How to Register a Vehicle

You have 10 days to register your vehicle after purchase. To register, visit one of California’s DMV locations and bring the following materials:

• The vehicle’s title (if the title has been lost or stolen, you must fill out the Application for Duplicate or Transfer of Title). Be sure to transcribe the vehicle’s mileage onto the document (this is only necessary if the vehicle is less than 10 years old).
• Bill of sale (proof of a transfer of ownership).
• A valid form of identification.
• Proof of an active insurance policy.
• A filled-out and signed California Application for Title or Registration (Form REG 343).
• A validated smog certificate is required in certain counties, search your zip code to see if you will need to acquire one.
• Proper funds to pay the standard registration fees.

How to Register a Vessel

The State of California specifies that any motor-propelled vessel or sailboat larger than 8 feet that is to be registered on a body of water within the state or coastline must be registered. The exceptions to this rule are if the seacraft is a seaplane, sailboat with a length of fewer than 8 feet, a vessel to be used for racing purposes, a houseboat, or lifeboat, or if the boat is only to be utilized on an invariable track. In addition, if the boat is registered in another state or country, registration is not required unless you plan to utilize it for a period of longer than 120 days.

To register your boat, obtain the following documentation and present it at your nearest California DMV location:

• A completed California Application for Registration Number, Certificate of Ownership, and Certificate Number for Undocumented Vessel (Form Boat 101).
• A valid record of ownership of either a Bill of Sale, original out-of-state Title, or the bond for the vessel (if worth $2,000 or more). An official Conditional Sales Contract will also be accepted as long as it is equipped with a notation indicating payment has been made, the buyer’s full name, and any remaining lienholders to the vessel.
• Valid method to pay for all fees and taxes. This will differentiate depending on the vessel’s value and whether or not it was purchased new, used, and/or out-of-state.