How To Register A Used Vehicle In California

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If you've recently bought (or been given) a car and alive in California, y'all must starting time register it with the state and pay all necessary fees before you can legally drive it. When moving from out of state, yous're also responsible for registering your out-of-state car in California inside twenty days of establishing residency. The registration procedure is somewhat different if yous're registering a new vehicle that you bought at a dealership than if you're transferring ownership of a used car that was already registered in California. Once registered, you're responsible for renewing your registration every yr that you own the car.^[i]

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Get together ownership documents. To annals your motorcar, y'all'll accept to bring documents that prove to the DMV that you lot own it. This generally means you'll need to bring your title, or the beak of auction if you financed the motorcar and the title is being held by the finance company.
- If you purchased your motorcar from a dealership, they typically have intendance of the registration for you. You'll get a temporary registration certificate to use until the DMV sends you lot the official registration. Inquire the dealer if they issue tags besides.
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Calculate your registration fees. The California DMV provides a fee calculator on its website that you tin can apply to figure out what the registration fees will be for your new car. If you purchase your car from a dealer, they typically volition add together the fees to your buy price.^[2]
- To utilize the computer, go to https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/feecalculatorweb/index and click on the link for "new vehicles."
- Even if you purchased your auto from a dealer, it can be worth your fourth dimension to go onto the DMV website and double-check the amount of your registration fees to make sure the dealer charged y'all the correct amount.
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Complete an awarding for title or registration. If the dealer is taking care of registration for yous, they may have you complete or sign this application earlier you take possession of the automobile. You can also download the course online.
- The application requires data well-nigh you and the seller. You likewise must provide data about the transaction, including how much you paid for the auto.
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Visit your local DMV. If your dealer didn't accept care of the initial registration of your new motorcar for y'all, you'll demand to accept a trip to a DMV field role. When you submit your awarding and fees, the DMV clerk volition register your motorcar for you.^[3]
- To find the nearest DMV field office, become to the DMV website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/fo/offices/toc_fo. The page contains an alphabetical list of towns and cities in California. Click on your city to come across a list of field office locations.
- To cut down on your wait time, the California DMV recommends that you make an appointment. You tin schedule your appointment online or by calling 1-800-777-0133.
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Submit your application and fees. A DMV clerk will review your buying documents and procedure your awarding. You should also exist prepared to bear witness the clerk your driver's license and proof of insurance.^[4]
- In one case your awarding is processed, the clerk will assess your fees. You can pay your fees with cash, a personal cheque, or a credit or debit card.
- The clerk will issue your official registration document and requite yous new tags to put on your car. If you requested a specialty or custom plate, you will exist issued temporary plates until your order is fulfilled and your plates are mailed to you.

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Gather required buying documents. You may need to register a auto that was given to you lot, or that y'all bought from some other person. You still have to exist able to bear witness that y'all are the rightful owner of the car. This typically means providing either the title to the auto or a copy of your neb of sale.^[5]
- If you have the title for the car, brand sure you and the seller have completed the odometer disclosure department. Otherwise, you'll demand to get a REG 262 Class from the DMV to submit an odometer disclosure for the car. This isn't required if the motorcar is more than than ten years onetime.
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Get a smog certification. If you purchase a car from a private owner, they are responsible for taking care of the smog certification. They must present y'all with a valid smog document if the machine is more than 4 years old, unless they renewed the registration less than 90 days before they sold yous the car.^[6]
- A smog document is only valid for 90 days, then make certain you get the car registered in your name before the certificate expires, or you lot'll have to become another one.
- You tin find nearby smog stations by visiting https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov. You lot may desire to check several, since prices aren't regulated and may vary amid stations.
- If car ownership is being transferred between family unit members, you lot may non have to get a smog certification. You must complete and submit a "Statement of Facts" asserting that the transfer is exempt. Simply transfers between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, spouses or domestic partners, or betwixt siblings are eligible for this exemption.
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Make an date at your local DMV. If yous don't want a long wait at the DMV field office when you register your auto, yous can make an appointment on the DMV'south website or by calling 1-800-777-0133.^[8]
- If you don't know where the nearest DMV field office is, you can also find it on the DMV'due south website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/particular/fo/offices/toc_fo.
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Submit a completed application and fees. The DMV has an application for title or registration that you can either download online from the DMV's website or fill up out in person at the DMV field office while y'all're waiting for your registration appointment.
- The awarding requires you to provide information about yourself, including your full legal name, accost, and driver's license number. You'll also take to provide information nigh the sales transaction itself, such every bit the amount (if any) you paid for the motorcar and the estimated value of the car.
- If you lot were given the auto by a family member, bring a statement of facts certifying the human relationship so y'all can claim your apply tax and smog exemptions. You lot can download this grade at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/forms/reg/reg256.
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Show your commuter's license and proof of insurance. Before the DMV clerk volition complete your registration, you must exist able to prove that you are a licensed commuter in California and that yous have car insurance that meets the land minimum requirements.
- California's minimum requirements are liability coverage of $15,000 for a single person's injury or death, $xxx,000 for the injury or decease of multiple people, and $5,000 for belongings impairment.

