How to register an out-of-state car in California

Last reviewed: September 2026. Registration Leaders is a private business, not the California DMV or any government agency. This guide is general information based on DMV publications; check with the DMV if your situation is unusual.

The short answer

To register a car from another state in California, you submit an Application for Title or Registration (REG 343), the out-of-state title and registration, a VIN verification (REG 31), a California smog certification if the vehicle needs one, and the registration, transfer and use tax fees. The DMV calls these "nonresident vehicles": vehicles last registered in another state or country.

When you have to register

The DMV says registration fees for nonresident vehicles must be paid within 20 days of the date they become due. The date they become due depends on your situation, such as when you became a California resident, and the DMV explains the rules in its brochure How To: Determine Residency/When Fees Are Due on Out-of-State Vehicles (HTVR 33).

The DMV also advises submitting your application and fees on time even if you do not yet have everything (title, smog and so on), to avoid penalties. If you are not sure when your fees became due, check with the DMV.

Step by step

1. Check that the vehicle can be registered here. The DMV warns that, unless an exemption applies, California residents generally cannot register a vehicle that was not built to California emission standards if it is less than 2 years old and had less than 7,500 miles when acquired. The emission label under the hood shows which standards it meets.
2. Get a VIN verification (REG 31). It must be completed by an authorized DMV employee, a law enforcement officer, or a California licensed vehicle verifier. See our VIN verification guide.
3. Get a California smog certification, if required. The DMV lists smog for gasoline vehicles 1976 and newer (motorcycles exempt), diesel vehicles 1998 and newer under 14,001 pounds GVWR, and natural gas or propane vehicles under 14,001 pounds GVWR. The smog check must be from a California smog station.
4. Complete the REG 343. It must be signed by all registered owners shown on the out-of-state title or registration. For a leased vehicle, the lessor signs.
5. Submit the paperwork and pay the fees at the DMV or through a DMV business partner. You will receive California plates and registration, and you generally surrender the out-of-state plates.

What to bring

• Application for Title or Registration (REG 343), signed by every registered owner
• The last out-of-state title
• The last out-of-state registration card or renewal notice, or a letter from that state confirming the owner and expiration date
• A completed Verification of Vehicle (REG 31)
• A California smog certification, if required
• The out-of-state license plates (with some exceptions, such as expired plates or plates the other state requires back)
• Proof of insurance and your driver's license or ID
• Payment for registration, transfer and use tax fees

Special situations

A lender has the title

If the out-of-state title is not surrendered to the DMV, for example because a lender still holds it, the DMV says the California registration card is marked "Nontransferable" and a California title is not issued.

You bought the car from someone out of state

You also need the out-of-state title signed by the seller and any lienholder. For vehicles less than 10 model years old, the DMV lists a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment form (REG 262) for odometer disclosure.

Lost out-of-state title

A duplicate has to come from the state that issued it. California cannot replace another state's title.

Commercial vehicles and trailers

Some commercial vehicles need a Declaration of Gross Vehicle Weight (REG 4008) or a public weighmaster's certificate. Most trailers need a Statement of Facts (REG 256) with the estimated weight and a Permanent Trailer Identification application (REG 4017).

Fees

The DMV says the fees depend on many factors and an exact amount can only be calculated when the application is submitted. The DMV has a fee calculator on its website for an estimate. We do not quote DMV fees here because they vary by vehicle.

Official sources

• Official source: California DMV, How To Register a Vehicle From Out of State (HTVR 9)
• Official source: California DMV, Verification of Vehicle (REG 31)
• Official source: California DMV, Registration Fees