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Vehicle Registration

California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 4000 specifies that no vehicle shall be driven, moved, towed or left standing upon any California highway without having some form of California registration. The State agency responsible for vehicle registration is the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The following is a brief summary of California registration requirements for interstate operators. These requirements apply to both legal vehicles, and "extralegal" vehicles that require oversize or overweight permits.

Commercial Vehicle Registration: The Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001 changed the way commercial vehicles and trailers are registered in California. California registration must be obtained before entering the state.

Commercial vehicles may be registered for operation in California by the following methods:

  1. Power Units may be registered in the International Registration Plan (IRP) with a California apportionment. The operator must declare the operating weight which will determine the weight fee. The operator will be cited if the declared weight is exceeded.

  2. Power Units with valid out-of-state registration may be registered with a consecutive 4-day trip permit for a fee of $45 per CVC Section 9260. Additional permits may be purchased for continuous operation longer than 4 days. For more information, see Section 12.005 on Page 2 of the IRP Handbook, Chapter 12.

    Four-day trip permits may be purchased from the following sources:
    • At truck stops outside California. See also the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration web page which includes a list of truck stop links: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/links.htm. You might want to call ahead to be sure they have the permits in stock.
    • In bulk from DMV by mail.
    • At a DMV field office in person, once you are in California. (Must already have a trip permit to enter the state.) DMV offices are listed on this DMV web site: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/fo/offices/toc_fo.htm.
    • Private permit services, such as ComData at 800-344-1912, or TransmitAmerica at 800-228-7577, or Interstate Permit Service at 800-343-4889.
  1. Power Units may also be registered with a 90-day temporary registration. The operator must declare the purchase price and the operating weight which will determine the fee. The operator will be cited if the price was understated or the weight is exceeded. The 90-day permit may be obtained only at a DMV field office. Before entering the state, you must obtain a 4-day trip permit (see #2 above). For more information, see Section 12.010 on Page 3 of the IRP Handbook, Chapter 12.

  2. Trailers no longer need trip permits. Trailers require a Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) for a fee of $20, or valid registration in another jurisdiction.
WEB SITES

For more details, please see the California Department of Motor Vehicles web sites:

PHONE -- DMV's IRP UNIT -- (916) 657-7971

To register a commercial vehicle, call the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles, IRP Unit, (916) 657-7971. When you call this number, you can expect to hear the following:

You have reached the Dept. of Motor Vehicles' automated voice response system. (Si Ud. desea informacion en espanol, marque el numbero 1.) This system is designed to give you the most curent information for the International Registration Plan unit, known as IRP. This system is available 24 hours a day 7 a week. Technicians are available to assist you during normal business hours.

Please listen to the following menu options before making your selection. You may want to have a pencil and paper handy to take notes. Thank you for calling the DMV.

Please listen to the following menu options before making your selection. Your call may be monitored for quality customer service. This menu will repeat itself until you have made a selection.

If you would like to hear information about IRP registration, press 2.
If you are calling to check the status of an existing IRP account or application, press 3.
For IRP operations unit contact information, including their hours, press 4.
If you have questions or need information regarding IRP audits, record keeping, or reporting requirements, press 5.
For additional menu topics and helpful information, press 6.
To repeat the information you've just heard, press the pound key.

Option 2 - IRP Registration
IRP is an optional form of registration that allows you to pay fees based on the percentage of your total miles. IRP registration is available to commercial motor carriers with one or more vehicles traveling in a state in 2 or more jurisdictions. You must apply for this registration with the jurisdiction where your fleet is based. The base jurisdiction collects the fees due for each qualified jurisdiction, and issues a cab card which which shows the name of the registrant, the vehicle description, and weights and jur's in which the vehicle is allowed to operate. If you wish to receive an instruction booklet, or if you need to speak with an IRP respresentative, please stay on the line and your call will be transfered to the IRP operations unit. To repeat this information, press the pound key.
Option 3 - Status of an Application
You have reached the IRP work completion phone line. Please have a pencil and paper handy. All 8 renewal applications, original & supplement applications are currently being processed according to date received. IRP operations is currently processing within 10 days. If you are calling regarding the weight decals and stickers, for each original and supplement IRP application with an effective date of July 31, 2005 and after, each commercial vehicle subject to weight fees will receive a pair of weight decals and a 2005-year sticker at a fee of $3 per vehicle. For January 2006, your renewal application will affect the new weight decal stickers and the charge will also be $3. You will receive a pair of weight decals and a 2006-year sticker. If you have any more questions about the weight decals and stickers, please call (916) 657-7971. Thank you. Please hold while your call is being transferred.
Option 4 - Contact Information
You may want to have a pencil and paper ready to take notes for the following information. You may mail your IRP correspondence to:

Dept. of Motor Vehicles
IRP Unit
P.O. Box 932320
Sacramento, CA 94232

Packages or correspondence requiring a signature must be sent to the following address:

Dept. of Motor Vehicles
IRP Unit
2415 1st Ave., Mail Station H-160
Sacramento, CA 95818

IRP representatives are available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 8 am to 5 pm, and Wednesdays 9 am to 5 pm. For your convenience, the IRP Schedule A/B, and Schedule C are now located on the world wide web. You can access them at the DMV web site www.dmv.ca.gov under the forms section. If you wish to receive an instruction booklet, or if you need to speak to an IRP representative, please stay on the line and your call will be transferred to the IRP operations unit. To repeat the information you've just heard, press the pound key. To return to the main menu, press the star key. If you are calling from a rotary phone, stay on the line and your call will be transferred. Please hold while your call is being transferred.

