A DUI in California actually sits on two different records, and they have very different timelines. On your DMV driving record, a DUI stays for 10 years. On your criminal record, it stays essentially forever unless you take action to clean it up.
The 10-year mark on your driving record is the one people usually mean. That's the "priorability" window. If you pick up another DUI within those 10 years, the new one counts as a second or third offense, with the harsher penalties that come with it. After 10 years, the old DUI generally no longer counts as a prior for enhancing a new charge, though the record itself may still be visible.
Your criminal record is different. A DUI conviction there doesn't just disappear after 10 years. It can show up on background checks run by employers, landlords, and licensing boards indefinitely.
That's where an expungement comes in. If you complete probation successfully, California often allows you to petition to have the conviction dismissed. It won't erase the DUI from your DMV record or stop it from counting as a prior, but it can change how a conviction appears to most employers, which matters a lot for your job prospects.
So the short version: 10 years on the DMV side for priors, indefinite on the criminal side unless you clean it up.
See can a DUI be expunged in California and what is the DUI washout period for the details.
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This is general information, not legal advice.