Section 9562 Of Article 4. Payment Of Fees From California Vehicle Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 4.
9562
. (a) When a transferee or purchaser of a vehicle applies for
transfer of registration, as provided in Section 5902, and it is
determined by the department that registration penalties accrued
prior to the purchase of the vehicle, and that the transferee or
purchaser was not cognizant of the nonpayment of the fees for
registration for the current or prior registration years, the
department may waive the registration penalties upon payment of the
fees for registration due.
(b) Other provisions of this code notwithstanding, the director
may, at his or her discretion, investigate into the circumstances of
any application for registration to ascertain if penalties had
accrued through no fault or intent of the owner. If the director
determines that the circumstances justify it, he or she may waive any
penalties upon payment of the fees for registration then due.
(c) When a transferee or purchaser of a vehicle applies for
transfer of registration of a vehicle, and it is determined by the
department that fees for registration of the vehicle for any year are
unpaid and due, that the fees became due prior to the transfer or
purchase of the vehicle by the transferee or purchaser and that the
transferee or purchaser was not cognizant of the fact that the fees
were unpaid and due, the department may waive the fees and any
penalty thereon if the license plate assigned to the vehicle displays
a validating device issued by the department and the validating
device contains the year number of the registration year for which
the transferee or purchaser is requesting a waiver of fees and
penalties.
(d) Upon the transfer of a vehicle for which fees for registration
and any penalties thereon are unpaid and due, the fees and penalties
are, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 6 (commencing with
Section 9800) of this chapter, the personal debt of the transferor of
the vehicle who did not pay the fees and penalties when they became
due or accrued. The fees and penalties may be collected by the
department in an appropriate civil action if the department has
waived the fees and penalties pursuant to subdivision (c).