DMV Registration Renewal Santee

Am I eligible to renew my registration online?

You can renew your registration online if:

• You have access to the Internet.
• You have a valid credit card, debit card, or checking account.
• You know the last 5 digits of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or the Hull Identification Number (HIN) for your vehicle or vessel.
• You have insurance for your vehicle OR you are registering a vehicle that does not need insurance (like a trailer).
• DMV has electronic smog certification information for your vehicle on file.

You cannot renew your registration online if you do not:

• Have a credit card, debit card, or checking account.
• Know your vehicle’s VIN or HIN.
• Have insurance for your vehicle.
• Have a required smog certificate on file.

If I renew online, how long will it take for me to get my updated registration and registration sticker in the mail?

Your new registration and sticker will be mailed to you within 5 business days.

You can also review current renewal processing times on the Vehicle Registration Renewals page for an estimate of how long it will take for your registration to arrive in the mail.

Can I renew online if I have changed my address?

Yes, you can. However, you need to change your address online before you try to renew your registration online.

To make sure that your new registration is mailed to your updated address, make sure you wait 3 business days between changing your address online and renewing your registration so the system can update your information.

I want to renew my registration by mail. Is that ok?

Yes, all DMV customers can renew their registration by mail.

Why can’t everyone renew their registration online?

Sometimes you need to share certain documents with DMV, like an insurance card. You can’t renew online in that case because DMV needs to have that information on file in order to process your renewal online.

I want to renew my registration online. Does it matter which insurance company I’m using?

Yes. You can only renew online if your insurance company electronically reports information to DMV. You can check our website to see if your insurance company is on the list of insurance companies that electronically report to DMV.

I don’t plan to drive my vehicle this year. Do I still have to pay a renewal fee?

No. If you do not plan to use your vehicle this year, but you plan to store it somewhere, you need to apply for Planned Non-Operation online. Then you will have to pay the PNO filing fee.

After you apply for PNO, if you decide to operate your vehicle or park it somewhere where it could get a parking ticket, then you need to pay full vehicle registration fees and penalties for that year.

What if I already paid my parking citation fees?

You have to pay or settle all parking tickets before renewing your registration online.

If those parking citations still appear on the renewal notice you get from DMV, you should complete your renewal by mail or on site at a DMV location.

If you want to challenge your parking ticket, you need to resolve that with the court. Once the court clears your parking ticket, submit your clearance paper with your renewal notice by mail or at a DMV location.

I paid my registration fees, but my vehicle failed smog certification / I haven’t paid my parking tickets. Is my registration still valid?

Even if you pay your registration fees, if your vehicle does not meet other requirements (like smog certification or outstanding parking tickets), your registration will not be renewed. In this case, you have to pay your parking tickets or get your smog certification before you can renew your registration.

What do I need to do if I’m moving out of state, but the vehicle registered to me will continue to be registered in California?

You need to report your change of address to DMV within 10 days of moving.

You can change your address online to notify DMV of a change of residence or mailing address for your vehicle, vessel, driver license, or identification card records.

How Do I Replace Lost, Stolen, or Mutilated Certificates or Stickers?

If your California Certificate of Ownership is stolen or damaged, you can submit a completed Application for Duplicate or Paperless Title (REG 227) and pay a duplicate fee.

If you lost the registration card or sticker, you can submit a completed Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156) to replace the lost certificates and/or stickers and the appropriate fee.

You can submit these forms to DMV by mail or in person at a DMV office.