{"id":13396,"date":"2020-04-15T15:22:05","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T22:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/handbook\/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2\/general-registration-information\/vehicle-verifications\/"},"modified":"2024-02-27T15:20:23","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T23:20:23","slug":"vehicle-verifications","status":"publish","type":"dmv_handbook","link":"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/handbook\/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2\/general-registration-information\/vehicle-verifications\/","title":{"rendered":"1.165 Vehicle Verifications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>DMV may require a physical inspection of a vehicle (verification of vehicle) prior to completing a vehicle registration application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A verification of vehicle is always required for:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Registration of a vehicle last registered out of state (see exceptions on the next page).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reregistration of a previous \u201cjunk\u201d or \u201csalvage\u201d vehicle, unless the application contains a CHP Certificate of Inspection (CHP 97C) form. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Registration of a specially constructed (SPCNS) motor vehicle or trailer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A vehicle for which DMV does not have a record, except a new vehicle reported sold by a licensed California dealer on an Application for Registration of a New Vehicle (REG 397) form.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recording an engine change, motorcycle engine case change, or change from engine number to vehicle identification number (VIN).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assignment of an identifying VIN number by DMV.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When the VIN shown on certificates is different from the VIN shown on record (including vehicles being junked).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A verification of vehicle is not required for:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A new trailer purchased in another state and eligible for registration under the permanent trailer identification (PTI) program, provided:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The trailer has never been registered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The trailer has not been modified, altered, or assembled from a kit. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A secure manufacturer\u2019s certificate\/statement of origin (MCO\/MSO) is submitted for the complete trailer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A new commercial vehicle purchased in another state as a complete vehicle or as an incomplete vehicle to which a new body was added to make a complete vehicle, provided the vehicle:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Has never been registered or issued International Registration Plan (IRP) registration in California or was issued IRP registration within the last 60 days only.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has not been modified, altered, or assembled from a kit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has an unladen weight of 6,001 pounds or more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meets California emission standards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span role=\"region\" class=\"format-label--note\"><span class=\"format-label__text\">Note<\/span> A verification of vehicle <strong>is required<\/strong> for a vehicle that does <strong>not<\/strong> meet California emission standards.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Authorized Vehicle Verifiers are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>DMV employees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Peace officers including military police (<em>California Penal Code<\/em> \u00a7830).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees of auto clubs that provide registration services.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Auto club verifiers must include the abbreviation of their auto club name with their signature.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Persons licensed as vehicle verifiers by DMV.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Licensed vehicle verifiers cannot do VIN inspections for revived salvage, revived junk, SPCNS vehicles, or motorcycles with an unavailable California record (last registered in California but a record no longer appears on the DMV database).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Form Completion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The verification of a vehicle is always completed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/file\/verification-of-vehicle-reg-31-pdf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Verification of Vehicle (REG 31) (PDF)<\/a> form unless an Application for Assigned Vehicle Identification Number Plate (REG 124) form is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/file\/vehicle-verifier-license-handbook-ol-301-pdf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vehicle Verifier License Handbook (PDF)<\/a><\/em> for instructions and note:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Verifications of incomplete or unassembled vehicles (parts) are not acceptable. For an electric motorcycle, the serial number on the electric motor will be used as the engine number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emission label verification for nonresident vehicles may be completed by an authorized vehicle verifier or peace officer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The federal safety label is used as a second source of public VIN verification. When missing or illegible, an alternate, accessible VIN must be located by a DMV employee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Exception: <\/strong>Off-highway vehicles may not have a federal safety label but may be processed if the VIN has not been altered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All descriptive information requested on the form must be physically inspected and completed, except:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Axles\u2013completed only for commercial vehicles and trailers other than camp<br>trailers or trailer coaches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Estimated weight\u2013completed only for trailers other than camp trailers or trailer coaches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Length\/width\u2013completed only for camp trailers, trailer coaches, and motor<br>homes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":13291,"menu_order":34,"template":"","dmv_task":[11],"dmv_functional_page_type":[64],"dmv_handbook_category":[880,595],"class_list":["post-13396","dmv_handbook","type-dmv_handbook","status-publish","hentry","dmv_task-educational","dmv_functional_page_type-informational","dmv_handbook_category-general-registration-information","dmv_handbook_category-vehicle-industry-reg-procedures-manual"],"featured_image_src":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>1.165 Vehicle Verifications - California DMV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/handbook\/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2\/general-registration-information\/vehicle-verifications\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"1.165 Vehicle Verifications - California DMV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DMV may require a physical inspection of a vehicle (verification of vehicle) prior to completing a vehicle registration application. 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