Page 70 – California DMV

5.040 Leased Vehicles

The lessor (leasing company) is the registered owner of a leased vehicle and must acknowledge the odometer reading at the time the vehicle is purchased and the mileage is disclosed. The lessee is not the registered owner and cannot make endorsements regarding vehicle ownership.

The lessor may authorize an agent to disclose odometer mileage readings. This agent may be the lessee or an employee of a dealership or financial institution. That authorization may accompany the application or be kept on file with the dealership or financial institution.

Note If the appointed agent is an employee of a dealership, that same employee cannot sign for both the dealer and the leasing company on the same transaction.

Odometer disclosure is not required for a change of lessee, if the lessor remains the same.

5.035 Information Recorded on the Certificate of Title

A California Certificate of Title issued on or after April 18, 1994, for a vehicle on which odometer information was recorded contains the following information:

Mileage (MI) or kilometers (KM)
Date of transaction (MM/DD/CCYY)
Odometer mileage reading
Odometer code as follows:
- A=Actual mileage
- E=Exceeds mechanical limits (the odometer has reached the highest numbers mechanically available and has started renumbering at “1,” in other words it has “rolled over”)
- N=Not actual mileage (the odometer is broken, has been replaced, or the current owner is unsure of the true mileage)

5.030 Errors in Reporting Odometer Mileage

The following procedures apply to odometer mileage reading errors.

If an Error Is Made	Then the Customer Must Submit
If an Error Is MadeOn the odometer disclosure section of an: • Application for Registration of New Vehicle (REG 397) form. • Application for Title or Registration (REG 343) form. • Complying title.	Then the Customer Must Submit• A Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form (REG 262) for the odometer disclosure. • A Statement of Facts (REG 256) form explaining why there is a separate odometer disclosure statement.
If an Error Is MadeOn a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form (REG 262).	Then the Customer Must SubmitA new REG 262. Retain the original REG 262 when the Bill of Sale and/or Power of Attorney sections were also completed.
If an Error Is MadeOn a secure power of attorney.	Then the Customer Must SubmitA new REG 262. • Discard the incorrect secure power of attorney.
If an Error Is MadeBut discovered after a California Certificate of Title is issued.	Then the Customer Must Submit• The California Certificate of Title. • A Verification of Vehicle (REG 31) form showing the current mileage. • A REG 256 stating what information is in error.

5.025 Disclosure Requirements (Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 §580.5 (c) and 580.5 (f)

Original Signature(s) Required—Odometer disclosure requires original signatures by the seller(s) and buyer(s); signatures by power of attorney are not acceptable. The original signature of one seller and one buyer is sufficient when multiple owners are shown on the title.

Handprinted Name(s) Required—The printed name and signature of an individual buyer or seller must be completed by hand in ink. Endorsements by a business may show a handprinted, typewritten, or computer-generated business name, but the countersignature of the authorized agent must be completed by hand and in ink.

Seller’s Disclosure Missing on Private Party Sale/Transfer—When the odometer mileage reading was not disclosed by the seller and the buyer cannot locate the seller for disclosure, the buyer must:

Disclose the current odometer mileage reading on the complying title or a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form (REG 262).
Complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) (PDF) form explaining why the seller’s odometer disclosure cannot be obtained.

Important This does not apply to dealer transactions.

Copy of Disclosure—The original copy of the odometer disclosure must be submitted to DMV with the titling documents; a photocopy is not acceptable. Photocopies may be used if additional copies are needed for the seller or buyer. When disclosure is on a complying title, the photocopy must show the names of the prior owners, they cannot be covered.

For a vehicle transfer that occurs on or after January 1, 2021, that is less than 20 model years old will require odometer disclosure. The table below shows the age of a vehicle by model year subject to odometer disclosure requirements on a given calendar year.

						Calendar Year
Model Year	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	Calendar Year2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031
2010	11	12	13	14	15	Calendar Year16	17	18	19	20	21
2011	10	11	12	13	14	Calendar Year15	16	17	18	19	20
2012	9	10	11	12	13	Calendar Year14	15	16	17	18	19
2013	8	9	10	11	12	Calendar Year13	14	15	16	17	18
2014	7	8	9	10	11	Calendar Year12	13	14	15	16	17
2015	6	7	8	9	10	Calendar Year11	12	13	14	15	16
2016	5	6	7	8	9	Calendar Year10	11	12	13	14	15
2017	4	5	6	7	8	Calendar Year9	10	11	12	13	14
2018	3	4	5	6	7	Calendar Year8	9	10	11	12	13
2019	2	3	4	5	6	Calendar Year7	8	9	10	11	12
2020	1	2	3	4	5	Calendar Year6	7	8	9	10	11
2021		1	2	3	4	Calendar Year5	6	7	8	9	10
2022			1	2	3	Calendar Year4	5	6	7	8	9

5.020 Disclosure Features

All states are required to provide an odometer disclosure section/space on complying titles or complying forms. The odometer disclosure should contain:

The complete vehicle description (make, year model, body type, and vehicle identification number).
The date of sale.
Reference to federal and state law with the following or similar wording:
Federal and state law requires that you state the mileage upon transfer of ownership; failure to complete or providing a false statement may result in fines and/or imprisonment.
The numeric odometer mileage reading that appears on the vehicle’s odometer and an indication that the reading is the actual mileage, not the actual mileage, or exceeds mechanical limits.
The transferor’s/seller’s printed name, current address, and signature.
The transferee’s/buyer’s printed name, current address, and signature.

