Page 63 – California DMV

10.045 Evidence of Financial Responsibility (VC §4000.37)

Insurance companies are required to electronically report insurance information for all private-use vehicle liability policies. Commercial insurance policies and alternative forms of financial responsibility are not reported electronically.

Renewal billing notices for customers whose insurance information is submitted electronically to DMV will not display the “Evidence of Liability Insurance” request on the front of the renewal billing notice.

Do not ask for an insurance card if the customer’s renewal billing notice does not indicate it is due. Customers without a renewal billing notice must provide evidence of insurance. For most customers that evidence would be an insurance card or binder. Out of country insurance cards are acceptable from Canada and Mexico (only if the insurer or vehicle owner’s address is in Mexico). Insurance from other countries is not acceptable. Compliance is verified with an insurance card or binder. Attach a copy of the insurance card or binder to the renewal document. An insurance card or binder must include the following information to be acceptable:

Insured name on the policy or the vehicle owner’s name.
Insurance company name.
An insurance document with a future effective date is valid; however, it is not mandatory for an insurance document to be dated. If the policy expiration date is present, it must be valid for the registration period for which the fees are paid.
A master insurance policy covering multiple vehicles, which is not vehicle–specific, may be accepted for multiple vehicle renewals submitted at the same time.

The vehicle description is not required, however if it is present, it must match the information on the registration card.

When an insurance company informs DMV that the required vehicle insurance policy or coverage is canceled, or when the insurance is not received within 30 days after the registration issuance on original or transfer applications, the registration of the vehicle will be suspended until the registered owner sends in satisfactory proof of financial responsibility.

To reinstate a suspended vehicle registration, the registered owner is required to pay a reinstatement fee. Business partners are prohibited from processing vehicle transactions that have a registration suspension. Instruct the customer to contact DMV or their insurance company.

10.040 Enhanced Renewal Report of Deposit of Fees (RDF)

Renewal notices submitted through the enhanced renewal process in DMV headquarters without the correct fees or required smog certification are returned to the owner with a computer-generated Notice of Incomplete Renewal Document (NIRD), which is similar to a renewal notice and designed to be cleared through the enhanced renewal process.

10.030 Early Renewal or Planned Nonoperation Certification (VC §4601)

Vehicle owners may renew vehicle registration or file a planned nonoperation (PNO) up to 75 days prior to the registration expiration date.

Vehicles With PNO Status—If a PNO is on file for the vehicle and the owner is paying renewal fees for the upcoming registration year, do not collect fees for the current year. Stamp “Not Valid Until (date)” on the registration card. However, if the owner will use the vehicle prior to the upcoming registration year, current year fees are due.

Mandatory Renewal—Renewal fees must be paid on any application presented within 30 days of the registration expiration date except on an application for duplicate title (VC §5902.5).

10.025 Disabled Person Parking Placard (VC §§ 295.5, 5007(c)(1), 2511.55(b)(1)(2), 22511.55 & 22511.6)

Parking placards issued to permanently-disabled persons have a fixed expiration date of June 30, every odd-numbered year.

DMV automatically issues a renewal placard to placard owners prior to the June 30 expiration date, unless the placard owner is reported as being deceased in the Bureau of Vital Statistics death records.

Refer to the Disabled Person Parking Placard section in Chapter 21 for additional information.

10.020 Defective Sticker (VC §1651)

Year Stickers—May be replaced for no fee if the customer states the sticker they received is defective. However, a substitute sticker fee is due for a sticker that is mutilated after being issued. Give the customer the benefit of any doubt.

The following must be submitted:

A completed Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156) form.

The Procedures below must be followed:

Pick up the defective sticker and submit it with the REG 156.
Issue a new sticker and registration card for no fee.

Note Advise a customer who tears the sticker in half to stick both halves in the sticker well on the license plate. Point out that a little space between the halves is better than overlapping.

Month Stickers—May be issued without charge upon verification of the expiration month shown on either the registration card or vehicle record. Accept the applicant’s verbal statement that the sticker is lost or mutilated.

10.015 Commercially-Registered Station Wagons (VC §9404)

Renewals of commercially-registered station wagons are processed the same as other renewals, except that, if requested, metal tabs may be issued to vehicles assigned special interest license plates. Refer to the Metal Tabs section in this Chapter.

A station wagon cannot be registered as a commercial vehicle unless it is used:

To transport passengers for hire, compensation, or profit. The vehicle will not be used to transport property.
In business and the vehicle is registered in the business name.
In business and the employee of a business is required to own and operate a station wagon which is registered to the employee’s name.

Refer to the Conversion from Auto to Commercial License Plates section for changes from auto to commercial plates in Chapter 13.

10.010 Changes Noted on the Renewal Notice

Vehicle owners sometimes indicate changes on the renewal notice, such as a new address, a change/deletion of the lienholder’s name, or a name correction. Address changes can be recorded when the renewal is processed. Other changes require additional documents and/or fees.

Process as follows:

If the Notice Shows a	Then
If the Notice Shows aChange of address	ThenKey the new address as shown. Collect the fees due and issue the sticker.
If the Notice Shows aChange or deletion of a legal owner	ThenDo not change the legal owner information. Process a renewal transaction and collect the fees due and issue the sticker. Instruct the customer to submit the properly released title and transfer fee. For mail items, send the owner a Receipt of Change or Correction (REG 3117) form.
If the Notice Shows aChange of name or correction to a misspelled name	ThenDo not change/correct the name. Process a renewal transaction and collect the fees due and issue the sticker. Instruct the customer to submit the title and a REG 256 with the Name Statement section completed.

10.005 Application Lost in Processing (VC §1651)

Reconstruct any renewal application that is lost after being sent to DMV with the least possible inconvenience to the customer.

The following must be submitted:

A REG 156.

The Procedures below must be followed:

Do not request evidence of liability insurance; assume it was verified on the lost renewal application.
Issue a no-fee sticker and registration card.

10.000 Allocated County of Temporary Use (VC §4004.5)

The owner of a vehicle who, for more than 30 days, resides in or uses a vehicle for business purposes in, a county other than their county of legal residence may file a Statement of Facts (REG 256) form with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
giving the name of the other county. The REG 256 may be filed with original or renewal applications. When this occurs, DMV will credit the vehicle to the county of temporary use for the period of time indicated by the owner. The credit is used
for purposes of allocation of gasoline taxes only and does not affect smog inspection requirements for the vehicle.

Note Do Not change the address shown on the renewal notice.