Do you have questions about general drivingrelated requirements like registration and insurance? Are you unclear about laws and restrictions related to driving? The California Department of Motor Vehicles has answers at www.dmv.ca.gov.

Q: I have the Arts plates on my two cars, and the additional cost was $15 per year. However, the price is now $40. That's a big difference. Shouldn't I be "grandfathered" in for the $15 per year cost versus having to pay the additional money?

A: The fees pertaining to users of California Arts License Plate and all the other specialty plates are defined in the California Vehicle Code, and our department is governed by law to charge those specific fees.

In 2004, legislation sponsored by the California Arts Council was introduced to increase the renewal and issuance fees for the Arts plate. The increase in fees is intended to provide additional funding for arts education and local arts programming. The legislation passed and became effective Jan. 1, 2005.

In your case, the sequential renewal fee for the two sets of Arts plates you own went from $15 to $40 a year. Unfortunately, the law does not allow exemption of this increase for plates issued before this date.

Q: I have noticed photographs that appear to be taken from California DMV driver's licenses on TV news programs. Does the DMV release driver's license photos to the media or other parties? If so, under what circumstances are the photos released?

A: Thanks for your question. The department's policy is not to release DMV photographs unless the person is deceased and notification of next of kin has been verified. In those events, photos are released only to law enforcement agencies and not to the public.

Q: I was wondering what the actual law is concerning "lane splitting" with motorcycles. Is it legal, and what are the restrictions?

A: Great question.There is no law that prohibits lane splitting. However, there is a lot being done at the state and national level to improve motorcycle safety. The Strategic Highway Safety Improvement Plan (SHSIP) Motorcycle Safety Recommendations for California can be found at www.dot.ca.gov/shsp.

The recommendations include a tiered licensing structure based on bike size, requiring retraining for motorcycle licensees upon license renewal and requiring motorcycle licensees to a get professional training upon conviction of motorcycle speeding violations.

In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released uniform standards for motorcycle safety programs, which are available at www.nhtsa.gov/motorcyclels/index/cfm.

Q: I am a resident of California and bought a new Toyota diesel pickup truck in Canada. How do I go about registering it in California?

A: If the vehicle was manufactured for sale in the U.S. and specifically California, the actual registration process in California is fairly simple. If it was not made for sale in the U.S. and California, you will not be able to register it.

A California resident may not purchase a vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer unless it is equipped with California emissions. More information on this issue is available at www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/ fast_facts/ffvr29.htm.

If the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California, you will need to apply for California registration within 20 days of the vehicle's entry into this state. You will need the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin and a California certified weight certificate, and will need to have the vehicle with you at the field office when you submit your application. You can check the amount of fees due by utilizing the fee calculator at www.dmv.ca.gov.

Q: I just moved to California from Texas. How long do I have to get a California driver's license? My Texas license is good until Sept. 27, 2012.

A: You must apply for a California driver license within 10 days of establishing residency in California. We have an easytofollow step-by-step process on the DMV website.

Q: Is it legal to drive with only one working headlight? What if I use my high beams as an alternative to make sure I can see everything?

A: No. The vehicle code requires two operating head lamps, day or night, and the California Driver Handbook also states you must dim your lights to low beams within 500 feet of a vehicle coming toward you or within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following.

For additional driving rules go to www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/ pgs31thru32.htm or click on the "California Driver Handbook" link on the front page of www.dmv.ca.gov for a complete PDF version.

Readers are invited to submit their DMV-related questions to askdmv@dmv.ca.gov.