Vehicle Registration Suspensions

Registered vehicle owners are required to insure their vehicles. If the DMV doesn’t receive proof of insurance for a vehicle, it will suspend the vehicle’s registration, and until proof of insurance is submitted, the vehicle may not be operated or parked on public roadways.

The Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program is required to suspend a vehicle’s registration when:

  • Insurance information is not submitted to DMV within 30 days of being issued a registration card.
  • DMV is notified that the vehicle’s insurance policy was cancelled and a replacement policy isn’t submitted within 45 days.
  • The vehicle’s owner provided false proof of insurance to obtain the registration. 

Reinstating Your Vehicle Registration

There are a few different ways to send us your proof of insurance and $14 reinstatement fee in order to reinstate your vehicle registration. Note that a DMV office or call center can’t clear a registration suspension. They’ll refer you to one of these options. 

Online

See your registration suspension status, submit your proof of insurance and  reinstatement fee, and submit/remove an Affidavit of Non-Use (ANU).

Reinstate my registration

Email

Email a scanned copy of your proof of insurance to VehicleFRProgram@dmv.ca.gov

Kiosks

Submit your proof of insurance, reinstatement fee, and Affidavit of Non-Use (ANU), or remove an ANU.

Mail

If you have your notification letter, mail the stub from the letter along with your proof of insurance and/or reinstatement fee to:

DMV
PO Box 997405
Sacramento, CA 95899-7405

If you don’t have your notification letter, mail your proof of insurance and/or reinstatement fee to:

DMV – VRFRP Unit
PO Box 997408 M/S N305
Sacramento, CA 95899-7408

Phone

Call our automated voice system (1-800-777-0133) to verify your registration suspension status, submit your proof of insurance and reinstatement fee, and submit/remove an ANU.

FAQs

DMV will mail a notice informing the vehicle owner that proof of insurance and a $14 reinstatement fee is due to clear the suspension.

If it’s time to renew a vehicle’s registration and you don’t plan on using the vehicle, you can place the vehicle on Planned Non-Operation (PNO) status. 

If the vehicle is currently registered and you decide not to use it, you must either maintain liability insurance or notify us that you won’t be using the vehicle by submitting an Affidavit of Non-Use (ANU) online. You can also print and mail an Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090) to: 

DMV
PO Box 997408 M/S N305
Sacramento, CA 95899-7408

Or call our automated voice system (1-800-777-0133). 

Vehicles with ANU or PNO status are not subject to suspension, but they can’t be parked or operated on any California roadways.

Personal vehicles covered by a commercial or business policy might not be identified as commercially insured. If you receive a notice requesting proof of insurance, you must send a copy of your insurance card or the declaration page of your policy to the Vehicle Registration Financial Responsibility Program prior to the suspension date shown on the notice.