Direct links to the current California DMV forms we process at our Oakdale office. Download, fill out at home, and bring them in, or just come in and we'll fill them out with you at the counter.
Every form below links directly to the official California DMV PDF on dmv.ca.gov. These are the current versions maintained by the state. If you're unsure which form fits your situation, or you just want it filled out correctly the first time, walk into our Oakdale office at and we'll complete the paperwork with you. Most transactions take under 15 minutes.
Browse the full California DMV forms library at dmv.ca.gov/portal/forms, or call us at and we'll point you to the right one.
Used when you need to register a vehicle in California for the first time, including out-of-state vehicles being brought into California and vehicles being re-registered after being off the books for a long period. This is the master registration form that feeds most of the other paperwork in a registration transaction.
Use this if: You moved to California from another state, you bought a vehicle that was never California-registered, or you're reactivating a vehicle that's been off record. See our registration renewal page for what to expect at the visit.
File this form to tell the DMV a vehicle will not be driven on public roads. Lets you keep the registration on record without paying full renewal fees while the vehicle sits, useful for project cars, inherited vehicles, or seasonal use vehicles. You reactivate registration later when you're ready to put the vehicle back on the road.
Use this if: You own a vehicle that isn't being driven and you want to avoid late registration penalties while it's off the road.
The workhorse form for replacing anything that's been lost, stolen, or damaged: registration stickers, registration cards, license plates (front or rear), disabled person placards, and more. One form covers most replacement scenarios.
Use this if: Your registration card, year sticker, or license plates are lost, stolen, or damaged. See our replacement stickers page for what to bring.
Required for commercial vehicles and trucks that carry freight. Declares the combined weight of the vehicle plus its typical load, which determines the weight-fee component of annual registration. Important for small business owners with work trucks, delivery vehicles, or utility trucks.
The workhorse title form. Used to apply for a duplicate (replacement) California title when the original is lost, stolen, mutilated, or was never received. Also used to transfer ownership in cases where the original pink slip can't be produced, the duplicate application and the transfer happen on the same form.
Use this if: You need a duplicate pink slip, OR you're buying a vehicle from a seller who has lost the title. See our title transfer page for the full workflow.
When you sell or give away a vehicle, you must tell the DMV within 5 days of the transfer. Filing this form removes your liability for any parking tickets, toll violations, or civil matters the new owner may create after the sale. If you skip this step, those things stay linked to your name.
Use this if: You just sold or gave away a vehicle. File the REG 138 immediately, California recommends within 5 days, and you can do it online at dmv.ca.gov, by mail, or at our office.
Download REG 138 PDF File Online
A flexible catch-all form used to document unusual circumstances, declare use-tax exemptions (including family transfers between parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner, or qualifying siblings), explain discrepancies in other paperwork, or record facts not captured on other forms. Many title transfers require a REG 256 to explain something, a missing signature, a corrected VIN, a qualified-relative gift, or a use-tax basis that isn't obvious.
Use this if: Any title transfer involving a family member, any transaction where something unusual happened (vehicle given as a gift, vehicle with repair history, payment terms that differ from the bill of sale), or any situation where the DMV asks for written clarification.
A controlled form used when a vehicle is transferred between dealers or reassigned before final retail sale. Required for certain dealer-chain transactions and some estate or business-entity transfers. This form is not freely downloadable, it must be obtained in person from the DMV or from an authorized source like our office.
Use this if: You're a dealer reassigning a vehicle, or the DMV has specifically requested a REG 262 for your transaction. We can provide blank copies at the counter.
Used to transfer a vehicle out of a deceased person's name without going through formal probate court, when the total estate (not counting real estate) is under the California small-estate threshold (currently $184,500). Saves months of waiting compared to probate, but has specific eligibility rules.
Use this if: A family member died and you need to transfer their vehicle, and the overall estate is small enough to qualify for simplified transfer. The transfer must happen at least 40 days after death.
Used when a loan on a vehicle has been paid off and the lienholder needs to release its interest in the title. Works alongside the main title or a REG 227 duplicate application to remove the bank or finance company from the title record.
Use this if: You paid off a car loan and want the lienholder removed from the title so you hold clear ownership.
Required for any vehicle being registered in California for the first time from out of state, certain reconstructed vehicles, and some situations where the DMV requests additional verification. Confirms that the Vehicle Identification Number physically stamped on the vehicle matches the VIN on the paperwork.
Use this if: You're bringing a vehicle to California from another state. We perform REG 31 verifications on-site at our Oakdale office, no separate trip to CHP required. See our VIN verification page for full details.
The foundational form for registering an undocumented vessel in California, motorboats, personal watercraft, sailboats over 8 feet. Issues the CF number and both registration stickers you display on the hull.
Used to claim an exemption from biennial vessel fees in specific situations, for example, vessels used exclusively by certain government programs, vessels registered in another state but kept temporarily in California, or undocumented vessels that qualify under specific code sections.
Off-highway vehicles, dirt bikes, ATVs, side-by-sides, and other machines not used on public roads, use a separate registration system with green or red stickers. Renewals run on a biennial cycle similar to boats.
See the California DMV's main page on OHV registration for specifics.
Used to apply for a new disabled person placard (hanging tag) or disabled-plate assignment, or to replace a lost or damaged placard. Requires a licensed medical professional to certify the qualifying disability on the form.
Using these forms is optional, you don't have to fill them out before coming in. Our staff fills out whatever you need at the counter, and we usually catch issues that self-filled forms would have. That said, some people prefer to review the questions ahead of time, and the PDFs above let you do that.
A few things that save time no matter how you approach the paperwork: