Payments & Refunds

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Payments
Refunds
How to Request a Refund
Dishonored Payments
Reissue Fees
FAQs

Payments

There are several options for payment: online, over the phone, at a kiosk, by mail, or in person at a DMV office, depending on your application type and eligibility.

Refunds

You can request refunds (PDF) for vehicle registration, driver licenses, ID cards, insurance, and other fees and penalties collected by DMV. DMV issues refunds in cases where you accidentally paid the wrong fee, or when a fee wasn’t required but you paid one.

The following circumstances may qualify you for a refund of fees paid:

The renewal fees were paid after the vehicle was sold.
The vehicle was wrecked, junked, salvaged, or stolen before the first day of the new registration period.
You are nonresident military personnel or a nonresident spouse and paid the vehicle license fee in error.
The vehicle left California before the first day of the new registration period.
You decide before the first day of the new registration period that the vehicle will not be operated and file for Planned Nonoperation (PNO). The PNO fee will be deducted from your refund.

How to Request a Refund

Simply complete and mail an Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF) along with any required documentation to the address provided on the form.

You will need…

The vehicle identification number (VIN) or hull identification number (HIN) of the vehicle or vessel for which you are requesting a refund.
If you are requesting a refund for driver’s license fees, have your driver’s license number handy. If you are requesting a refund for registration fees or penalties, have your vehicle license plate number (or boat/vessel registration number) handy.
Know the date fees were paid, the name of the location where they were paid, and the payment method used.

Refund of Vehicle License Fee (VLF) on Total Loss Vehicles

California law provides for a prorated refund of the VLF (in lieu of property tax) portion of the registration fees paid when your vehicle becomes:

An Unrecovered Total Loss- A vehicle subject to registration which was stolen and not recovered within 60 days after the police report date. The vehicle must be transferred to the individual or company (insurance company, etc.) who paid you for the loss of your vehicle (California Revenue and Taxation Code (CRTC) §10902).
A Constructive Total Loss- A vehicle which was wrecked, destroyed, or damaged to such extent that the owner, or the insurance company, considers it uneconomical to repair the vehicle and because of this, the vehicle is not repaired by or for the person who owned the vehicle per California Vehicle Code (CVC) §544. A Salvage Certificate must be issued for this vehicle before a refund request will be processed (per CVC §11515 and CRTC §10902).
A Nonrepairable- A vehicle with no value except as a source of parts or scrap metal, or was found completely stripped after theft, or was completely burned (per CVC §431). A Nonrepairable Certificate must be issued for this vehicle before a refund will be processed.

Who is Eligible for a VLF Refund?

The owner of the salvage vehicle may request a refund of the prorated VLF. The owner of the salvage vehicle can usually be determined as follows:

The insurance company is the owner if you received a settlement for your loss and possession of the salvaged vehicle is retained by an insurance provider or their agent.
You are the owner if you retained the salvaged vehicle following a determination by your insurance provider that your vehicle is uneconomical to repair and:
- No repairs are initiated by you or in your behalf, and
- You applied for a Salvage Certificate or Non-repairable Certificate.

Note If you are not sure that the VLF refund was included as part of your settlement you should contact your insurance provider for verification. DMV does not have this information. Persons who were cited for violations of CVC §§23152, 23153, or 23103 as specified in §23103.5 (sections related to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs), incidental to the loss, are not eligible for this refund.

How is the VLF Refund Amount Determined?

The amount of the VLF refund is based on one-twelfth of the annual VLF for each full month that remains until the vehicle registration expires. The registration fee, weight fee and miscellaneous fees are not subject to refund. A total loss vehicle partial VLF refund service fee will be deducted from the refund. If the service fee is more than the amount of VLF subject to refund, no refund will be issued.

How do I Request a VLF Refund?

Complete an Application for Vehicle License Refund (REG 65) (PDF) form as follows.

