California License Plate Lookup

Type the CA plate exactly as it reads on the car and keep California selected. The plate is only the way in: we match it to the car's VIN, and the VIN carries the history. A California tag lookup works the same way.

1. 1. Enter the plate

   Type the California plate and pick the state. Spaces and dashes don't matter.

2. 2. We find the car's VIN

   The plate turns into the car's 17-character VIN in seconds, and you see the decoded year, make and model before you pay.

3. 3. Open the full history report

   One payment of $9.99, no account. The report opens at once, with records from all states.

What the report includes

One report for the VIN behind the plate, searched across all states:

• Odometer readings in miles

  Dated readings from state safety and emissions inspections and auction sales, with a rollback check.

  All states

• Police-reported crashes

  Crashes involving this VIN, with the year, plus the damage recorded when the car was sold at auction.

  All states

• Salvage and auction history, with photos

  Insurance and salvage auction sales of this VIN: sale date, damage type, title, odometer at sale and the auction photos.

  All states

• Title brands

  Salvage, rebuilt, flood and junk brands, so you know what the title says before the seller tells you.

• Recalls and owner complaints

  Safety recalls and owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the model and model year.

  Model-level

• Factory specs

  Model year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain and assembly plant, decoded from the VIN.

  Every VIN

What DMV and its offices charge for titles, registration and plates, as published. Each row links its source.

In a California private sale, the seller signs line 1 of the pink slip and owes you a smog certificate from the last 90 days. Cars four model years old or newer skip the test, and you pay an $8 smog transfer fee instead. You have 10 days to transfer ownership at the DMV, and the seller has 5 days to file the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability. Budget for the $15 transfer fee, use tax at the rate for your address and a $15 penalty if you pay late.

Dealers must show you an NMVTIS report and post a disclosure on any car with a junk, salvage or other brand. From October 1, 2026, the CARS Act (SB 766) lets you cancel the purchase or lease of a vehicle under $50,000 within three days.

The brands to watch are California's own. A Revived Salvage car was a total loss that came back after a vehicle verification and a safety systems inspection, which proves it passed, not that the repair was good. A Lemon Law Buyback was returned to its maker for a defect, and the dealer must have you sign a disclosure. Cars titled in California after years in other states can hide flood or crash history, so read the full multi-state record, not only the current title.

Private sale

The seller signs line 1 of the California Certificate of Title (pink slip), records the odometer reading on the title or a REG 262 for cars under 10 years old, and gives you a smog certification from the last 90 days unless the car is exempt. You transfer ownership at DMV within 10 days, paying the $15 transfer fee and use tax. The seller files the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138, online or by mail) within 5 days.

Dealer sale

Many dealers are authorized to transfer the title and issue temporary registration, and since 2019 they mount printed temporary license plates that expire 90 days after the sale. Every California dealer must show you an NMVTIS report and post a disclosure on any car with a junk, salvage or other brand. From October 1, 2026, the CARS Act (SB 766) gives you three days to cancel the purchase or lease of a vehicle under $50,000.

Title transfer deadline

10 days (buyer); seller's NRL within 5 days

Source: California Department of Motor Vehicles

California follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) and adds its own law:

Cal. Veh. Code 1808.21 (residence address confidential), with 1808.22-1808.24 and 1810-1810.2

California implements the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) through the Vehicle Code. Residence addresses in any DMV record are confidential and released only to courts, law enforcement and other listed government users (1808.21), to insurers, financial institutions and attorneys in cases directly involving a vehicle (1808.22), and to manufacturers and dealers for safety and recall notices (1808.23). Requesters use form INF 70 and DMV gives the record subject a copy of the request (1810). Addresses obtained may not be used for marketing.

Source: DMV