How to transfer personalized license plates in california

Table of Contents Show

Welcome To Our Quick & Easy Driving Information Guide
Getting your new plates
When you sell your car
Replacing your license plates
Hear about tips, offers, & more.
How do I transfer license plates from one car to another in California?
How do I keep my personalized plates in CA when selling a car?
How do I remove a personalized license plate in California?
Can you reuse old license plates in California?

Welcome To Our Quick & Easy Driving Information Guide

DriversEd.com California DMV License Plates

All cars that are driven on California roads must be properly registered and have appropriate license plates. Most vehicles are issued with two license plates to be displayed at the front and rear end of the vehicle. Exceptions to this rule are motorcycles and trailers, which only require one rear license plate. License plates are used for identification purposes and provide law enforcement a means to locate the vehicle owner through DMV records.

Getting your new plates

Standard motor vehicle license plates are issued when you buy a new vehicle, replace lost, stolen, or mutilated plates, or turn in special interest license plates. License plates identify the type of registration you have (commercial, passenger, trailer, etc.). The license plate fee is included in your registration fee and you are not required to pay any additional monies unless you wish to obtain specialized custom plates.

When you sell your car

California license plates are issued to vehicles and not individuals and they are usually transferred to the new owner if the vehicle is sold. In some cases, the owner may wish to retain his license plates. He or she will be required to visit one of the DMV offices and submit a written application for this to occur.

Replacing your license plates

If your license plates have been stolen, mutilated, damaged, or lost; it is your responsibility to obtain a replacement. You'll need to submit an Application for Replacement Plates Form (REG156) either by mail or in person at one of the DMV offices.

You must also pay a $16 replacement fee and a $1 reflectorized license plate fee (other fees may apply) when submitting your application. If you have damaged license plates or if only one license plate has been stolen, you must surrender them to DMV officials.

The DMV may also request documentation that proves ownership of the car, a police report if your license plates have been stolen, and vehicle verification completed by the California Highway Patrol if replacement plates were previously issued.

Find out more about replacing CA plates and stickers on the DMV website.

Note: This article was accurate when it was published. Please confirm all details directly with the CA DMV. You can visit the CA DMV website or call 1-800-777-0133 for general drivers license and registration information.

DriversEd.com is a privately held company and is in no way associated with the Department of Motor Vehicles, any other government agency, or the driving schools listed in this website. All external hyperlinks are provided for your information and for the benefit of the general public. DriversEd.com does not testify to, sponsor or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on externally linked pages.

Hear about tips, offers, & more.

HelloJP

MYLR. White/Black 19”. AutoSteer

I’m in the same situation. Is there a process set up already to make this transfer easier?

Yes, just take off the plates from the existing car. When you get the "real" plates for your car then transfer the plates. If there is a long period between you may want to apply to do retain the plates:

You figure things out from:

@CHB2704 @HelloJP ,

i see you cats are still active on the forum. wanted to ask you how this all went?

im getting ready to sell my 2020 model 3p to driveway to get a 2022 model 3p (used market is insane so wanted to take advantage). when i got my car in 3/2020 at the start of the shutdown, i eventually went to AAA who did this for me after i got the plates from dmv , which took months. i went into AAA because the dmv was still closed when i did get the plates and it took 15 minutes for aaa to do the swap.

a year later, when you guys did it, how was the process? did you go through aaa or the dmv? did you do it in person at the dmv or handled it via the mail?

and since this is a transfer of plates, shouldn't we get some of the license fee money back from tesla? my registration is still current. @arnolddeleon any thoughts if you care to answer?

any help from anyone else who wants to provide input is welcome also.

I went into the DMV for one in 2018 and I did the other one all by mail in 2020.

The first one was complex because I was shuffling plates. I had a RAV4-EV that had "devcar3" that I wanted to move to our Model 3 (it just made too much sense) and I had ordered new plates, appropriately devcar4 to go onto the RAV4-EV. The DMV person was able to brilliantly shuffle the plates and I surrendered the regular plates that I had received for the Model 3.

When we got our Model Y I wanted to reuse "devcar2" which was previously on our LEAF. We had removed the plates from LEAF when we gave it away so the plates were not on an active vehicle. Once I had the standard plates for the Model Y I mailed the forms and the DMV mailed me the appropriate stickers (new month and valid registration). This was in 2020 when hardly any services were open. I still have the regular plates that I would have normally surrendered.

With regard to refunds, I'm not sure. I recall that the DMV did refund me some fees. I didn't look at it too closely to figure the exact reason.

How do I transfer license plates from one car to another in California?

License Plate Assignment—the following must be submitted: A Special Interest License Plate Application (REG 17) or a Special Recognition License Plate Application (REG 17A) completed by the applicant showing reassignment of the license plates. The license plates currently assigned to the vehicle. The fees due.

How do I keep my personalized plates in CA when selling a car?

To retain the license plates, a Special Interest License Plate Application (REG 17) form completed by the license plate owner of record must be submitted with the transfer application showing they are releasing interest.

How do I remove a personalized license plate in California?

License Plates Surrendered By Someone Other than the Owner—The procedures below be must followed: The license plate owner must be mailed a 30-day Environmental Plate Notice (FO 17) and a REG 17 and must be advised that the license plates will be retained in the DMV office for 30 days then destroyed.

Can you reuse old license plates in California?

When selling your vehicle, you may remove the plates and reassign them to another vehicle immediately, retain for future use on another vehicle, or surrender them to DMV. You may be subject to annual retention fees if you do not immediately place them on another vehicle.