Part A- For an unrecovered total loss vehicle (stolen).
Part B- For a constructive total loss or non-repairable vehicle (wrecked, destroyed, or damaged by a single event).

Note You must have a Salvage Certificate or Non-repairable Certificate prior to submitting a REG 65 (PDF) form. Mail the completed REG 65 to the address shown on the form.

For Salvage Certificate or Non-repairable Certificate information see the brochure, How to Obtain a Salvage Certificate or Nonrepairable Vehicle Certificate (HTVR) 16.

All refund checks will be issued from DMV Headquarters in Sacramento.

Dishonored Payments

If you received a “Demand for Payment” letter for a dishonored check, you have three payment options:

Pay Online

Make a payment for a dishonored check (DC).

Pay By Mail

Send a cashier’s check or money order payable to DMV.
- Do not mail cash. Do not send a personal check or credit card payment information. Dishonored checks cannot be paid by personal check or credit card.
Write your account number on the front of your payment.
- Your account number is the ten-digit number located in the upper right hand corner of the Demand for Payment letter.

Mail your payment and a copy of the Demand for Payment letter to:

DMV
Revenue Services Support Unit
Mail Station C140
PO Box 825341
Sacramento, CA 94232-5341

Pay in Person at a DMV Office

Bring with you:

Cash, an ATM/debit card, credit card, digital wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay), a cashier’s check, or money order made payable to DMV.
- Dishonored checks cannot be paid by personal check.
- Digital wallet transactions will be charged a 2.1% service fee.
A copy of the Demand for Payment letter. If the Demand for Payment letter is lost and the dishonored check was for your:
- Vehicle: Bring your vehicle license plate number.
- Driver’s license: Bring your driver’s license.
- Identification card: Bring your identification card.

Reissue Fees

A reissue fee is a fee paid to reinstate a driving privilege which has been suspended or revoked.

The following is a list of reissue fees:

$15 to add a court restriction
$20 to remove a driver’s license restriction
$24 drug suspension
$55 reissue fee (the most common type of reissue fee)
- Anyone who had their license suspended or revoked has to pay an administrative fee of $55 to have their license reissued.
$100 preliminary alcohol screening (PAS)
$100 Admin Per Se (APS)
$85 APS (partial payment of the $100 APS fee)
$45 APS (partial payment of the $100 APS fee)

FAQs

Failure to Pay Violations

DMV has removed failure to pay notations from all driver records and notified customers who had qualifying suspensions removed.

What is the new Failure to Pay (FTP) law?

Does this new law also apply to Failure To Appear (FTA) violations?

If I get a ticket, do I still have to pay my traffic ticket fine or court fees?

What will happen to my driver's license if I fail to pay my ticket fine or court fees?

Will FTP notations still appear on my driver's record?

What if I had my driver's license suspended because of FTP before the new law?

How do I know if the DMV has removed the FTP suspension from my driver's record?

How can I see my driver's record?

My driver's license is still suspended because I have other violations on my record. What do I do next?

The DMV will not restore your driving privilege until you resolve the other suspensions or holds. Some customers receiving the FTP removal notification might still have a suspended license for other reasons, and this action will not resolve those suspensions. For example, a DUI-related suspension will not be affected by this change.

To find out if you have other suspensions or holds on your driver’s record, you can request a copy online, by mail, or at a DMV field office. DMV will charge a reissue fee for restoring driving privilege for customers with suspensions other than an FTP.

Do I have to contact the DMV to remove my FTP suspension and restore my driving privilege?

I have been notified that the DMV removed my FTP suspension thanks to the new law. It was the only suspension on my record. What do I do next to start driving legally?

If you have a valid driver’s license, you can legally drive without any further steps.

If your license has expired or you are no longer in possession of it, you must visit a DMV field office to apply for a renewal or a duplicate, and pay the corresponding fee. Vision and/or knowledge tests might be required.