1
Check your renewal notice. You should receive a renewal notice in the mail service approximately 60 days before your automobile'due south registration expires. Even if yous don't receive a notice, y'all're withal responsible for renewing your registration.^[9]
- There is no grace period for renewal registration fees. Even though your tag simply displays a month and twelvemonth, your registration expires on a specific date. That date is listed on your renewal find. If you pay your fees late, you will exist assessed a punishment.
- If it's getting close to the calendar month shown on your tag, call 1-800-777-0133 to detect out how much your renewal fees are and the exact appointment when they're due. Bank check the DMV's tape data to make sure they have your right address.
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Get a smog certificate if required. Depending on where you live, yous may be required to go a biennial smog bank check. If you live in a county or ZIP lawmaking where these checks are required, yous'll have to go a smog document every other twelvemonth when you renew your registration.^[10]
- If your deadline for renewal is approaching and you oasis't been able to get your smog certificate even so, or you need to have repairs made to your car earlier you tin can pass the inspection, y'all tin can go ahead and pay your taxes and fees to renew your registration. You'll avoid any late penalties or additional fees, simply y'all won't go your sticker until you lot go your smog certificate.
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Gather information about your vehicle. To renew your machine's registration online, you'll need your license plate number and the last 5 digits of your vehicle identification number (VIN). Get this information together before yous outset the online renewal process.^[11]
- If you have your renewal notice, you may observe the data you lot need on the notice.
- You'll also demand to take your smog certification filed with the DMV. You typically can get the smog check staff to do this for you lot.
4
Go to the California DMV website to renew your registration online. The California DMV provides a way for you to quickly and easily renew your registration on the DMV website, so you don't have to become to a DMV field office and expect in line.^[12]
- You still take the ability to renew your registration at a field function in person if y'all desire to, but the California DMV recommends that you renew online if at all possible.
- To begin the renewal procedure, get to https://world wide web.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/item/online/vrir/vr_top2. Click on the "Start" push and follow the prompts.
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Confirm the DMV record for your machine. Once you pull up your information, you need to make sure the information about your car in the DMV tape is correct. If not, you lot'll have the opportunity to correct information technology.^[13]
- You should besides check your personal information, particularly if you never received a renewal notice. If you've recently moved, make sure the DMV has your new address.
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Receive your new stickers. If you lot renew your registration in person, the clerk at the DMV field part will give you your stickers immediately. However, if you renew online, y'all'll take to look to become your stickers in the mail.^[14]
- Because you take to expect for your stickers if you renew online, it's a good idea to become your renewal done well earlier the deadline and so you'll have your new stickers before your one-time ones expire.
- You can wait to receive your stickers inside 5 to 10 business days.

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Commodity Summary X

To annals a new automobile in California, fill out a title app with the seller if you lot're buying from a dealership, which will accept care of the registration process. Alternatively, make an appointment at your local DMV field part. Make certain to bring confirmation that you ain the auto, your driver'due south license, and proof of insurance to your appointment. Once the clerk has reviewed your documents, pay the fee for your temporary plates and wait for your permanent tags to go far in the mail. For tips on how to transfer registration to a new possessor, keep reading!

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