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California title transfer fees
How much is the title fee in California?
Explained below
In plain English
The California DMV's fee table has a row reading Transfer with a fee amount of $15. For a vehicle registered for on-highway use, the DMV says the owner will likely also pay the registration fee, the California Highway Patrol fee, the vehicle license fee, the transportation improvement fee and a county/district fee.
“Transfer (VC §9255) Fee Amount $15”
The official words for the rest
“You will likely have to pay the following fees if your vehicle is registered for on-highway use: The registration fee California Highway Patrol (CHP) fee Vehicle license fee Transportation improvement fee County/district fee”
Worked example
Example: a $12,000 used car bought from a private seller in California. The title fee quoted for California is not one figure, so none is used here. Tax is left out of this example. Not included: registration and plates, a lien fee, an out-of-state inspection, county or office add-ons, and late fees.
A made-up price; every other figure is from the quotes on this page. It is an illustration, not a bill.
What other fees come with it?
- Out-of-state inspection$28not added
“Non-resident service (original from out-of-state) (VC §9252) Fee Amount $28”
What are the steps in California, and by when?
In plain English
A buyer has 10 days after purchasing the vehicle to transfer ownership from the seller, and the seller has 5 days after the sale to report the transfer of ownership to DMV.
The official words
“Buyers have 10 days after purchasing the vehicle to transfer ownership from the seller to themselves, and sellers have 5 days after the sale to report the transfer of ownership to DMV”
What if the car comes from another state?
New residents have
20 days
“Nonresident vehicle owners who move to California must register their out-of-state vehicles in California within 20 days of the date they accept employment or establish residency in California.”
In plain English
Nonresident owners who move to California must register their out-of-state vehicles within 20 days of the date they accept employment or establish residency in California.
The official words
“Nonresident vehicle owners who move to California must register their out-of-state vehicles in California within 20 days of the date they accept employment or establish residency in California.”
The DMV fee table has a row reading Non-resident service (original from out-of-state) with a fee amount of $28. The row says no more than that.
The official words
“Non-resident service (original from out-of-state) (VC §9252) Fee Amount $28”
When the purchase is taxable, a credit may be available for sales or use tax paid to another state when the vehicle was bought.
The official words
“If your purchase is taxable, you may be eligible for a credit for sales or use tax paid to another state when you purchased the vehicle or vessel.”
What about tax on the purchase in California?
In plain English
The use tax rate is the same as the sales tax rate, but it is determined by the address where the vehicle is registered. When a purchase is taxable, the buyer may be eligible for a credit for sales or use tax paid to another state at the time of purchase.
The official words
“The tax rate for use tax is the same as that for sales tax, but it is determined by the address where the vehicle is registered or the vessel is moored.”
“If your purchase is taxable, you may be eligible for a credit for sales or use tax paid to another state when you purchased the vehicle or vessel.”
We don’t work out tax for California.
A calculator on a state or county government site: Vehicle Registration & Licensing Fee Calculators (dmv.ca.gov).
What does a gift or family transfer change in California?
In plain English
A person who receives a vehicle as a gift is not required to pay California use tax on that gift. Use tax is also not required on a purchase from a parent, grandparent, grandchild, child, spouse or domestic partner.
The official words
“If you received a vehicle or vessel as a gift, you are not required to pay California use tax on that gift.”
“You are not required to pay use tax on the purchase of a vehicle or vessel from a parent, grandparent, grandchild, child, spouse, or domestic partner.”
What happens if the transfer is late in California?
In plain English
In the DMV fee table, the Transfer row of $15 is followed by a Penalty row with a fee amount of $15. The rows do not say when the penalty starts.
The official words
“Transfer (VC §9255) Fee Amount $15 Fee Type —Penalty (VC §9553.7) Fee Amount $15”
What the pages we read do not cover
The pages we read do not print the tax rate as a figure.
They do not give a fee for recording a lender's claim on the title.
They do not say what papers to bring or which office to visit.
How California compares
The title fee quoted for California is not a single figure, so California is not placed among the other states.
Every state in one table · How a title transfer works
Add it up for California
Reference only, not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the agency. Full statement
Sources
10 quoted lines from 4 official sources, each matched word for word on November 12, 2026. The state’s own titling page is dmv.ca.gov.
- California DMV, Registration Fees · dmv.ca.gov
- California DMV, Registering a vehicle purchased from a private party · dmv.ca.gov
- California DMV, Vehicle Registration and Licensing Fee Calculators · dmv.ca.gov
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, Publication 52, Vehicles and Vessels: Use Tax (PDF) · cdtfa.ca.gov