If you are unsure if you have other suspensions on your record, contact DMV by calling 1-800-777-0133 or request a copy of your driver’s record to verify that DMV restored your driving privilege.

I paid by credit/debit card and was charged a service fee. Can I get a refund?

How long do I have to submit an application for refund?

You can submit an ADM 399 (PDF) form within three years after the payment was made. DMV is not able to process an ADM 399 form beyond this due to the statute of limitations.

Exception: Nonresident military (NRM) and members of a force/civilian component of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) who are not citizens of the United States (U.S.) may request a refund of the vehicle license fee (VLF) and/or transportation improvement fee (TIF) more than three years after payment of fees.

How long does it take after filing my refund request to receive my refund?

I submitted a refund request (ADM 399) and placed a stop payment on my check. Do I get a refund?

I submitted a refund request (ADM 399) and disputed my credit card charges. Do I get a refund?

I paid my vehicle/vessel registration fees prior to selling the vehicle/vessel? Can these fees be refunded?

I paid registration renewal fees after I sold the vehicle/vessel. Can these fees be refunded to me?

Yes. Registration fees paid after the sale of a vehicle/vessel are refundable.

For example, if you sold your vehicle July 1st, but accidentally paid the registration fees on July 25th, for the registration fees due on July 31st, you are entitled a refund.

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:
A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
A completed and signed Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138) (PDF) OR a copy of the confirmation page from DMV’s online Notice of Release of Liability
The registration card/certificate of number AND the unused sticker.
- If you don’t have your registration card/certificate of number and/or the unused sticker, complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) to explain why the item(s) can’t be returned.

I paid my registration renewal fee but have changed my mind and decided to not operate my vehicle. Can I get a refund?

Yes. Planned Nonoperation (PNO) refunds can be requested up to 90 days after registration period starts if the vehicle was not operated. The PNO fee will be subtracted from the refund amount by DMV.

Note This does not apply to vessels or coach trailers as they can’t be placed on a PNO status.

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
A completed and signed PNO (REG 102) form.
The registration card AND the unused sticker.
- If you don’t have your registration card and/or the unused sticker, complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) to explain why the item(s) can’t be returned.

I paid my registration fees twice. How do I request a refund?

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
A copy of your DMV receipts showing that you paid twice OR
Proof of double-payment:
- If you paid by check(s), include a copy of the front and back of the cancelled check(s).
- If you paid by credit/debit card, a copy of the statement(s) with the DMV transaction(s) highlighted.

I sent my registration renewal fees on time. However, I received a second billing notice with penalties and I paid it again. How do I request a refund?

I did not receive my vehicle/vessel registration renewal notice. When I paid my registration renewal fees I was charged for late fees. Can I get a refund for the late fees?

I returned my leased vehicle. Can I get a refund on the registration renewal fees?

Yes, if the registration fees were paid after the vehicle was returned.

For example, if you returned your vehicle July 1st, but paid the registration fees on July 25th, for the registration fees due on July 31st, you are entitled a refund.

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF).
A completed and signed Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138) (PDF) OR a copy of the confirmation page from DMV’s online Notice of Release of Liability.
The registration card/certificate of number AND the unused sticker.
- If you don’t have your registration card/certificate of number and/or the unused sticker, complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) to explain why the item(s) can’t be returned.

I paid for the registration renewal fees early and then moved out of state. Can I get a refund?

Yes. To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
Proof that your vehicle was registered in another state before your vehicle’s California registration expired, such as a copy of your vehicle’s current registration in the other state.
Your California registration card, sticker, and license plates, if applicable.
- If you don’t have your registration card, license plates and/or the unused sticker, complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) to explain why the item(s) can’t be returned.

I am nonresident military personnel and paid full registration renewal fees. Can I get a refund?

Yes, for certain fees. The Vehicle License Fee (VLF) and the Transportation Improvement Fee (TIF) are refundable for nonresident military personnel (NRM) and members of a force/civilian component of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) who are not U.S. citizens. You may request a refund more than three years after payment of fees.

