There are a variety of fees that may be required when applying for or renewing vehicle registration.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) Fees (VC §§9250.8, 9250.13, 9552–9554)

Fee type	Fee Amount
CHP	$32
CHP CVRA	$54
Late penalties for original:
One year or less	$32
More than one year up to (and including) two years	$54
More than two years	$100
Late penalties for renewal:
1 to 10 days	$10
11 to 30 days	$15
31 days up to (and including) one year	$32
More than one year up to (and including) two years	$54
More than two years	$100

Information Request Fees (VC §1811)

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Electronic requests by license, ID, or CF number	$2
Manual requests (walk-in, mail-in, telephone inquiries)	$5
History fee (per year):
– Automated	$5
– Non-automated	$20
– Photocopy	$20

Moped Fees (VC §5036)

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Replacement ID card (VC §9265)	$27
Original moped	$27
Replacement plate	$27
Transfer	$27

Miscellaneous Registration and Service Fees

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Alternative Fuel/Technology Registration	$3
Alternative Fuel/Technology Smog	$8
CTIP (VC §9400.1)	$3
Clean air vehicle sticker (original/replacement) (VC  §§5205.5, 21655.9)	$27
County (VC §§9250.2, 9250.7, 9250.10–9850.17)	Varies by county
CVRA motor vehicle (VC §9400.1)	$122
CVRA weight/year stickers (original/replacement) (VC §9400.1)	$3
Dishonored check (GC §6157)	$30
Replacement: (VC §9265)
– Title	$27
– License plates	$27
– Registration card	$27
– Sticker	$27
Engine change (VC §9267)	$2
Historical vessel plaque (VC §9853.5)	$20
Investigation service (VC §9263)	$15
Lien sale authorization (CC §3071)	$5
Motorcycle cross index (original) (VC §9268)	$1
Motorcycle safety (original/renewal) (VC §2935)	$2
Non-resident service (original from out-of-state) (VC §9252)	$27
Non-resident reregistration (same registration year) (VC §9252)	$27
Nonrepairable vehicle certificate (original/replacement) (VC §11515.2)	$27
Ownership responsibility citation (VC §40002.1)	$7
Partial year registration (VC §9702)	$27
Photocopy of record (VC §§1810–1811)	$20
Planned nonoperation (PNO)  (all vehicles/OHV) (VC §4604)	$27
Prejudgment attachment filing or certificate (CCP §§488.385(b)(c))	$27
Prior history (brands certificates prior junk, salvage, taxi, etc.) (VC §9255.1)	$2
Privately owned school bus (PSD) registration/licensing education related	$27
Reflectorized license plate (VC §4850)	$1
Repossession (VC §9255)	$15
Return non-resident license plates (VC §4302)	$1
Salvage certificate (original/replacement) (VC §§9265, 11515)	$27
Smog abatement (HSC §44060(d)(1))	$20
Smog transfer (VC §4000.1)	$8
Rush title (VC §9270)	$15
Title only (VC §9254)	$27
Transfer (VC §9255)	$15
—Penalty (VC §9553.7)	$15
Transfer on death beneficiary designation (VC §§4150.7, 9852.7)	$10
Total loss salvage/dismantled vehicle inspection (VC §9255.2)	$50
Total loss vehicle partial VLF refund service (RTC §10902)	$27
Vehicle seized/sold to satisfy DMV lien	up to $250
Weight fee credit service (VC §9408)	$2
Zero emissions vehicle parking sticker (VC §22511)	$17

Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Fees (VC §§38225-38225.5, 38230, 38246, 38250, 38255, 38260, 38265)

These fees are due every two years to fund the California Department of Parks and Recreation Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, OHV Trust Fund, and DMV administrative costs.

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Replacement certificate	$27
Original/Renewal OHV ($54 total)
Registration	$33
CHP	$10
Service	$7
License	$4
Penalties ($27 total):
Registration	$17
CHP	$4
Service	$4
License	$2
Replacement plate and/or sticker	$27
Repossession	$10
– Penalty	$10
Transfer	$27
– Penalty	$27

Penalties

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not offer a grace period for paying your annual vehicle registration fees. Be sure to pay your renewal fees on or before the expiration date shown on your current registration card, or DMV will charge penalties. Even though your license plates display only the month and year, your registration expires on a specific day. Be sure to check the registration card for the actual expiration date.

If you do not receive a billing notice approximately 60 days before your vehicle’s registration expires, please call us at 1-800-777-0133 to find out what your fees are.

The longer you delay payment, the greater the penalty amount will be. Penalty fees are assessed in addition to any other fees due.

Penalties for Vehicles Registered in California

Penalties are determined by adding a percentage of the vehicle license fee, plus a registration late fee, plus a California Highway Patrol (CHP) late fee.

