Article 2. Original Registration of California Vehicle Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 2.

Application for the original or renewal registration of a vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code shall be made by the owner to the department upon the appropriate form furnished by it and shall contain all of the following:
  (a) The true, full name, business or residence and mailing address, and driver's license or identification card number, if any, of the owner, and the true, full name and business or residence or mailing address of the legal owner, if any.
  (b) The name of the county in which the owner resides.
  (c) A description of the vehicle, including the following data insofar as they may exist:
  (1) The make, model, and type of body.
  (2) The vehicle identification number or any other identifying number as may be required by the department.
  (3) The date first sold by a manufacturer, remanufacturer, or dealer to a consumer.
  (d) Any other information that is reasonably required by the department to enable it to determine whether the vehicle is lawfully entitled to registration.

(a) On a form provided by the department, the registered owner of record, lessee, or the owner's designee shall certify and report the declared gross or combined gross vehicle weight of any commercial motor vehicle, singly or in combination, in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  (b) A single form may be used or referenced for multiple vehicles.

Application for the original registration or renewal of the registration of a motorcycle shall be made by the owner to the department upon the appropriate form furnished by it, and shall contain all of the following:
  (a) The true, full name, business or residence and mailing address, and driver's license or identification card number, if any, of the owner, and the true, full name and business or residence or mailing address of the legal owner, if any.
  (b) The name of the county in which the owner resides.
  (c) A description of the motorcycle, including the following data insofar as they may exist:
  (1) The make and type of body.
  (2) The motor and vehicle identification numbers recorded exactly as they appear on the engine and frame, respectively, by the manufacturer, and any other identifying number of the motorcycle as may be required by the department.
  (3) The date first sold by a manufacturer, remanufacturer, or dealer to a consumer.
  (d) Any other information that is reasonably required by the department to enable it to determine whether the vehicle is lawfully entitled to registration.
  (e) The department shall maintain a cross-index file of motor and vehicle identification numbers registered with it.

Ownership of title to a vehicle subject to registration may be held by two (or more) coowners as provided in Section 682 of the Civil Code, except that:
  (a) A vehicle may be registered in the names of two (or more) persons as coowners in the alternative by the use of the word "or." A vehicle so registered in the alternative shall be deemed to be held in joint tenancy. Each coowner shall be deemed to have granted to the other coowners the absolute right to dispose of the title and interest in the vehicle. Upon the death of a coowner the interest of the decedent shall pass to the survivor as though title or interest in the vehicle was held in joint tenancy unless a contrary intention is set forth in writing upon the application for registration.
  (b) A vehicle may be registered in the names of two (or more) persons as coowners in the alternative by the use of the word "or" and if declared in writing upon the application for registration by the applicants to be community property, or tenancy in common, shall grant to each coowner the absolute power to transfer the title or interest of the other coowners only during the lifetime of such coowners.
  (c) A vehicle may be registered in the names of two (or more) persons as coowners in the conjunctive by the use of the word "and" and shall thereafter require the signature of each coowner or his personal representative to transfer title to the vehicle, except where title to the vehicle is set forth in joint tenancy, the signature of each coowner or his personal representative shall be required only during the lifetime of the coowners, and upon death of a coowner title shall pass to the surviving coowner.
  (d) The department may adopt suitable abbreviations to appear upon the certificate of registration and certificate of ownership to designate the manner in which title to the vehicle is held if set forth by the coowners upon the application for registration.

(a) Ownership of title to a vehicle subject to registration may be held in beneficiary form that includes a direction to transfer ownership of the vehicle to a designated beneficiary on the death of the owner if both of the following requirements are satisfied:
  (1) Only one owner is designated.
  (2) Only one TOD beneficiary is designated.
  (b) A certificate of ownership issued in beneficiary form shall include, after the name of the owner, the words "transfer on death to" or the abbreviation "TOD" followed by the name of the beneficiary.
  (c) During the lifetime of the owner, the signature or consent of the beneficiary is not required for any transaction relating to the vehicle for which a certificate of ownership in beneficiary form has been issued.
  (d) The fee for registering ownership of a vehicle in a beneficiary form is ten dollars ($10).

The department shall not accept an application for the original registration of a vehicle in this State unless the vehicle at the time of application is within this State unless the provisions of Section 4152 are complied with.

(a) The department may accept an application for registration of a vehicle which is not within this state, but which is to be registered to a resident of this state, at the time all documents and fees, as determined by the department in accordance with the provisions of this division, are submitted to the department.
  (b) Any fees submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be subject to refund based upon the fact that the vehicle has not been and is not within this state.

Except as provided for in subdivision (c) of Section 9553, when California registration is required of a vehicle last registered in a foreign jurisdiction, an application for registration shall be made to the department within 20 days following the date registration became due. The application shall be deemed an original application.

If the vehicle to be registered is a specially constructed or remanufactured vehicle, the application shall also state that fact and contain additional information as may reasonably be required by the department to enable it properly to register the vehicle.

