Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual

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Section 3 of 38

Chapter 2: General Information – Licensees

2.050 License Required

Chapter 2 General Information — Licensees

2.050 License Required

It is unlawful for a person to act as a dealer, distributor, manufacturer, remanufacturer, transporter, or any of its branches without first obtaining a license or temporary permit issued by DMV. Each business or its branch must make application to DMV for a special license plate and submit proof of status as a bona fide dealer, distributor, manufacturer, remanufacturer, transporter, or any of its branches, as may be reasonably required by DMV (VC §11700).

It is unlawful for:

  • A lessor-retailer to make a retail sale of a vehicle subject to registration, without first having either a vehicle dealer license, a lessor-retailer license, or a temporary permit issued by DMV.
  • A lessor-retailer with a suspended, revoked, invalidated, or expired license to make a retail sale of a vehicle subject to registration (VC §11600).
  • A person who, for compensation, acts as a registration service without first obtaining a registration service license or temporary permit issued by DMV (VC §11400).

Information on obtaining the required license for each of the licensees listed can be found by searching Occupational Licenses on the DMV website.