Option 5 - IRP Audits, Record Keeping, Etc.
For information on audits, record keeping, and reporting requirements, you may call the Interstate Audit Branch at (916) 657-7576, or stay on the line and your call will be transferred. To repeat the information, press the pound key. To return to the main menu, press the star key. If you are calling from a rotary phone, stay on the line and your call will be transferred. Please hold while your call is being transferred.
Option 6 - Additional Menu Topics
For information on other subjects of interest that IRP provides, please listen to the following menu options:

For information on liability insurance requirements for IRP, press 1
To receive a Dept. of Transportation phone number for overwidth or overweight permits, press 2
For information about an international driving permit or licensing, press 3
For information on federal heavy vehicle use tax, press 4
For information on the international fuel tax agreement, press 5

To repeat the information you have just heard, press the # key
To return to the main menu, press *
To speak to a technician, press 0

Option 6 - 1 -- Liability Insurance
After January 1, 1997, California requires evidence of liability insurance for vehicle registration renewal. However, apportioned fleets are administratively exempted from providing evidence of insurance until the 2002 registration year. Each IRP registrant is required to submit proof of valid public liability insurance beginning with their 2002 renewal applications. An original unexpired insurance form BM91X will be accepted as proof of insurance. An original document issued by the insurer will also be accepted if it contains all the following information:
  1. the name and address of the vehicle owner or fleet operator,
  2. the name and AIC number and address of the insurance company or surity company providing a policy or bond for the vehicle,
  3. the policy or bond number, and effective date and expiration date of the policy or bond,
  4. a statement from the insurance company or surity company that the policy or bond meets the requirements of Section 16056 or Section 16500.5 of the CVC and is a commercial or fleet policy.

To repeat this information, press the # key
To return to the main menu, press *
To speak to an IRP representative, press 0 or stay on the line.

Option 6 - 2 -- Overwidth/Overweight Permits
If you are calling to receive information about overwidth or overweight permit, call the Dept. of Transportation at (916) 654-6677.

To repeat this information, press the # key
To return to the main menu, press *
To speak with an IRP representative, press 0.

Option 6 - 3 -- International Driving Permit
If you are calling for information about an international driving permit or license, please call your local office of your automobile association or the national automobile club.

To repeat this information, press the # key
To return to the main menu, press *
To speak with an IRP representative, stay on the line.

Option 6 - 4 -- Heavy Vehicle Use Tax
Federal heavy vehicle use tax must be paid annually for all power vehicles operated at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. The Dept. of Motor Vehicles will require proof of payment or exemption of the tax as a condition of any type of intrastate or interstate registration of any power vehicles subject to the tax. Please call the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-829-1040 to receive specific information about this tax, or call 1-800-329-3676 to order the form 2290 Schedule 1. You may also wish to visit the web site location at: web site www.irs.ustreas.gov.

To repeat this information, press the # key
To return to the main menu, press *
To speak with an IRP representative, press 0 or stay on the line.

Option 6 - 5 -- International Fuel Tax Agreement
The international fuel tax agreement, commonly called IFTA, is an agreement among states in the U.S. and Canadian provinces that simplifies fuel use tax reporting by interstate motor carriers. California IFTA is administered by the State Board of Equalization. You may contact the the fuel tax division at the BOE by calling 916-322-9669.

To repeat this information, press the # key
To return to the main menu, press *
To speak with an IRP representative, press 0 and your call will be transferred.

Single-State Registration System (SSRS): For-hire motor carriers of interstate cargo are required to register their Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) ICC Permit and proof of public liability insurance with an SSRS participating jurisdiction.

Application requirements include:

  • Forms RS-1 and RS-2
  • A photocopy of their FHWA ICC Permit or Certificate of Authority
  • Proof of public liability insurance (Form BMC 91X) from an insurance company licensed to do business in California.
  • An MOC-3 which is a list of your process agents.

Contact: SSRS at Dept. of Motor Vehicles (916) 657-6636.

NOTE: On January 1, 2007, the Single State Registration System (SSRS) will end. After January 1, 2007, motor carriers will not be required to register for authority, or file insurance, with their base state as previously required under SSRS . SSRS will eventually be replaced by the new Unified Carrier Registration agreement, or UCR . This agreement among the states is being developed by the UCR Board of Directors. For more information, see this FMCSA web site: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/rulemakings/notices/ssrs-ucr-jan1-07.htm.

CONTACTS

Caltrans Legal Truck Size & Weight Work Group
Casey Robb
Manuel Fonseca
General number (916) 654-5741
E-mail: Truck Size & Weight Unit.

Return to the Caltrans "Office of Truck Services" page.

Revised 5/13/08.