Is it legal to operate a vehicle with lapsed registration tags? According to California law
What drivers should and shouldn’t do to stay out of trouble with the law is outlined in the California Vehicle Code. To assist readers in navigating life in the Golden State, Sacramento resident Phil Kalstrom sent the following question to our journalists for How To California, a new community-driven series: What is the law regarding expired tags for motor vehicles?
“Has the Highway Patrol relaxed its enforcement policies?” In an email to The Sacramento Bee, Kalstrom wrote.
The law states as follows:
CAN I DRIVE IN CALIFORNIA USING AN EXPIRED CAR REGISTRATION?
According to California Vehicle Code 4000, a vehicle cannot be driven, moved, or parked on a public roadway or in a parking lot without a registration and all associated fees paid.
According to Vehicle Code 360, a “highway” is any publicly maintained road that is accessible to the general public for driving.
According to the code, “street includes highway.”
IF YOU DRIVE WITH AN EXPIRED CAR REGISTRATION, WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES?
There is no grace period for annual car registration costs offered by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
As stated on the DMV website, “Make sure to pay your renewal fees on or before the expiration date shown on your current registration card, or the DMV will impose penalties.”
The month and year are the sole information displayed on your car’s license plates, but the DMV advised you to “check the registration card for the actual expiration date.”
Approximately sixty days before to the expiration of your vehicle’s registration, a billing notification will be sent by the DMV.
The DMV stated, “The longer you delay payment, the greater the penalty amount will be.” “Penalty fees are imposed on top of any other amounts owed.”
Depending on how far past due the payment is, drivers with expired vehicle registrations may be assessed a late fee of $10 to $100 by the California Highway Patrol and the DMV.
A California Vehicle Code 4000 violation may result in legal action, according to Shouse California Law Group.
A $280 fine is possible, without counting further fees or court expenses.
The law firm stated on its website that “these tickets are usually correctable ‘fix-it tickets,'” meaning that “if you properly register your car after a ticket is issued, you will be excused of an offense.”
According to Assembly Bill 256, infractions pertaining to vehicle registration will no longer be the exclusive cause of enforcement action until the second month following expiration, starting of July 1, the CHP announced.
This law will go into effect on January 1, 2030.
The CHP stated in a news release that enforcement action for a vehicle registration violation may be performed before the second month after the month of expiration if a vehicle is stopped for any other vehicle code violation.
CAN I HAVE MY CAR TOWED AFTER MY TAGS EXPIRED?
According to Shouse California Law Group, if your parked car isn’t properly registered, the police can’t tow it or impounded it unless they make an effort to get in touch with you and let you know that it’s not registered in California.
