When an out of state vehicle is registered for the first time in California, it requires a VIN Verification performed by the DMV, CHP or a licensed vehicle verifier. The DMV form REG 31 is supplied and completed by the verifier as the vehicle inspection is conducted. Once completed, the REG 31 is submitted with the Application for Title or Registration.
The REG 31 requires that the verifier inspect and document various aspects of the vehicle. The verifier will locate and examine the VIN and verify that it matches the ownership document provided (if available). The verifier will also need to examine the U.S. Federal Certification label to verify the vehicle meets all U.S. Federal motor vehicle safety standards and that the VIN on the label matches the VIN of the vehicle. An inspection of the Emission label is also required to establish if the vehicle meets California standards.
The State of California began establishing more stringent emission standards in the 1960’s to combat air pollution. California leads the nation in having the highest emission standards, exceeding even those established by the Federal government, and several states have chosen to adopt California’s motor vehicle emission regulations as their own.
Some vehicle manufacturers produce vehicles that are not compliant with California’s emission standards. These vehicles meet Federal standards, but fall short of California’s more stringent requirements. They are referred to as 49-state vehicles. If the vehicle was manufactured to be sold in California and to comply with CA emission standards, it is referred to as California certified or a 50-state vehicle.
Out of state residents can register their 49-state vehicle in California provided they can prove it was registered in their home state.
Residents of California who have purchased a 49-state vehicle may run into a problem if the vehicle has less than 7,500 miles. The California DMV considers any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles to be “new”. A 49-state vehicle with less than 7,500 miles cannot be registered in California unless it qualifies for exemption:
The Exemptions:
- Obtained as part of a divorce, inheritance, or legal separation settlement.
- Purchased to replace your California-registered vehicle that was stolen while you were using the vehicle out-of-state.
- Purchased to replace your California-registered vehicle that was destroyed or made inoperative beyond reasonable repair while you were using the vehicle out of state.
- An emergency vehicle, pursuant to California Vehicle Code § §27156.2 and 27156.3.
- Registered by you in the state of your last active military service outside California.
- A street motorcycle or motor-driven cycle year model 2005 and older, with an engine less than 50 cubic centimeters (cc) displacement. Beginning January 1, 2006, street motorcycles and motor-driven cycles year model 2006 and newer, with engines less than 50 cc displacement, require an emission label certifying them to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission regulations, and may be registered regardless of mileage
If the 49-state vehicle has in excess of 7,500 miles, the vehicle is considered used and can be registered without issue.
California residents would be well-served to verify if the out of state vehicle they wish to purchase with less than 7,500 miles is CA compliant or if it is a 49-state vehicle that they won’t be able to register once the sale is complete.
Totally Notary is a third-party DMV registration service and licensed Vehicle Verifier. VIN Verifications can be performed 7 days a week at the Totally Notary office or by mobile service for an additional fee.
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So if I buy a 49 state vehicle (Oregon plates)with over 100 k miles, then I can register it in calif? Is there an extra dmv cost to do so?
The vehicle will need to pass a smog certification once in California and will also need a VIN verification performed by the DMV, CHP or a licensed Vehicle Verifier.
The DMV will collect use tax if the vehicle was purchased within a year of entering CA and will calculate registration fees based on approximate value.
As long as the vehicle passes smog, its 49 state status will not pose a problem for you to register it.
What about a 49 state ohv registration? Less than 7500 miles and does not have a title. Only a certificate of origin and bill of sale?
The 49 state rule applies to out of state cars, trucks and motorcycles. It does not apply to OHVs.
Would the VIN verify whether the vehicle is California compliant? Or is it just the emissions sticker?
Unfortunately the VIN does not identify whether the vehicle was manufactured to U.S EPA standards or both U.S and CA EPA standards. Only the emissions label will clearly state it. That being said, as long as the vehicle has 7500 miles, CA considers it to be used and therefore eligible for registration, provided it passes a smog certification.
Does the registered vehicle owner need to be present for the VIN verification? Or could someone else handle that for them? Thanks!
Under normal circumstances, ownership does not need to be proven when getting a vehicle verification. The Reg31 has a box for the verifier to check if no supporting ownership documents are present. That being said, I have heard of DMV verifiers turning folks away if they don’t have proof of ownership. You’ll be less likely to run into a problem if you seek the services of an independent vehicle verifier.
