Vehicle registration exemptions - California

An off-highway motor vehicle

An off-highway motor vehicle that displays an identification plate or device issued by the department pursuant to Section 38010 may be driven, moved, or left standing in an off-street public parking facility without being registered or paying registration fees.

Vehicle towed by a tow truck

A vehicle towed by a tow truck on the order of a sheriff, marshal, or other official acting pursuant to a court order or a peace officer acting pursuant to this code.

Vehicle obtained by licensed repossessor

A vehicle obtained by a licensed repossessor as a release of collateral is exempt from registration for purposes of the repossessor removing the vehicle to their storage facility or the facility of the legal owner. A law enforcement agency, impounding authority, tow yard, storage facility, or any other person in possession of the collateral must release the vehicle without requiring current registration.

Vehicles owned by the state of California and its agencies and political subdivisions that act as “private carriers.”

These vehicles are exempt from the required “private carrier” registration under Cal Veh Code 34683 Required registration.

A “private carrier” is defined as a not-for-hire motor carrier who transports passengers and is required to obtain a carrier identification number, including an organization that provides transportation services incidental to the operation of a youth camp that is either a nonprofit organization that qualifies for tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or an organization that operates an organized camp, as defined in Section 18897 of the Health and Safety Code, serving youth 18 years of age or younger.

Vehicles exempt under permit

When moved or operated under a permit issued by the department, registration is not required of:

• A vehicle not previously registered while being moved or operated from a dealer’s, distributor’s, or manufacturer’s place of business to a place where essential parts of the vehicle are to be altered or supplied.
• A vehicle while being moved from a place of storage to another place of storage.
• A vehicle being moved to or from a garage or repair shop for repairs or alteration.
• A vehicle while being moved or operated to dismantle or wreck the same and permanently remove it from the highways.
• A vehicle, while being moved from one place to another for inspection by the department, assignment of a vehicle identification number, inspection of pollution control devices, or weighing the vehicle.
• A vehicle, the construction of which has not been completed, until such time as the construction is completed and final weights and costs can be determined for registration purposes.

Vehicle owned by former prisoner of war, disabled veteran, etc.

Except for fees for duplicate license plates, duplicate certificates, or duplicate cards, registration fees need not be paid for a vehicle that is of a type subject to registration, and that is not used for transportation for hire, compensation, or profit, when owned by any of the following:

• A disabled veteran.
• A former American prisoner of war.
• The surviving spouse of a former American prisoner of war who has elected to retain the special license plates issued under Section 5101.5.
• A Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
• The surviving spouse of a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who has elected to retain the special license plates issued under Section 5101.6.

The exemption granted must not extend to more than one vehicle owned by a former American prisoner of war, a disabled veteran, or a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, or a surviving spouse.

Vehicle owned by nonresident while gainful employment or residency sought

Except for a vehicle operated by a nonresident daily commuter, the owner of any vehicle of a type otherwise subject to registration, other than a commercial vehicle registered in a foreign jurisdiction, may operate the vehicle in California until gainful employment is accepted in this state or until residency is established, whichever occurs first, if the vehicle displays valid license plates and has a valid registration issued to the owner, and the owner was a resident of that foreign state at the time of issuance.

A nonresident owner of a vehicle, otherwise exempt from registration pursuant to this section or Section 6700.2 (nonresident daily commuter) may operate or permit operation of the vehicle in California without registering the vehicle in California if the vehicle is registered in the place of residence of the owner and displays valid license plates issued by that place. This exemption does not apply if the nonresident owner rents, leases, lends, or otherwise furnishes the vehicle to a California resident for regular use on the highways of California, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 4000.4.

Any resident who operates upon a highway of California a vehicle owned by a nonresident who furnished the vehicle to the resident operator for his or her regular use within California, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 4000.4, must register the vehicle in California within 20 days after its first operation within California by the resident.

Cal Veh Code 4000.4(b) states that a vehicle is deemed to be primarily or regularly used on the highways of California if the vehicle is located or operated in California for a greater amount of time than it is located or operated in any other individual state during the registration period in question.

Repossessed vehicle

A vehicle repossessed pursuant to the terms of a security agreement is exempt from registration solely for the purpose of transporting the vehicle from the point of repossession to the storage facilities of the repossessor, and from the storage facilities to the legal owner or a licensed motor vehicle auction, provided that the repossessor transports with the vehicle the appropriate documents authorizing the repossession and makes them available to a law enforcement officer on request.

Golf carts (low-speed vehicles)

Golf carts (defined as “low-speed vehicles”) operated on highways adjacent to golf courses pursuant to Section 21115 (golf carts allowed on local highways) or 21115.1 (creation of golf cart crossing zones) are exempt from registration.

