Federal & State Regulations | Vehicle license or registration - California

All vehicles operating upon any California highway must have some form of valid California registration unless exempted by some provision of the California Vehicle Code.

Intrastate registration is available on a partial year basis of one to eleven months with vehicle weight fees reduced and charged for only the number of months the vehicle is registered.

License plate display

When two license plates are issued, they must be attached to the front and the rear of the vehicle.

When one license plate is issued, it must be attached to the rear of the vehicle, unless the license plate is issued for a truck tractor, in which case the license plate is displayed on the front of the vehicle.

Permanent fleet registration

Only motor vehicles (power units) are eligible for permanent fleet registration (PFR). Power units include all types of motor vehicles, such as automobiles, pickup trucks, limousines, truck tractors, and delivery vans.

Fleets must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the PFR program:

A single owner must register at least 50 units (motor vehicles); or
A fleet of 25 or more vehicles can participate if the fleet is qualified through a service provider who submits multiple fleets totaling 250 or more vehicles.

More details on PFR can be found by viewing California's PFR Handbook at http://tinyurl.com/CAPFRbook.

Trailer registration

Trailers in California are registered under Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI). Camp trailers are subject to this law, but trailer coaches, including fifth wheels, and park trailers are excluded. California issues a permanent trailer identification card at the time of initial registration. The PTI must be renewed every five years.

Trailers entering California must have a valid registration plate from the base jurisdiction; the power unit must have IRP registration and be qualified to operate in California.

Commercial trucks

Registered owners/lessees pay fees based on either the:

Unladen (empty) weight of the commercial vehicle if the vehicle is always operated at 10,000 pounds or less.
Gross weight of the motor vehicle or combination, and its heaviest load when operated at 10,001 pounds or more.

Trucks operated at a gross or a combined gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more, are assessed a Commercial Vehicle Registration Act (CVRA) fee in addition to other registration fees. The CVRA fee is based on a vehicle’s declared operating weight, and is in lieu of a weight fee.

Trucks operated at a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less are assessed a weight fee based on the truck’s unladen (empty) weight.

Declared operating weight

All registered owners or lessees of commercial motor vehicles operating at 10,001 pounds or more gross vehicle weight (GVW) or combined gross vehicle weight (CGVW) registered with the California DMV are required to declare the gross/combined gross weight at which their vehicle(s) will operate. Pickup trucks with no body type modifications and an unladen weight under 8,001 pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 11,499 pounds and under are excluded.

When towing a trailer or other vehicle, (e.g., tow truck pulling automobile), it is important to declare the total gross operating weight of the combination of vehicles.

Declared gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the total unladen gross weight of the vehicle plus the heaviest load that will be transported on the vehicle.

Declared combined gross vehicle weight (CGW) is the total gross unladen weight of the combination of vehicles (motor truck and towed vehicle) plus the heaviest load that will be transported by that combination.

Commercial vehicle weight decals

Vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more are required to display a set of two weight decals, issued for a small fee. The weight decals reflect the top of the weight range (in thousands from 10,001 to 80,000 pounds) of the declared gross weight or gross combined operating weight reported to the department. New weight decals are required for a weight increase. Decals must be displayed on the outside of the driver’s door panel and on the outside of the passenger’s door panel (vehicles with sliding doors display immediately in front of or behind each door). Both decals must be visible from 50 feet. New decals are issued annually.

International registration plan

California is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP). The IRP is a base state system for vehicle registration fees allowing a carrier to apply for vehicle registration and pay fees to a single jurisdiction. The California registration year for IRP is staggered. Renewal fees for California IRP registration must be paid by midnight on the last day of the expiration month shown on the registration cab card or penalties are charged on the California fees.

California requires a USDOT number and TIN for each vehicle being registered or renewed.

Temporary permit: New IRP fleet vehicles, or vehicles being added to an existing fleet, may be issued a temporary permit valid for 30 days only in the case of an emergency or a department system problem.

Hunter’s permit: Fees apply.

Replacement credits

Cab cards must show the weight at the top of the range (if the carrier declares 76,000 pounds, the cab card should show 80,000 pounds). If the carrier pays fees under the unladen weight schedule, the cab card should show 10,000 pounds or qualified.

Fee calculations for vehicle weight increase/Decrease applications

California’s CVRA/unladen weight fee structure requires the applicant to declare their highest California operating weight. Customers will have the ability to increase or decrease their originally qualified California operating weight anytime after the initial registration of the vehicle. CVRA or unladen weight changes may result in the assessment of California fees. Refund credits are not allowed for weight decreases.

Agency: Department of Motor Vehicles; see Regulatory Agencies for address(es).

Fees

Registration fees apply to:

Pick ups or vehicles operating at an unladen weight of 10,000 pounds or less, and
Vehicles operating at a declared gross/combined gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more.

Total California Registration Fee = Sum of the Unladen Weight fee + Registration Fee + Vehicle License Fee.

Apportioned Registration Fee = Total California Fee x Mileage percent

Wreckers are required to declare the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Rate fees based on the fee schedule applicable to the GVWR.

Vehicle license fee

VLF and Rounding Rules are applicable to both Unladen Weight of 10,000 pounds and less and Declared Gross/Combined Gross Weight of 10,001 pounds or more.

To determine the purchase price, round the purchase price to the nearest odd hundred dollars. If the digit in the hundredth column is even, round up; if odd, round down. Example: $27,400 rounds to $27,500; $27,365 round to $27,300. Using the VLF Depreciation Schedule, locate the purchase year and the equivalent factor. Multiply the purchase price by the equivalent factor. Determine the VLF for a 12-month period. For periods less than 12 months, multiply the VLF by the number of registration months and divide by 12. Round the VLF as specified by the rounding rules.

Rounding fees for VLF, registration fees, and apportioned registration fees

Any fee in the amount of $0.01 to $0.99 round up to $1.00.
Any fee more than $1.00 with cents totaling from $0.01 to $0.49 round down to the nearest whole dollar.
Any fee more than $1.00 with cents totaling from $0.50 to $0.99 round up to the nearest whole dollar.

Trailers: California issues a permanent trailer plate, renewable every five years.

Rules for collection of fees

All fees must be submitted before a Temporary Registration Authorization is issued.

['Registration and Permits - Motor Carrier']

['Vehicle Registration Permits', 'Registration']

...

Vehicle license or registration - California