California odometer disclosure statements contain a perjury statement which is not required on other state, auto auction, or government surplus auction (GSA) forms.

5.015 Court Actions

The person awarded ownership of a vehicle as a result of a court action is authorized to disclose the odometer mileage reading. Disclosure must be on the appropriate document, such as the complying title or Vehicle/Vessel Transferred Reassignment Form (REG 262) . Use the court order as evidence to justify the missing seller’s signature.

5.010 Certificate of Title

Several versions of the California Certificate of Title exist as shown below, all of which are valid.

Noncomplying Pink Title (“pink slip”)—This title (Certificate of Ownership) has boxes on the front side of the certificate for the odometer mileage.

Noncomplying Rainbow Title—This title has only an odometer disclosure statement on its front side for the registered owner to report the mileage. It does not have the information shown in numbers 2 and 3 in the Complying Rainbow Title section.

Note Out-of-state titles that contain the document features outlined in the Odometer Disclosure Document Features section in this chapter, the odometer mileage disclosure statement for the seller must be provided, and an odometer reading acknowledgment for the buyer are complying titles.

Complying Rainbow Title

The face of the title has an odometer disclosure statement for the registered owner to report the mileage.
Language in the certification above the new buyer’s signature acknowledges the mileage reported.
The reverse side of the title has a signature line in the dealer’s section for the new buyer to acknowledge the odometer reading.

Revisions of this title provide additional space for signatures and/or disclosure:

The 7/94 revision contains Line 1c for the new buyer to sign acknowledging the mileage reported by the seller.
The 12/94 revision contains a separate section for odometer mileage disclosure by the seller and acknowledgment by the buyer.

Complying Pink Title with Blue Border (New 12/03)

The face of the title is pink with a blue border and a white opaque state seal.
The reverse side of the title is blue.
VOID appears on the title if photocopied.
The vehicle history (brand) information is prominently displayed within a red box in the upper right corner of the certificate.
The title contains a warning banner printed in the right and left border that reads, “VOID WITHOUT BEAR WATERMARK. HOLD TO LIGHT TO VIEW”.
The title contains a custom-repeated pattern of microprinted wording to expose erasures in the odometer statement areas.
To expose chemical alterations, reactive agents are incorporated into the paper that produce various stains. California Certificate of Title (New 6/2010).
Has a prominent strand of polyester security thread embedded into the paper. The thread is repeatedly printed with “State of California” in a forward/backward position in microprinted text.
The ISSUE DATE section is printed in red.
The VEHICLE HISTORY box, VEHICLE ID NUMBER, PLATE NUMBER, and ODOMETER sections include the words “California Department of Motor Vehicles” in the shaded areas.

California Salvage Certificate (New 6/2010)

Has a prominent strand of polyester security thread embedded into the paper. The thread is repeatedly printed with “State of California” in a forward/backward position in microprinted text.
The VEHICLE HISTORY box, VEHICLE ID NUMBER, PLATE NUMBER, and ODOMETER sections include the words “California Department of Motor Vehicles,” in the shaded areas.

5.005 Auto Auctions

Auto auctions must retain the original copy of their invoice. Carbon copies of the auto auction invoice are acceptable for disclosure of odometer mileage.

Auto auctions may maintain their copy of odometer mileage disclosure statements electronically or on an invoice that has a complying disclosure statement or on a photocopy of the Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form (REG 262).

Chapter 5 Odometer Mileage Reporting

5.000 Introduction (VC §§1819, 4751, 5900, 5901, and 9255)

Mandatory Reporting—In compliance with the Federal Truth in Mileage Act of 1986, odometer mileage disclosure must be collected by DMV on original registration and registered owner transfer applications of the following vehicles that
are nine model years old and newer:

Automobiles
Commercial vehicles with an unladen weight of 8,500 pounds or less or a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 16,000 pounds or less
Motorcycles

Determine the exempt vehicle year model by subtracting 10 years from the current calendar year. For example, in calendar year 2014, 2004 and older year models are exempt.

Reporting Exceptions—Odometer mileage disclosure is not required for:

Vehicles 10 model years old and older (see Mandatory Reporting above).
Commercial vehicles with an unladen weight of 8,501 pounds or more or a GVW of 16,001 pounds or more.
Vehicles sold directly by the manufacturer to a U.S. government agency until resold by that agency.
New vehicles transferred prior to first retail sale (dealer to dealer).
Vehicles being reported as dismantled (junked).
Unrecovered stolen vehicles being transferred to the insurance company.
Low speed vehicles (LSV), as defined in the Low Speed and Neighborhood Electric Vehicles section in Chapter 2. Federal regulations require an LSV to have a speedometer, but not an odometer.
Golf carts, as defined in the Golf Carts section in Chapter 2.

Note DMV encourages odometer mileage readings for all vehicles, including the vehicles listed above. Accept all properly completed odometer disclosure statements.

Original Registration Applications—Odometer mileage disclosure is completed on the following forms, as determined by the type of application:

Application for Registration of New Vehicle (REG 397) form.
Application for Title or Registration (REG 343) (PDF) form with no change of ownership.
Complying out-of-state title with a change of ownership.
Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form (REG 262) with change of ownership on a noncomplying out-of-state title.
Out-of-state odometer disclosure statement.
Out-of-state secure power of attorney.

Registered Owner Transfers—Odometer mileage disclosure must be on a complying title or a REG 262, as appropriate.