There are a variety of fees that may be required when applying for or renewing vehicle registration.
Table of Contents
Determining Fees
Registration fees are based on:
- Your vehicle type (auto, motorcycle, etc.).
- Your vehicle’s purchase price or declared value.
- Dates (for example, the date you purchased your vehicle, or the date your vehicle entered California).
- The city and/or county you live in.
- The city and/or county your business is based in.
- The unladen or declared gross vehicle weight (GVW) and the number of axles your vehicle may have.
- Any special license plates your vehicle may have.
- Whether you have any unpaid parking violations or toll evasion bail.
You will likely have to pay the following fees if your vehicle is registered for on-highway use:
- The registration fee
- California Highway Patrol (CHP) fee
- Vehicle license fee
- Transportation improvement fee
- County/district fee
DMV Fee Calculators
To help people plan for registration-related fees, DMV provides vehicle registration fee calculators.
These fee calculators can help you:
Your estimate will vary depending on the information you enter.
All fees may change depending on the law.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) Fees (CVC §§9250.8, 9250.13, 9552–9554)
| CHP | $26 |
| CHP CVRA | $44 |
| Late penalties for original: | |
| One year or less | $30 |
| More than one year up to (and including) two years | $50 |
| 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 | $30 |
| More than one year up to (and including) two years | $50 |
| More than two years | $100 |
Information Request Fees (CVC §1811)
| 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 (CVC §5036)
| Duplicate ID card (CVC §9265) | $22 |
| Original moped | $22 |
| Substitute plate | $22 |
| Transfer | $22 |
Miscellaneous Registration and Service Fees
| Alternative Fuel/Technology Registration | $3 |
| Alternative Fuel/Technology Smog | $8 |
| CTIP (CVC §9400.1) | $3 |
| Clean air vehicle sticker (original/replacement) (CVC §§5205.5, 21655.9) |
$22 |
| County (CVC §§9250.2, 9250.7, 9250.10–9850.17) | Varies by county |
| CVRA motor vehicle (CVC §9400.1) | $122 |
| CVRA weight/year stickers (original/replacement) (CVC §9400.1) | $3 |
| Dishonored check (CGC §6157) | $30 |
| Duplicate/Substitute: (CVC §9265) | |
| – Title | $22 |
| – License plates | $22 |
| – Registration card | $22 |
| – Sticker | $22 |
| Engine change (CVC §9267) | $2 |
| Historical vessel plaque (CVC §9853.5) | $20 |
| Investigation service (CVC §9263) | $15 |
| Lien sale authorization (CCC §3071) | $5 |
| Motorcycle cross index (original) (CVC §9268) | $1 |
| Motorcycle safety (original/renewal) (CVC §2935) | $2 |
| Non-resident service (original from out-of-state) (CVC §9252) | $22 |
| Non-resident reregistration (same registration year) (CVC §9252) | $22 |
| Nonrepairable vehicle certificate (original/duplicate) (CVC §11515.2) | $22 |
| Ownership responsibility citation (CVC §40002.1) | $7 |
| Partial year registration (CVC §9702) | $22 |
| Photocopy of record (CVC §§1810–1811) | $20 |
| Planned nonoperation (PNO) (all vehicles/OHV) (CVC §4604) |
$22 |
| Prejudgment attachment filing or certificate (CCCP §§488.385(b)(c)) | $22 |
| Prior history (brands certificates prior junk, salvage, taxi, etc.) (CVC §9255.1) | $2 |
| Privately owned school bus (PSD) registration/licensing education related | $22 |
| Reflectorized license plate (CVC §4850) | $1 |
| Repossession (CVC §9255) | $15 |
| Return non-resident license plates (CVC §4302) | $1 |
| Salvage certificate (original/duplicate) (CVC §§9265, 11515) | $22 |
| Smog abatement (CHSC §44060(d)(1)) | $20 |
| Smog transfer (CVC §4000.1) | $8 |
| Rush title (CVC §9270) | $15 |
| Title only (CVC §9254) | $22 |
| Transfer (CVC §9255) | $15 |
| —Penalty (CVC §9553.7) | $15 |
| Transfer on death beneficiary designation (CVC §§4150.7, 9852.7) | $10 |
| Total loss salvage/dismantled vehicle inspection (CVC §9255.2) | $50 |
| Total loss vehicle partial VLF refund service (CRTC §10902) | $22 |
| Vehicle seized/sold to satisfy DMV lien | up to $250 |
| Weight fee credit service (CVC §9408) | $2 |
| Zero emissions vehicle parking sticker (CVC §22511) | $17 |
Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Fees (CVC §§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.