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
Nonresident Military Vehicle License Fee Exemption (REG 5045) (PDF)OR a NATO Status of Forces Agreement (REG 5046) (PDF) form
- Must be completed and signed by the Commanding Officer.

Important This does not apply to vessels and coach trailers. This refund is for the VLF and TIF only.

I am in the military and a resident of California. I paid my registration renewal fees early and was deployed outside the state. Can I get a refund?

Military personnel who are residents of California but deployed to a location outside the state may qualify for a renewal penalty waiver. Only penalties incurred during deployment may be waived.

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) stating that you are a member of the armed forces, armed forces reserve, or the National Guard and the termination date of deployment.

I paid my registration renewal fees and later found out that I qualified for disabled veteran exemption. Can I get a refund?

When the disabled veteran exemption has been established, the registration renewal fees paid for the current year are refundable. The exemption is for one vehicle.

To get your refund, you will need to submit the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
- In the ‘Other’ field, list the reason for the refund request as the “disabled veteran fee exemption”.

I purchased replacement license plates, stickers, and/or other documents but found my originals afterward. Can I get a refund?

I purchased a used vehicle/vessel but returned it shortly after taking delivery. I paid DMV fees before returning the vehicle/vessel. A portion of the fees paid to DMV included "use tax." Can I get a refund?

After I paid registration renewal fees, with parking citations, I found out that I already paid some of the parking citations. How do I get these fees refunded?

I paid my vehicle registration renewal fees early but vehicle was stolen, wrecked or junked. Can I get a refund?

Yes, if the renewal fees were paid and the vehicle was wrecked, junked or stolen before the renewed registration period.

To get your refund, you will need to send the following to DMV:

A completed and signed Application for Refund (ADM 399) (PDF)
A completed and signed Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138) (PDF) OR a copy of the confirmation page from DMV’s online Notice of Release of Liability (except for stolen vehicles).
The registration card AND the unused sticker.
- If you don’t have your registration card and/or the unused sticker, complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) to explain why the item(s) can’t be returned.

I donated my vehicle to a junkyard/nonprofit agency. Can I get a refund on my registration fees?

I applied for a driver's license and decided that I do not want to complete the application process. Can I get a refund?

I think I am eligible for a driver's license or identification card refund. How do I request a refund?

I think I am eligible for a Dealers, or Lessor-Retailers, or Dismantlers, or Registration Services, or Transporters, or Driving & Traffic Violator School (Owner, Operator & Instructors) license refund. How do I request a refund?

I think I am eligible for a Salesperson, Representatives, Vehicle Verifiers, Vessel Agents and Employer Testing Program Participants license refund. How do I request a refund?

Procedural Changes

A Failure to Appear occurs when you do not appear in court for a traffic ticket hearing.

Why did the Failure to Appear (FTA) procedures change?

What are the changes to the Failure to Appear (FTA) procedures?

How many drivers are impacted?

Do these new FTA procedures apply to me if I had a non-misdemeanor FTA violation prior to the court decision?

Will I be notified if my FTA suspension was removed?

Will I still be required to pay a reissue fee?

If I get a ticket, do I still have to appear in court?

Were my FTA violations removed from my driver's record?

How do I know if I have an FTA violation or a suspension on my driver's record?

How do I get a copy of my driver's record?

Where would an FTA violation show on my driver's record?

How do I know if my driving privilege is suspended?

If I have my DL and it has not expired, can I drive?

When will I be able to drive if my driving privilege is currently expired?

Will DMV charge me to get my DL back after my FTA is removed?

Top Search Results

Payments & Refunds

Quick Links

Payments

Refunds

Refund of Vehicle License Fee (VLF) on Total Loss Vehicles

Dishonored Payments

Pay Online

Pay By Mail

Pay in Person at a DMV Office

Reissue Fees

FAQs