I was a CA resident all my life, but then I moved to OR 2 years ago. When I moved to OR, I turned in my CA license and got an OR driver’s license. In the past month I have purchased a new 49-state motorcycle in OR. I found out that I am moving back to CA for a new job.
Would I qualify as a “new” resident to CA being that I am coming back to the state? Also can I take the new 49-state bike with me? It has less than 7,500 miles but it is registered under my name in OR.
Thanks!
Per DMV.ca.gov: If you are moving to CA from another state, you may register a new 49-state vehicle if it was first registered by you in your home state, or for military personnel, in the last state of your military service. When applying for vehicle registration in California, you must provide evidence that the vehicle was registered.
Provided you can show proof of previous registration in Oregon, you should be able to register it in CA when you move back.
i found a 2019 BMW 1250cc with 3,000 miles on odometer in Phoenix AZ registered and titled in AZ with california 50 state emissions sticker on it.
After CA DMV does a VIN inspection will they issue me a CA plate, registration and title (later in the mail)?
Thanks in advance
If the motorcycle has a BMW 2019 emissions label that says it is US EPA and CA EPA compliant, the DMV will allow you to register it. You will receive your new plate, tag and registration card at that time and the title by mail approximately 14 days later.
I am a new resident in CA and moved here with a 49-state vehicle that was previously registered under my name in a different state. I was told at the DMV in CA that they will not honor the exception for new CA residents. Even though the vehicle was registered in my name in a different state when I moved to CA, the DMV here will not allow me to register it in CA.
Per the DMV Fact Sheet, Fast Facts 29 Buying a Vehicle From Out of State – Can You Register It in CA?
“Does This Apply to Someone Moving to California?
If you are moving to California from another state, you may register a new 49-state vehicle if it was first registered by you in your home state, or for military personnel, in the last state of your military service. When applying for vehicle registration in California, you must provide evidence that the vehicle was registered” (in the other state).
As long as you can provide proof of registration in the other state (a registration card in your name) you should be able to register the vehicle. If you are advised by the clerk that it is not an exception, get a second opinion. Ask for the supervisor or go to another branch. DMV clerks are not infallible and often have different levels of knowledge.
My daughter is moving to ca this week. I am gifting her a vehicle. Signing over the title. So it has never been registered in her name. It’s a 49 state vehicle. It’s a 2010 with 100000 miles. Will she be able to register it there. Providing it passes smog test?
Yes, if it has 100,000 miles it will be considered a used vehicle and will be eligible for registration as long as it passes the smog. As a family transfer, use tax will be waived. I would recommend that you prepare and sign a Reg256, Statement of Facts, that you are gifting the vehicle to your daughter and what it’s value is. CA will not tax the gift, but will use the value to determine annual registration fees.
Hello I am looking to purchase an out of state motorcycle that has less than 7,500 miles. On the vin it states “this vehicle conforms to all federal vehicle safety standards…” Nothing about California. Would I be able to register it here in CA?
The label you are describing is the U.S. Federal Certification label. The emission label is in addition to that. The wording will state VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION and “This vehicle conforms to the US EPA and CALIFORNIA regulations applicable to the XXXX MODEL YEAR.”
If it only says US EPA, and California or CA is not present, it is a 49 state vehicle and cannot be registered in CA unless it is owned and was previously registered out of state by someone moving into CA.
The emission label should be located near the Federal Certification label, but can be under the tank or seat.
If out of states bike is under 7500miles and 50-states but just lost stickers, how can I resister the bike In CA? For example, if I got proof e-mail from maker such as this EG#, Frame# is 50-states, can I register in CA with e-mail proof?
If your bike does not have its stickers, an email will not be accepted as proof. You can order a replacement Emission label from the manufacturer. If the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Certification label is missing, the verification will need to be performed by the CHP. The FMVSS label is a secondary site for verifying the VIN. If it is missing, a referral to the CHP is required.
I’m a California resident who inherited a 2011 Mazda Miata MX-5 from my mother. The car is registered in Hawaii and is a 49 state vehicle. It has 16,000 miles on the odometer.
