Can I Register My Wife's Car In California

The Simplest Way To Add together Your Spouse To Your Vehicle'south Title

Adding your spouse's name to your vehicle's California Certificate of Championship is unproblematic if you've got the right paperwork filled-out. The process will involve performing a title transfer, very similar to when you originally purchased the vehicle and had the title transferred over to your name, except this time, no smog inspection will be required and no Apply Tax will be collected from the buyer (i.eastward. the newly added 2nd owner, your spouse). Note: California considers a family unit member to exist a spouse, domestic partner, parent, kid, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. You may not claim any other person as a member of family.

The difference betwixt adding your spouse to the title and transferring the title to a individual party (such as when selling/buying a vehicle), is that you, the electric current possessor volition human activity equally both a seller and a buyer in terms of the signatures and "buyer" data required on the title. The process volition merely involve preparing your current title every bit if you were selling the vehicle to your spouse, with the addition of listing yourself every bit a heir-apparent too. So in other words, on the back of the title, where you write in the buyer(s) information, you will write-in both your name and your spouse'south name (and address). And then, both of you lot will sign your names as the new owners.

Note, when we reference "championship transfer" in this article, we are referring to the process of calculation a proper noun (owner) to a vehicle title. The California DMV, more or less, considers the addition or deletion of owners on title equally title transfers. Let's become into the details beneath...

Adding your spouse's name to your vehicle title in California is fairly but and straightforward, and the fee for doing so is pretty low ($15.00 at the fourth dimension of this mail). The process is about the same as transferring your title to a new party, similar to that of selling your vehicle to someone other than a family unit fellow member, except no smog inspection will exist required and no Apply Tax volition be nerveless. Typically during a championship transfer, 4 year and older vehicles crave a smog check, and Use Revenue enhancement is collected based on buy price. In this particular case, your transaction will exist exempt from both of these requirements. For one, the vehicle isn't being sold, so at that place are no taxes to pay, and second, the vehicle is staying in the household, and so no new smog inspection is needed. The only exception to the "No Smog Check Required" rule is that if the vehicle's biennial smog inspection is due, a Family Transfer exemption will not apply. The vehicle will need to undergo a smog check inspection in order to complete the title transfer and be issued full registration with both your name and your spouse's name.

To go the process started yous'll need to have prepared two documents; the vehicle's California Certificate of Championship and a Statement of Facts class (REG 256). Consummate the title by filling in the heir-apparent information as yourself and your spouse. If the vehicle has a lien holder, y'all'll need to contact them first and obtain rewritten dominance. All parties listed on a vehicle's title are responsible for the bank loan. Typically lien holders accept no problem adding a spouse to a vehicle championship. If you don't have the vehicle's document of title or accept lost it, you may download and complete a REG 227 (Awarding for Duplicate Title), and use information technology in lieu of the missing title. Both yous and your spouse volition need to complete and sign the REG 227 just as you lot would an original vehicle title. Annotation, if using a REG 227 instead of an original Certificate Title, the championship transfer paperwork you submit to the DMV will need to include a copy of the vehicle'due south electric current or expired registration card.

Stride one. Consummate the Front of the Document of Championship

Assuming you have your vehicle's title in hand, begin by signing the forepart of the title on Line A. This releases involvement/ownership of the vehicle to the parties(southward) named on the back of the championship, which y'all'll be filling in. Side by side, complete the odometer data section on the front lower portion of the title, and sign as both the seller and buyer. Your spouse'south signature is not required hither. Note, the odometer section only needs to be completed if your vehicle is less than xx years old.

Add Son Name To Vehicle Title - FRONT

Footstep ii. Complete the Dorsum of the Document of Title

Consummate the reverse side of the championship with the new owners information; which will be yourself and your spouse. Ensure you both sign the back of the championship on Line 9a and 9b. Make sure you choice the correct bank check box where it asks for an AND or OR for the registered owners names. If you check OR, either of you may sell the vehicle at whatever time without the other'due south signature. If you choose AND, both you and your son must sign the title when selling the vehicle in social club to release interest/buying.

Add Son Name To Vehicle Title - BACK

STEP three. Download and Complete a REG 256 (Statement of Facts) Form

Side by side, y'all'll need to download and complete a REG 256 (Statement of Facts). You lot'll need a REG 256 in order to merits smog cheque exemption and not pay California Use Tax. Consummate section A of the Argument of Facts form (Use Tax Exemption), mark the Addition or Deletion of Family unit Member box. Next complete section B of the Argument of Facts (Smog Check Exemption), marking the transfer is occurring between family unit members. Sign page two of the REG 256. In this detail case, you lot (the current owner) must sign the REG 256 because you are requesting a championship transfer for the purpose of adding your spouse as an owner. Ensure you write in your vehicle's license plate, vehicle identification number and year/make on the top of both page one and page two of the REG 256. This usually gets missed.

Smog Check and Use Tax Exemption When Adding Son To Vehicle Title - REG 256

Footstep 4. Complete the Transaction with the DMV

Y'all're all done with getting your paperwork in order. Now it'southward time to get your paperwork processed. You'll demand to turn in your former Certificate of Title for a new one which will include your proper noun and your spouse'south name. You have two options to complete this transaction. Once you're washed, your new Certificate of Title will exist mailed to y'all by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Option i. Online - This is a fast and easy option considering it requires no DMV visit and the total fees (for both online service and DMV) are pretty depression since no employ revenue enhancement is owed. When calculation your spouse to you vehicle's title online, yous simply prepare y'all DMV documents and postal service them to NeedTags. Mailing instructions are provided after you checkout. Once we receive your documents nosotros will finalize your vehicle'due south championship transfer (name addition). Based on your aircraft selection, you can receive your new registration card and sticker equally fast every bit overnight and free registration e-card on the aforementioned day which nosotros process your order. Commencement Hither
Simply upload a copy of your documents (Certificate of Title and REG 256), mail-in your originals, and you're done. No need to visit the DMV and wait in long lines. NeedTags tin process title proper noun additions for all types of vehicles including motorcycles, boats, RVs, ATVs and trailers.

Option 2. In Person - Yous may turn in your documents either at a State of California DMV branch function or a privately owned local DMV service provider and pay fees there. Visiting a local DMV service provider is a fast way to brand changes to your vehicle title (add-on or deletion of championship owners). These businesses are authorized by the California DMV to provide a full-range of DMV registration services quickly in-house. DMV service providers charge a nominal fee for their service, but oft accept little or no wait and can salve y'all plenty of time.