Forms & Fees · fee schedule

California DMV fees

Estimate a registration renewal, or find any fee in the full schedule below.

Registration renewal estimate

2026 fees, checked November 6, 2026

Example: $25,000 gas car bought in 2016

Estimate – your DMV renewal notice shows the exact amount

$167.47

Line items
Registration fee Flat, every vehicle source ↗ DMV · VC §9250.1	$76.00
CHP fee Flat, every vehicle source ↗ DMV · VC §9250.8	$34.00
Vehicle license fee (VLF) 0.65% of $3,765.00 (15% of your price class, registration year 11) source ↗ DMV (rate) · source ↗ RTC §10753.2	$24.47
Transportation improvement fee Value $3,765.00 is in the $0–$4,999 bracket source ↗ DMV (amounts) · source ↗ RTC §11052(a)	$33.00
ZEV road improvement fee Zero-emission vehicles, model year 2020 and later source ↗ DMV · VC §9250.6	–
Late penalty Renewed on time source ↗ VC §9554 · source ↗ DMV (penalties)	–

County/district fees not included – they vary by county

Smog abatement fee – not included. Newer gas and hybrid vehicles pay it instead of a smog check; your renewal notice shows whether it applies.

Renew on dmv.ca.gov (official) ↗ Other ways to renew →

Covers: renewal of a California-registered passenger car, SUV or pickup due in the fee year. Not covered: commercial weight fees, first registration of a new vehicle bought from a dealer, trailers and motorcycles.

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Every California DMV fee in one place - driver's license and ID, vehicle registration, title transfer, smog, and replacements. Each fixed fee is cited to its official source. Fees that vary - use tax (by where you live) and the smog inspection (by station) - are marked as such rather than guessed.

Driver's license & ID cards

Driver's license (Class C, original)

$46

Driver's license renewal (Class C)

$46

Replacement driver's license

$37

Motorcycle license (M1/M2)

$46

Add a motorcycle endorsement (M1/M2) to a license

Same as a standalone motorcycle license.

$46

ID card (original, renewal, or replacement)

$40

Senior citizen ID card (62+)

No fee

Reduced-fee ID card

$11

No-fee ID card

For a person who meets the McKinney-Vento Act definition of a "homeless person". It is a waiver of the application fee, not a line on the DMV fee table.

No fee

REAL ID upgrade

The DMV licensing fee table has no separate REAL ID fee - you pay the license or ID card fee.

No extra fee

Veteran designation

Added with a DL/ID card application: bring a Veteran Status Verification Form (VSD-001) from a County Veteran Service Office and pay the normal application fee.

No separate fee

Behind-the-wheel drive retest

Driver record (copy)

Copy of your California driver record: $2 online, $5 by mail or in person (13 CCR §350.44(c); the DMV lists them under VC §1811).

$2–$5

Driver's license reissue (reinstatement)

DMV reissue fee after a DUI (court) suspension; the financial-responsibility (FR) reissue fee is also $55. An Admin Per Se (APS) reissue costs more ($125 at 21 or older, $100 under 21). A $15 DMV administrative service fee may also apply.

$55

Administrative Per Se (DUI) reissue fee

Reissue fee after an Admin Per Se (APS) suspension or revocation, for drivers 21 or older ($100 under 21).

$125

Commercial licenses (CDL)

Commercial license (Class A/B, original)

$100

Commercial license (Class A/B, renewal)

$59

Commercial license (Class C, original or renewal)

$59

Vehicle registration

Registration fee (base)

Includes the $3 alternative-fuel/technology fee (VC §9250.1).

$76

California Highway Patrol (CHP) fee

$34

Vehicle license fee (VLF)

Of the vehicle's current value; changes as the value is reassessed.

0.65% of value

Transportation improvement fee

Scaled by the vehicle's value.

$33–$231

County / district fees

Local fees set by your county or district (VC §9250.2 et seq.).