If I was to ship it to California I would change the title in Hawaii and put it into my name.
Could I then ship it and register it in my name when it arrives in California? Would it have to be smogged and pass in California to finalize the registration?
If that is all true, what would be the best way to lower and registration taxes both initial and ongoing?
If your mother passed away and you are her heir, you can register the vehicle in California using the Hawaii title. Assuming her estate is not going through Probate, you would be able to register it in CA and it would be exempt from use tax as it qualifies for a family transfer. The vehicle will need a smog certification and a VIN verification once in CA. There would be no reason to title it in Hawaii.
Information on Vehicle Transfer Without Probate can be found here.
I’m Canadian and will be driving my Ontario registered car to California where I will be living going forward. It is a used 2011 model with over 100K miles, and the emissions control info states ‘Not for sale in states with California emissions.’ Would I be able to 1) meet all emissions criteria to export the vehicle to the US, and 2) register it in California once there?
It sounds as if your vehicle is a Direct Import. Direct imports are vehicles which have been imported and originally manufactured for use in other countries.
To register a Direct Import vehicle in California is a challenge due to our strict emission standards. First you would need to prove it has cleared customs by providing stamped and endorsed customs forms. Then you will need evidence that it meets U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). If it was manufactured in Canada, you might need a letter from the manufacturer confirming that the vehicle meets FMVSS and U.S. emissions standards.
More information of the process of registering a Direct Import can be found here.
I’m in CA and just bought a AZ state registered 2015 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle with 6000 miles from a private individual who recently moved from AZ to CA. Obviously I couldn’t register with CA DMV when I tried to register. I have an adult son in AZ. If I transfer the bike to AZ and have my son drive till the odometer reading reaches 75,000 miles and bring the bike back to CA, can I then register in CA?
This situation would have been simple had the AZ owner registered the bike when he moved to CA. One of the few exemptions to the 7500 mile rule is the vehicle may be registered with less than 7500 miles if the out of state owner can demonstrate it was previously registered in another state before coming to CA.
If you transfer it to your son living out of state and he puts another 1500 miles on it, you should be able to register it after he has transferring it back to you. You will need to get another VIN verification to document the updated mileage.
Hi, I’m looking to buy a 1969 chevy from Illinois. I just found out about the vehicle emissions sticker requirement on the dmv form for vin verification. If the car does not have the emissions sticker is it possible to get a replacement or can it pass the vin verification without said sticker?
There are circumstances where the emission sticker is missing. Sometimes the hood has been replaced or it has been painted over. Provided the mileage is over 7500, it should not prevent the vehicle from being registered. The verifier should mark “None” in the Emission field and if there is an explanation, they should report it in the Remarks box.
Ok thank you for for the help
Hello, I am looking to purchase a motorcycle from Nevada with less than 7.500 miles on it. How can I verify if it is California legal?
The only way to verify is the emission label. On a motorcycle, it is usually wrapped around the front fork, next to the federal manufacture certification sticker. It should say that the vehicle conforms to the US EPA and CA regulations applicable to that specific model year. If the seller removed it, you might be able to research it with the manufacturer and order a replacement.
I am purchasing a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD from Tennessee with a service body on it for my plumbing business. It is a commercial vehicle with 26,000 miles on it. Sounds like I shouldn’t have an issue with registration as long as it passes smog. Is this correct?
As long as the vehicle has more than 7,500 miles and passes a smog certification, you should be able to register it.
Is the only way to determine if a vehicle is CA emissions or Federal emissions by looking at the EFN sticker or will the vin tell me too?
Unfortunately the emission status is only verified through the manufacturer emission label. The VIN does not identify if the vehicle was manufactured to US EPA standards or both US EPA and CA EPA.
Hello. We have a 4 company vehicles that are CA Registered but are stationed in Nashville, TN and it is being requested that we get a CA Vin Verification as the inspections we had done in 2018 have expired. Would we be able to have a CA DMV Approved person/entity do a CA VIN Verification in Tennessee if one can be found or traveled out, or do the vehicles have to physically be in CA for the VIN Verification to be legal and useable. Thanks!
I would consult the DMV directly. Their number is (800) 777-0133.