Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual

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Section 8 of 38

Chapter 7: Miscellaneous Originals

7.075 U.S. Government Surplus Vehicles

Surplus vehicles sold by the U.S. Government are considered an original registration.

U.S. Government Surplus Registration Requirements

  • Completed Application for Title or Registration (REG 343).
  • Vehicle verification (REG 343).
  • Certificate of Release of Motor Vehicle, U.S. Government, Standard Form 97, and any bills of sale needed to establish a complete chain of ownership to the applicant.
  • Odometer mileage disclosure on a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment form (REG 262), if applicable. See Chapter 5, Odometer Mileage Reporting, for odometer disclosure requirements.
  • Report of Sale, Used Vehicle (REG 51), if sold by a California dealer.
  • Weight certificate for a commercial vehicle weighing less than 10,001 pounds unladen. If the vehicle weighs 10,001 pounds or more, or if the vehicle is a trailer in the PTI program, the estimated unladen weight is required and must be shown on a Statement of Facts (REG 256).
  • Declaration of Gross Vehicle Weight/Combined Gross Vehicle Weight (REG 4008) completed and signed by the owner for a commercial vehicle weighing 6,001 pounds or more unladen (not required for pickups).
  • Smog certification, if appropriate.
  • Collect the fees due.

A Sale of a surplus government vehicle is exempt from use tax if the Standard form 97 shows that the vehicle was sold under Government Code §201C or §481C. Use tax is due if one of these code sections do not appear on the Standard form 97.