Veh. Code, § 21055 · Article 2. Effect of Traffic Laws
Veh. Code, § 21055
Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 21350), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 21650), Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 21800), Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 21950), Chapter 6 (commencing with 22100), Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 22348), Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 22450), Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500), and Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 22650) of this division, and Article 3 (commencing with Section 38305) and Article 4 (commencing with Section 38312) of Chapter 5 of Division 16.5, under all of the following conditions:
(a) If the vehicle is being driven in response to an emergency call or while engaged in rescue operations or is being used in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or is responding to, but not returning from, a fire alarm, except that fire department vehicles are exempt whether directly responding to an emergency call or operated from one place to another as rendered desirable or necessary by reason of an emergency call and operated to the scene of the emergency or operated from one fire station to another or to some other location by reason of the emergency call.
(b) If the driver of the vehicle sounds a siren as may be reasonably necessary and the vehicle displays a lighted red lamp visible from the front as a warning to other drivers and pedestrians.
A siren shall not be sounded by an authorized emergency vehicle except when required under this section.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1017.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
- Official file
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=21055.
- Text hash
- sha256 058a698dfc7197ed5db3293e712a6eb91af60924f6313ccc913fc5ed1e051c36
- Composed by
- compose_ca.py 2026-10-22: the Legislative Counsel's CAML content files read by a tokenizer (caml_readers.reader_a); an independent xml.etree reading (caml_readers.reader_b) agrees on every section
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Vehicle Code
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 2Traffic Signs, Signals, and MarkingsPrinted as Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 21350)
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 3Driving, Overtaking, and PassingPrinted as Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 21650)
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 4Right-of-WayPrinted as Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 21800)
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 5Pedestrians’ Rights and DutiesPrinted as Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 21950)
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 7Speed LawsPrinted as Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 22348) … of this division
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 8Special Stops RequiredPrinted as Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 22450) … of this division
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 9Stopping, Standing, and ParkingPrinted as Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500) … of this division
- Veh. Code, div. 11, ch. 10Removal of Parked and Abandoned VehiclesPrinted as Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 22650) of this division
- Veh. Code, div. 16.5, ch. 5, art. 3Speed LawsPrinted as Article 3 (commencing with Section 38305)
- Veh. Code, div. 16.5, ch. 5, art. 4Turning and StartingPrinted as Article 4 (commencing with Section 38312) of Chapter 5 of Division 16.5
Cited by 11 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Veh. Code, § 21055. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Vehicle Code
- Veh. Code, § 2512Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 21056Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 21462Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 21706Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 25252.5Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 25258Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 25269Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 25352Printed as Section 25258 or 21055
- Veh. Code, § 27002Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 38346Printed as Section 21055
- Veh. Code, § 38375Printed as Section 21055
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.