If payment is late:	Percentage of vehicle license fee and weight fee	Registration late fee	CHP late fee
1 – 10 days*	– 10% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 10% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).	$10.00	$10.00
11 – 30 days*	– 20% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 20% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).	$15.00	$15.00
31 days – one year*	– 60% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 60% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).	$30.00	$30.00
More than one year – two years	– 80% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 80% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).	$50.00	$50.00
More than two years	– 160% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 160% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).	$100.00	$100.00

* A Planned Nonoperation (PNO) may be filed up to 90 days after the registration expiration date if the vehicle was not operated in any manner, but applicable late penalties are due.

Penalties for New Vehicles or Vehicles Never Registered in California

Here are the penalties for new vehicles or vehicles that have never been registered in California.

If payment is late:	Penalty
One year or less	– 40% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 40% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).
More than one year – two years	– 80% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 80% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).
More than two years	– 160% of the vehicle license fee due for that year. – 160% of the weight fee due for that year (if any).

Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Fees

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Original/conversion (VC §5014)	$20
Replacement ID card (VC §5014)	$7
Replacement title (if paper title issued) (VC §9265)	$27
Electronic lien and title (ELT) record (VC §9254)	$27
Paper title (VC §9254)	$27
Service (every five years) (CVC §5014.1)	$10
Replacement plate (VC §5014.1)	$7
Transfer (VC §5014)	$7

Permit Fees

Fee Type	Fee Amount
California Fuel Tax Trip Permit (BOE 123)	$30
Foreign Resident In-transit Permit (VC §6700.1, CRTC §6366.2)	$60
Unladen Weight Permit (REG 4030)	$30
Motorcycle Transportation Permit (REG 712) (VC §38232)	$27
Nonresident Commercial Vehicle Trip Permit (REG 41)	$45
Nonresident Daily Commuter Permit (REG 150) (VC §§6700.25, 6700.3)	$27
One Trip Permit (REG 402) (VC §9258)	$27
Temporary Operating Permit	$50

Registration Fees (VC §9250.1)

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Original registration/renewal	$74*

* Includes the Alternative Fuel/Technology Fee ($3)

Road Improvement Fee (RIF) (VC §9250.6)

The RIF is assessed on all model year 2020 and later zero emission vehicles (ZEV). RIF fees affect vehicle registration renewals unless exempted.
RIF is not assessed on the initial registration of a newly purchased ZEV from a licensed vehicle dealer.

Fee Type	Fee Amount
Original registration/renewal	$118

Transportation Improvement Fee (TIF)

TIF fees are used to repair roads, bridges, etc. and provide road maintenance. TIF fees affect original vehicle registration (VR), transfers, and renewals.

Vehicle Value	VR Fee Increase
0-$4,999	$32
$5,000-$24,999	$65
$25,000-$34,999	$129
$35,000-$59,999	$194
$60,000 and higher	$227

Vehicle License Fee (VLF) – 0.65% of purchase price/value of vehicle

For most vehicles, you will need to pay a vehicle license fee instead of the fee being included in your property tax. You can deduct this fee from your income tax. Vehicle license fees are based on the purchase price or value of your vehicle and the fees go to fund cities/counties. 

Vehicle license fees decrease for your vehicle’s first 11 renewal years, or until the vehicle is transferred (whichever happens first).

The following groups do not have to pay a vehicle license fee:

• Disabled veterans with a 100% service-related disability rating.
• Non-resident military personnel stationed in California (and their non-resident spouses).
• California Native American tribes and tribal members.
• Federally-recognized Native American tribes.
• Specialized transportation vehicles.
• Historical vehicles/horseless carriage.

The VLF for historical vehicles or horseless carriages is $2. (VC §5004)

Vessel Fees (VC §§9851, 9852.7, 9853, 9853.5, 9855, 9860–9863, HNC §675)

*Includes fees for original vessel, renewal, alternative fuel/technology, and Quagga Mussels, if applicable.

The following are exempt from the Quagga Mussel fee:

• Vessels used only in marine waters.
• Annual exempt youth group (type license [TL] V6).
• Annual exempt government (TL V7).
• CF numbers issued to dealers (TL V3).
• CF numbers issued to manufacturers (TL V4).

	Vessel
Original
– Sold in even year	$29
– Sold in odd year	$49
Penalty
– Sold in even year	$10
– Sold in odd year	$25
Renewal
Biennial renewal (due in odd years)	$20
Penalty	$10
Transfer (except between dealers)	$15
Penalty	$8
Replacement (title or registration)	$15
Repossession	$15

The Quagga Fee is collected separately from registration fees.  Quagga stickers can be purchased online.

Special License Plate Fees

You can purchase special interest license plates to use on your California registered vehicles. You might have to pay a yearly renewal fee on special interest plates, which you can pay when you renew your registration.

Special license plate fees help fund environmental and special programs.

Disabled Person/Veteran (DP/DV) Placard Fees

DP Parking Placards

• Permanent DP Parking Placards: Free
• Temporary: $6

Temporary placards are issued to permanent placard owners for free.

DV Parking Placards

• DV parking placards: Free
• Replacement: $20

Window decals for vehicles with a wheelchair lift or carrier are free.