Implements of husbandry

Implements of husbandry which are only incidentally operated or moved over a highway and implements of husbandry listed in Cal Veh Code 36005 or 36015 are exempt from registration.

An implement of husbandry includes, but is not limited to:

• A lift carrier or other vehicle designed and used exclusively for the lifting and carrying of implements of husbandry or tools used exclusively for the production or harvesting of agricultural products, when operated or moved upon a highway.
• A trailer of the tip-bed type when used exclusively in the transportation of other implements of husbandry or tools used exclusively for the production or harvesting of agricultural products.
• A trailer or semitrailer having no bed and designed and used solely for transporting a hay loader or swather.
• A spray or fertilizer applicator rig used exclusively for spraying or fertilizing in agricultural operations. This subdivision does not apply to anhydrous ammonia fertilizer applicator rigs which have a transportation capacity of over 500 gallons.
• A trailer or semitrailer that has a maximum transportation capacity greater than 500 gallons, but not more than 1,000 gallons, used exclusively for the transportation and application of anhydrous ammonia, if the vehicle is either equipped with operating brakes or is towed upon a highway by a motortruck that is assigned a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of ¾ ton or more. These vehicles are subject to Section 24603 if the stop lamps of the towing vehicle are not clearly visible. A combination of these vehicles is limited to two vehicles in tandem.
• A nurse rig or equipment auxiliary to the use of and designed or modified for the fueling, repairing, or loading of an applicator rig or an airplane used for the dusting, spraying, fertilizing, or seeding of crops.
• A row duster.
• A wagon or van used exclusively for carrying products of farming from one part of a farm to another part thereof, or from one farm to another farm, and used solely for agricultural purposes, including any van used in harvesting alfalfa or cotton, which is only incidentally operated or moved on a highway as a trailer.
• A wagon or portable house on wheels used solely by shepherds as a permanent residence in connection with sheep raising operations and moved from one part of a ranch to another part thereof or from one ranch to another ranch, which is only incidentally operated or moved on a highway as a trailer.
• Notwithstanding subdivision (f) of Section 36101, a trap wagon, as defined in Section 36016, moved from one part of a ranch to another part of the same ranch or from one ranch to another, which is only operated or moved on a highway incidental to agricultural operations. The fuel tank or tanks of the trap wagon shall not exceed 1,000 gallons total capacity.
• Any vehicle that operated upon a highway only for the purpose of transporting agricultural products and is in no event operated along a highway for a total distance greater than one mile from the point of origin of the trip.
• A portable honey-extracting trailer or semitrailer.
• A fertilizer nurse tank or trailer that is not self-propelled and moved unladen on the highway and auxiliary to a spray or fertilizer applicator rig.
• Any cotton trailer when used on the highways for the exclusive purpose of transporting cotton from a farm to a cotton gin, and returning the empty trailer to such farm, except that Section 5014 shall apply to such trailers.
• A truck tractor or truck tractor and semitrailer combination which is owned by a farmer and operated on the highways, (1) only incidental to a farming operation, (2) not for compensation, and (3) for not more than two miles (on the highway) each way. This subdivision applies only to truck tractors with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds that are equipped with all-wheel drive and off-highway traction tires on all wheels, and only to semitrailers used in combination with such a truck tractor and exclusively in production or harvesting of tomatoes. The vehicles specified in this subdivision must not operate over 25 miles per hour on the highways.
• An all-terrain or utility-terrain vehicle used exclusively in agricultural operations.

Under Cal Veh Code 36015, an “implement of husbandry” includes any farm tractor used upon a highway to draw a farm trailer carrying farm produce, or to draw any trailer or semitrailer carrying other implements of husbandry, between farms, or from a farm to a processing or handling point and returning with or without the trailer.

Farm trailers

“Farm trailers,” as defined in Section 36010, having a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less, are exempt from registration except that Section 5014 (application for special equipment plates) will apply to such trailers.

A “farm trailer” is either:

• A trailer or semitrailer owned and operated by a farmer in agricultural operations and used exclusively to transport agricultural products on the highway to the point of first handling and return.
• A trailer or semitrailer equipped with rollers on the bed, with a frame not taller than 10 inches high, and with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, that is owned, rented, or leased by a farmer and operated by that farmer in the conduct of agricultural operations, used exclusively to transport fruit and vegetables upon the highway to the point of first handling and return, and that was manufactured and in use prior to January 1, 1997. These vehicles may also be operated on the highways without a load to deliver a rented or leased vehicle to the renting or leasing farmer’s farm or return empty to the owner’s premises.

