Proof of insurance is the evidence of financial responsibility a California driver shows when a peace officer asks for it, usually the insurance ID card from the carrier, on paper or on a phone.
Vehicle Code §16028 requires a driver to show evidence of financial responsibility when cited for most violations or when an officer is called to an accident, and it allows that evidence on a mobile device. The officer may view only the proof, not other content on the phone, and may not stop a car only to check insurance. A driver cited for not showing it can bring written proof to the court that coverage was in force on that date, and the citation is dismissed. Section 16020 lists the accepted forms.
Keep the current card
An expired card does not prove current coverage. Read just bought a car. Spanish: comprobante de aseguranza. Index: glossary.
Sources, checked October 7, 2026: Vehicle Code §16028 and §16020.