Varies by county

Weight fee (trucks & commercial)

Applies to commercial vehicles, scaled by weight.

Varies by weight

Late registration penalty

From 10% of the VLF + $10 + $10 (1–10 days late) up to 160% + $100 + $100 after 2 years.

Tiered

Planned non-operation (PNO)

$28

Registration reinstatement

To reinstate a lapsed registration, where offered (e.g. at a DMV Now kiosk).

$14

ZEV road improvement fee

Annual fee on model-year 2020+ zero-emission vehicles, charged at registration RENEWAL - not on a dealer's initial sale of a new ZEV. CPI-indexed every January, so it updates yearly ($121 for 2026). CVC §9250.6.

$121 (2026)

Bar chart: the vehicle license fee is charged on 100% of the price-class midpoint in registration year 1, falling to 15% from year 11. — A car bought for $25,000 pays VLF on $3,765 in its 11th registration year. Source: RTC §10753.2(b), (c).

Registration year	Share of the price-class midpoint
1	100%
2	90%
3	80%
4	70%
5	60%
6	50%
7	40%
8	30%
9	25%
10	20%
11+	15%

Title, transfer & tax

Title transfer fee

Vehicle Code §9255.

$15

Use tax (on a purchase)

Charged at the tax rate for the address where you register the vehicle. Gifts and purchases from a qualifying family member are exempt.

% of value

Gift or qualifying family transfer

Claimed with a REG 256 Statement of Facts.

Use-tax exempt

Smog transfer fee

At a change of ownership of a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle four model years old or newer, instead of a smog check.

Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL)

The DMV registration fee table lists no NRL fee. It is a notice, not a transfer - the new owner still completes the transfer and pays the transfer fees.

No fee

Smog

Smog abatement fee

Newer vehicles, in lieu of a smog inspection.

$20

Smog certificate fee

Fixed; charged by the station on a pass.

$8.25

Smog inspection

Not regulated by BAR - prices differ by station.

Varies by station

Replacements, duplicates & plates

Duplicate / replacement title

Vehicle Code §9265.

$28

Duplicate registration card

$28

Duplicate / replacement plates

$28

Duplicate sticker

$28

Personalized & special-interest plates

Initial and annual-renewal fees vary by plate program; paid at registration.

Varies by program

Disabled person placards

Permanent disabled person (DP) placard

No fee for the placard or DP plates; replacements are also free.

No fee

Temporary disabled person placard

Permanent placards and DP plates are free.

If you're late

Late registration penalty

Added on top of the registration fee - it grows the longer you wait.

1–10 days late 10% of the VLF + $10 registration + $10 CHP

11–30 days late 20% of the VLF + $15 + $15

31 days to 1 year 60% of the VLF + $30 + $30

1 to 2 years 80% of the VLF + $50 + $50

More than 2 years 160% of the VLF + $100 + $100

Late registration penalties in five tiers, from 10% of the VLF plus $10 and $10 up to 160% of the VLF plus $100 and $100. — The later you renew, the bigger the penalty: from 10% of the VLF plus $10 registration and $10 CHP late fees, up to 160% plus $100 and $100. Source: VC §9554(b), (c), (e); California DMV - Registration fees.

How late	VLF penalty	Registration late fee	CHP late fee
1–10 days late	10% of the VLF	$10	$10
11–30 days late	20% of the VLF	$15	$15
31 days to 1 year	60% of the VLF	$30	$30
1 to 2 years	80% of the VLF	$50	$50
More than 2 years	160% of the VLF	$100	$100

Use our guides for context on each fee: license renewal, registration renewal, title transfer, and smog. The use tax on a purchase is set by the CDTFA at your local rate.

Sources. California DMV - Licensing fees · California DMV - ID Cards · California DMV - Registration fees · California BAR - Smog Check · California DMV - Suspended vehicle registration · California DMV - Disabled person parking placards · California CDTFA - Tax guide for purchasers of vehicles

Content last verified November 6, 2026.