Vehicle operated by nonresident daily commuter

A nonresident daily commuter may operate a motor vehicle on the highways of California only if:

• The motor vehicle is a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle of less than 8,001 pounds unladen weight with not more than two axles of the type commonly referred to as a pickup truck.
• The motor vehicle is used regularly to transport passengers on the highways of California principally between, and to and from, the place of residence in a contiguous state and the place of employment in California by the owner of the motor vehicle and for no other business purpose.
• The motor vehicle is not used during a business within California, including the transportation of property other than incidental personal property between, and to or from, the place of residence in a contiguous state and the place of employment of the motor vehicle owner in California.
• Nothing in paragraphs (2) and (3) prohibits a nonresident daily commuter operating a motor vehicle that displays currently valid external vehicle identification indicia and who possess a corresponding identification card issued pursuant to Section 6700.25 from using that vehicle for other lawful purposes.

This exception to registration of a motor vehicle does not supersede any other exception to registration under other conditions provided by law. This exception does not apply to a resident of a foreign country.

Special C\Construction and mobile equipment

Special construction equipment and special mobile equipment are exempt from registration.

Nonresident members or the Armed Forces

Any nonresident owner of a vehicle registered in a foreign state who is a member or spouse of a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty within this state, and any resident owner of a vehicle registered in a foreign state who is a member or spouse of a member of the armed forces of the United States returning from active duty in a foreign state, may operate the vehicle in California without securing California registration if:

• The license plates displayed on the vehicle are valid plates issued by a foreign jurisdiction.
• The vehicle registration and license plates are issued to the military person or spouse of the military person.
• The vehicle registration and license plates were issued by the foreign jurisdiction where the military person was last regularly assigned and stationed for duty by military orders or a jurisdiction claimed by the nonresident military person as the permanent state of residence.
• If the owner or driver has in force one of the forms of financial responsibility specified in Section 16021.

The military orders do not include military orders for leave, for temporary duty, or for any other assignment of any nature requiring the military person’s presence outside the foreign jurisdiction where the owner was regularly assigned and stationed for duty. This exemption does not apply to commercial vehicles used in any business manner by which the military person or spouse receives compensation.

Forklifts

Any forklift truck which is designed primarily for loading and unloading and for stacking materials and is operated upon a highway only for the purpose of transporting products or material across a highway in the loading, unloading or stacking process, and is in no event operated along a highway for a greater distance than one-quarter mile is exempt from registration.

Foreign commercial vehicle (temporary 90-day registration or 4-day trip permit).

Commercial motor vehicles meeting the registration requirements of a foreign jurisdiction, and subject to registration but not entitled to exemption from registration or licensing under any of the provisions of the California Vehicle Code or any agreements, arrangements, or declarations made under Article 3 (commencing with Section 8000) of Chapter 4, may, as an alternate to registration, secure a temporary registration to operate in California for a period of not to exceed 90 days, or a trip permit to operate for a period of four consecutive days.

The trip permit or temporary registration does not apply to a vehicle based in California and operated by a person with an established place of business in California. A commercial motor vehicle will be considered to be based in California if it is primarily operated or dispatched from or principally garaged or serviced or maintained at a site with an address within this state.

Any trailer or semitrailer identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 5014.1 that enters the state without a currently valid license plate issued by California or another jurisdiction will be immediately subject to full identification fees as specified in subdivision (e) of Section 5014.1.

Vehicles owned by nonresidents discharged from armed forces

Any person entering California following discharge from the armed forces of the United States is exempted from registration of passenger vehicles, trailer coaches, and utility trailers only, as provided for and under the conditions prescribed in Section 6700.

Except as provided in Section 6700.2 (nonresident daily commuter) the owner of any vehicle of a type otherwise subject to registration, other than a commercial vehicle registered in a foreign jurisdiction, may operate the vehicle in California until gainful employment is accepted or until residency is established, whichever occurs first, if the vehicle displays valid license plates and has a valid registration issued to the owner, and the owner was a resident of that state at the time of issuance. Application to register the vehicle must be made within 20 days after gainful employment is accepted or residency is established.

A nonresident owner of a vehicle, otherwise exempt from registration pursuant to this section 6700 or Section 6700.2, may operate or permit operation of the vehicle in California without registering the vehicle if the vehicle is registered in the place of residence of the owner and displays valid license plates issued by that place. This exemption does not apply if the nonresident owner rents, leases, lends, or otherwise furnishes the vehicle to a California resident for regular use on the highways of this state, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 4000.4.

Any resident who operates upon a California highway a vehicle owned by a nonresident who furnished the vehicle to the resident operator for his or her regular use within California, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 4000.4, must registered the vehicle in California within 20 days after its first operation within California by the resident.

Vehicle crossing highway from one property to another

A vehicle driven or moved on a highway only to cross the highway from one property to another in accordance with a permit issued by the Department of Transportation is exempt from registration.

Trailer coach

The registration provisions do not apply to:

• Any trailer coach which is driven or moved upon a highway in any of the following circumstances:
  • In conformance with the rules relating to dealers, manufacturers, transporters, or nonresidents.
  • Under a temporary permit issued as authorized by Section 4156.
  • Under a one–trip permit as authorized by Section 4003 when such permit is issued to a nonresident.
• Any unoccupied trailer coach which is part of an inventory of trailer coaches held for sale by a manufacturer or dealer.

Foreign commercial vehicles (reciprocity)

The nonresident owner of a foreign vehicle will be granted such privileges and freedom from registration and payment of fees imposed by this code, or Part 5 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, commencing at Section 10701, as the foreign jurisdiction in which the foreign commercial vehicle is registered or licensed grants to like vehicles registered under California vehicle code or as provided in agreements, arrangements, or declarations made under Article 3, commencing at Section 8000.

Airport refueling vehicles

Any vehicle that is designed or altered for, and used exclusively for, the refueling of aircraft at a public airport is exempt from registration, if the vehicle is operated upon a highway under the control of a local authority for a continuous distance not exceeding one–half mile each way to and from a bulk fuel storage facility.

Hauled vehicles

A vehicle transported upon a highway, no part of which is in contact with the highway, is exempt from registration.

Cemetery equipment

Any vehicle, implement, or equipment specifically designed or altered for and used exclusively in the maintenance or operation of cemetery grounds, which is only incidentally operated or moved on a highway is exempt from registration.

Portable dolly

Any portable or collapsible dolly carried in a tow truck or in a truck used by an automobile dismantler and used upon a highway exclusively for towing disabled vehicles is exempt from registration.

Firefighting vehicle

Any privately owned vehicle designed or capable of being used for firefighting purposes when operated upon a highway only in responding to, and returning from, emergency fire calls is exempt from registration.

Logging vehicle

Any logging vehicle is exempt from registration.

Citations

• Cal Veh Code 4000 Registration required; exceptions
• Cal Veh Code 34686 Exemption
• Cal Veh Code 34683 Required registration
• Cal Veh Code 34681 “Private carrier”
• Cal Veh Code 4002 Vehicles exempt under permit
• Cal Veh Code 9105 Exemption for vehicle owned by former prisoner of war, disabled veteran, etc. (repealed effective January 1, 2027)
• Cal Veh Code 6700 Exemption while nonresident finds gainful employment or establishes residency
• Cal Veh Code 6700.2 Operation of a motor vehicle by a nonresident daily commuter: Conditions
• Cal Veh Code 4000.4 Mandatory registration of vehicles in California
• Cal Veh Code 4022 Exemption of vehicle repossessed under security agreement
• Cal Veh Code 4023 Low-speed vehicle exemption
• Cal Veh Code 4019 Golf Carts
• Cal Veh Code 36100 Exempt implements
• Cal Veh Code 36101 Exempt form vehicles
• Cal Veh Code 36005 Implements enumerated
• Cal Veh Code 36015 Farm tractor as implement
• Cal Veh Code 36109 Registration exemption for farm trailers
• Cal Veh Code 36010 “Farm trailer”
• Cal Veh Code 5014 Application for special equipment plates
• Cal Veh Code 4010 Special construction and mobile equipment
• Cal Veh Code 565 “Special construction equipment”
• Cal Veh Code 575 “Special mobile equipment”
• Cal Veh Code 6701 Members of armed forces
• Cal Veh Code 4013 Forklift trucks
• Cal Veh Code 4004 Foreign commercial vehicle; Temporary operation
• Cal Veh Code 6703 Persons discharged from armed forces
• Cal Veh Code 6700 Exemption while nonresident finds gainful employment or establishes residency; Mandatory registration of vehicle furnished to resident
• Cal Veh Code 4006 Vehicle crossing highway from one property to another
• Cal Veh Code 5353 Application of article
• Cal Veh Code 6852 Reciprocity
• Cal Veh Code 8001 Reciprocity to foreign commercial vehicles
• Cal Veh Code 4021 Airport refueling vehicles
• Cal Veh Code 4009 Hauled vehicles
• Cal Veh Code 4012 Cemetery equipment
• Cal Veh Code 4014 Portable dolly
• Cal Veh Code 4015 Firefighting vehicle
• Cal Veh Code 4018 Logging vehicle