The department may not issue or renew the registration of a farm labor vehicle unless the owner of the vehicle provides verification to the department that the inspection required by Section 31401 has been performed. For these purposes, the department shall determine what constitutes appropriate verification.

Registration under this code shall apply to any vehicle owned by the United States government, the state, or any city, county, or political subdivision of the state, except in the following particulars:
  (a) A license plate issued for a vehicle while publicly owned need not display the year number for which it is issued, but shall display a distinguishing symbol or letter.
  (b) The registration of the vehicle and the registration card issued therefor shall not be renewed annually but shall remain valid until the certificate of ownership is suspended, revoked, or canceled by the department or upon a transfer of any interest shown in the certificate of ownership. If ownership of the vehicle is transferred to any person, the vehicle shall be reregistered as a privately owned vehicle and the special license plates shall be surrendered to the department.
  (c) An identification plate used for special construction, cemetery, or special mobile equipment need not display a distinguishing symbol or letter.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, and except as provided in subdivision (b), the department in its discretion may issue a temporary permit to operate a vehicle when a payment of fees has been accepted in an amount to be determined by, and paid to the department, by the owner or other person in lawful possession of the vehicle. The permit shall be subject to the terms and conditions, and shall be valid for the period of time, that the department shall deem appropriate under the circumstances.
  (b) (1) The department shall not issue a temporary permit pursuant to subdivision (a) to operate a vehicle for which a certificate of compliance is required pursuant to Section 4000.3, and for which that certificate of compliance has not been issued, unless the department is presented with sufficient evidence, as determined by the department, that the vehicle has failed its most recent smog check inspection.
  (2) Not more than one temporary permit may be issued pursuant to this subdivision to a vehicle owner in a two-year period.
  (3) A temporary permit issued pursuant to paragraph (1) is valid for either 60 days after the expiration of the registration of the vehicle or 60 days after the date that vehicle is removed from nonoperation, whichever is applicable at the time that the temporary permit is issued.
  (4) A temporary permit issued pursuant to paragraph (1) is subject to Section 9257.5.

In the absence of the regularly required supporting evidence of ownership upon application for registration or transfer of a vehicle, the department may accept an undertaking or bond which shall be conditioned to protect the department and all officers and employees thereof and any subsequent purchaser of the vehicle, any person acquiring a lien or security interest thereon, or the successor in interest of such purchaser or person against any loss or damage on account of any defect in or undisclosed claim upon the right, title, and interest of the applicant or other person in and to the vehicle.

In the event the vehicle is no longer registered in this state and the currently valid certificate of ownership is surrendered to the department, the bond or undertaking shall be returned and surrendered at the end of three years or prior thereto.

Whenever any person after making application for the registration of a vehicle required to be registered under this code, or after obtaining registration either as owner or legal owner, moves or acquires a new address different from the address shown in the application or upon the certificate of ownership or registration card, such person shall, within 10 days thereafter, notify the department of his old and new address.

Any registered owner of a vehicle who moves or acquires a new address different from the address shown upon the registration card issued for the vehicle shall within 10 days mark out the former address shown on the face of the card and with pen and ink write or type the new address on the face of the card immediately below the former address with the initials of the registered owner.

(a) Whenever a motor vehicle engine or motor is installed, except temporarily, in a motor vehicle which is identified on the ownership and registration certificates by motor or engine number or by both the motor and frame numbers and subject to registration under this code, the owner of the motor vehicle shall, within 10 days thereafter, give notice to the department upon a form furnished by it containing a description of the motor vehicle engine or motor installed, including any identifying number thereon and the date of the installation. The owner of the motor vehicle shall also submit to the department with the notice the certificate of ownership and registration card covering the motor vehicle in which the motor vehicle engine or motor is installed and evidence of ownership covering the new or used motor vehicle engine or motor installed and such other documents as may be required by the department.
  (b) Upon receipt of motor vehicle engine or motor change notification and other required documents, the department shall assign a distinguishing vehicle identification number to motor vehicles, other than motorcycles or motor-driven cycles registered under a motor number or motor and frame numbers. When the distinguishing vehicle identification number is placed on the vehicle as authorized, the vehicle shall thereafter be identified by the distinguishing identification number assigned.
  (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other provision of law, whenever an application is made to the department to register a replacement engine case for any motorcycle, the department shall request the Department of the California Highway Patrol to inspect the motorcycle to determine its proper identity. If the replacement engine case bears the same identifying numbers as the engine case being replaced, the original engine case shall be destroyed. A determination verifying proof of destruction shall be made by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.

The owner of three or more motor vehicles is not required to notify the department or to pay the fee required under Section 9257 when motor vehicle engines or motors owned by him are installed in or transferred between the motor vehicles owned by him until the motor vehicle is sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of by him.

The department may assign a distinguishing vehicle identification number to a motor vehicle whenever the motor or other identifying number thereon is removed, destroyed or obliterated, and any motor vehicle to which a distinguishing vehicle identification number is assigned as authorized herein shall be registered under the number so assigned when registration of the motor vehicle is required under this code.