When you need it
When you need it
- You are claiming a use-tax exemption on a gift or a qualifying family transfer.
- You need to declare a smog exemption for the transfer.
- A weight or body-type declaration is required for a commercial vehicle.
- Something on the application needs an explanation no other form has a box for.
When you need a different form
When you need a different form
The commonest reason a form comes back is that it was the wrong one.
Use REG 227
The title itself is missing and you need it replaced or transferred without it.
REG 256 explains circumstances; it does not replace a title. The two are often filed together - REG 227 for the missing title, REG 256 for the exemption claim.
Use REG 138
You have sold a vehicle and want to end your liability for it.
A Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability is its own filing with its own deadline. A statement of facts does not release you.
What REG 256 asks for
What REG 256 asks for
Section by section, in plain language.
- Vehicle / vessel identification
- Plate or VIN, year and make, so the declaration attaches to the right record.
- The declaration itself
- A series of distinct sections - use tax, smog, weight, address, and a free-text statement. You complete only the section that applies; the others stay blank.
- Signature under penalty of perjury
- This is a sworn statement, which is the reason the form exists rather than an informal note. Sign only what you know to be true.
Fees that apply
Fees that apply
From the fee schedule - never typed on this page.
- Gift or qualifying family transfer Use-tax exempt
Full table: California DMV fee schedule.
Related forms
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is REG 256 actually for?
It is a general-purpose sworn declaration. It carries a use-tax exemption claim, a smog exemption, a weight declaration, or a plain explanation - you complete only the section that applies.
Do I need REG 256 for a gift or family transfer?
That is its most common use. The use-tax exemption on a gift or qualifying family transfer is declared on REG 256; no other form claims it for you.
Can I file REG 256 on its own?
Rarely. It normally accompanies another application - a transfer or a registration - because it explains circumstances rather than requesting anything by itself.
Why is it called a Statement of Facts?
Because you sign it under penalty of perjury. That is the reason the DMV uses a form rather than accepting an informal note.
Related guides
Sources. California DMV - REG 256 · California DMV - forms catalog
Content last verified September 15, 2026.