Can I get pulled over for expired car registration in California? What DMV says
Every year, drivers in California are required to renew their vehicle registration.
What happens if you miss the deadline to renew? Is there a grace period?
Here’s what the California Department of Motor Vehicles said:
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Can I drive with expired car registration tags in California?
Under California’s Vehicle Code, you must properly register your vehicle and pay any fees in order to drive, move or park it on a public road or in a public parking lot.
Is there a grace period for expired car registration?
The DMV “does not offer a grace period” for paying your vehicle registration fees, the state agency said on its website.
“Be sure to pay your renewal fees on or before the expiration date shown on your current registration card,” the DMV said, or the agency will “charge penalties.”
How do I know when my car registration expires?
Although your car’s license plates show the month and year your registration expires, the DMV said, you can check your registration card for the “actual expiration date.”
You will receive a billing notice about 60 days before your registration renewal is due.
“The longer you delay payment, the greater the penalty amount will be,” the DMV said. “Penalty fees are assessed in addition to any other fees due.”
What late fees can I face for overdue payment?
Drivers with expired car registrations can face late fees from both the California Highway Patrol and the DMV.
“Penalties are determined by adding a percentage of the vehicle license fee, plus a registration late fee, plus a California Highway Patrol late fee,” the DMV said.
Depending on how overdue the payment is, here’s how much California drivers can expect to pay for expired car registration:
- One to 10 days late — $10 registration fee, plus a $10 CHP fee
- 11 to 30 days late — $15 registration fee, plus a $15 CHP fee
- 31 days to one year late — $30 registration fee, plus a $30 CHP fee
- More than one year to two years late — $50 registration fee, plus a $50 CHP fee
- More than two years late — $100 registration fee, plus a $100 CHP fee
Will I get pulled over for expired car registration?
Law enforcement cannot pull you over solely for having expired tags until the second month after they expire, according to California’s Vehicle.
For example, if your registration expired on March 31, you typically won’t be stopped just for expired tags in April.
Starting in May, however, you could be pulled over and cited for having expired car registration.
If you are pulled over for another reason, such as speeding, law enforcement officers can still issue you a ticket for expired tags — even if it’s been less than a month since your registration lapsed.
How much is a ticket for driving with expired car registration?
Driving, parking or leaving an unregistered vehicle on a public road or in a public parking lot is a violation of California law.
According to Shouse California Law Group, this violation is typically treated as an infraction and often issued as a correctable — or “fix-it” — ticket.
That means “you will be excused of an offense if you properly register your car after a ticket is issued,” the Southern California law firm said.
However, “The court will likely still charge you a $25 dismissal fee,” Shouse California Law Group said.
If you fail to properly register the vehicle, fines can exceed $200 — not including additional fees and court costs — based on the 2026 bail schedule from the Judicial Council of California.
Will my parked car be towed for expired tags?
If your parked vehicle doesn’t have proper registration, authorities cannot tow or impound it unless they first try to contact you and inform you that it isn’t registered in California, according to Shouse California Law Group.