| Duplicate certificate | $22 |
| Original/Renewal OHV ($52 total) | |
| Registration | $33 |
| CHP | $8 |
| Service | $7 |
| License | $4 |
| Penalties ($27 total): | |
| Registration | $17 |
| CHP | $4 |
| Service | $4 |
| License | $2 |
| Substitute plate and/or sticker | $22 |
| Repossession | $10 |
| – Penalty | $10 |
| Transfer | $22 |
| – Penalty | $22 |
Penalties (Registration, VLF, Weight)
| Late registration penalties for original: | |
| – One year or less | $30 |
| – More than one year to (and including) two years | $50 |
| – More than two years | $100 |
| Late VLF/weight penalties for original: | |
| – One year or less | 40% |
| – More than one year to (and including) two years | 80% |
| – More than two years | 160% |
| Late registration penalties for renewal: | |
| – 1 to 10 days | $10 |
| – 11 to 30 days | $15 |
| – 31 days to (and including) one year | $30 |
| – More than one year to (and including) two years | $50 |
| – More than two years | $100 |
| Late VLF/weight penalties for renewal: | |
| – 1 to 10 days | 10% |
| – 11 to 30 days | 20% |
| – 31 days to (and including) one year | 60% |
| – More than one year to (and including) two years | 80% |
| – More than two years | 160% |
Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Fees
| Original/conversion (CVC §5014) | $22 |
| Duplicate ID card (CVC §5014) | $7 |
| Duplicate title (if paper title issued) (CVC §9265) | $22 |
| Electronic lien and title (ELT) record (CVC §9254) | $22 |
| Paper title (CVC §9254) | $22 |
| Service (every five years) (CVC §5014.1) | $10 |
| Substitute plate (CVC §5014.1) | $7 |
| Transfer (CVC §5014) | $7 |
Permit Fees
| California Fuel Tax Trip Permit (BOE 123) | $30 |
| Foreign Resident In-transit Permit (CVC §6700.1, CRTC §6366.2) | $60 |
| Unladen Weight Permit (REG 4030) | $30 |
| Motorcycle Transportation Permit (REG 712) (CVC §38232) | $22 |
| Nonresident Commercial Vehicle Trip Permit (REG 41) | $45 |
| Nonresident Daily Commuter Permit (REG 150) (CVC §§6700.25, 6700.3) | $22 |
| One Trip Permit (REG 402) (CVC §9258) | $22 |
| Temporary Operating Permit | $50 |
Registration Fees (CVC §9250.1)
| Original registration/renewal | $60* |
* Includes the Alternative Fuel/Technology Fee ($3)
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 | $25 |
| $5,000-$24,999 | $50 |
| $25,000-$34,999 | $100 |
| $35,000-$59,999 | $150 |
| $60,000 and higher | $175 |
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 Indian tribes and tribal members.
- Federally recognized Indian tribes.
- Specialized transportation vehicles.
- Historical vehicles/horseless carriage.
The VLF for historical vehicles or horseless carriages is $2. (CVC §5004)
Vessel Fees (CVC §§9851, 9852.7, 9853, 9853.5, 9855, 9860–9863, CHNC §675)
*Includes fees for original or non-resident 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/Quagga | Quagga Exempt | |
| Original (except non-resident)* | ||
| – Sold in even year | $37 | $29 |
| – Sold in odd year | $65 | $49 |
| Penalty | ||
| – Sold in even year | $10 | $10 |
| – Sold in odd year | $25 | $25 |
| Non-resident* | ||
| – Sold or due in even year | $65 | $57 |
| – Sold or due in odd year | $93 | $77 |
| Penalty | ||
| – Sold or due in even year | $24 | $24 |
| – Sold or due in odd year | $39 | $39 |
| Renewal | ||
| Biennial renewal (due in odd years) | $36 | $20 |
| Penalty | $10 | $10 |
| Transfer (except between dealers) | $15 | $15 |
| Penalty | $8 | $8 |
| Duplicate (title or registration) | $15 | $15 |
| Repossession | $15 | $15 |
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 for a duplicate or replacement placard
Window decals for vehicles with a wheelchair lift or carrier are free.
