California DMV Resources
Simple answers to California registration, title, insurance, and vehicle ownership questions. Need a quick answer? Visit our FAQ hub.
Registration
REG 156: California Replacement Plates, Stickers & Documents
Lost or stolen California license plates, registration sticker, or registration card? Here's what DMV's REG 156 covers, who has to sign it, and how to file for a replacement.
Read guideAll guides
Title Transfer
Lost, damaged, or missing your California vehicle title? Here's how to file DMV's REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title), who has to sign it, and what it does and doesn't fix.
Release of Liability
Sold or gave away a car in California? Here's how to file a DMV Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL), what it does and doesn't do, and what happens if you skip it.
Insurance Suspension
California suspends vehicle registration when proof of insurance lapses in the DMV's electronic system — even when real-world coverage never stopped. Here's why, and how to reinstate it.
Title Transfer
Transferring a vehicle title in California means moving the ownership record from the seller to the buyer through the DMV, and both sides have deadlines to meet. This guide walks private-party buyers and sellers through the 10-day and 5-day rules, the forms you need, smog requirements, the fees to expect, and the mistakes that get paperwork rejected.