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Chapter 3: Collection and Payment of Fees and Penalties
3.040 Determination of Penalty Due Dates
Use the Table of Penalty Dates, Appendix 1D, to determine if registration or transfer penalties are due.
When determining if a transfer penalty is due, the date of transfer is considered to be the day the transferee receives the properly endorsed California Certificate of Title from the previous owner.
For dealer transactions, the transfer date is the date the purchaser took possession of the vehicle from the dealer.
When computing any penalty period, always use the same formula reflected in Appendix 1D and do not count the first day.
The penalty-free period is extended to include the next business day when the last penalty-free day is a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday.
Dealer violations for timely submission of applications may also be determined by Appendix 1D. Locate the date of sale in Column 1 and for:
New Vehicles—Column 4 (20 days) and Column 6 (40 days).
Used Vehicles—Column 5 (30 days) and Column 7 (50 days).
When the title for a vehicle is held by DMV on the actual date of sale, the 20-day period starts the date the California Certificate of Title is issued by DMV.