diversion), PC 1001.80 (Military Diversion), and PC 1001.83 (Parental Caregiver Diversion).
Ahmed previously served as a post-bar clerk with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, the city's largest indigent-defense practice. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley.
He represents clients at the San Francisco Hall of Justice (850 Bryant Street) and the Civic Center Courthouse. The ASH Legal office is at 15 Boardman Place, Suite 301, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Free 30-minute consultations are available by phone or Zoom. (510) 545-6515 · ahmed@ashlegal.com