Can i check the status of my car registration online

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You can search for a registration (current or expired) and check the details by using the:

• registration number
• VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): only for vehicles made since 1 January 1989. You cannot search by chassis, hull identification, or serial identification number

This service does not provide a registered owner's details.
This service does not provide details if the registration has been cancelled.

You can use this service to check:

• registration status and expiry date
• make, model and body shape
• learner approved motorcycles
• purpose of use - for example private, commercial
• inspection due date - for vehicles that need an inspection

Did you know you can check registrations with an app?

Replacement registration certificates

If you need to register a vehicle for use on California roadways, waterways, or trailways, you’ve come to the right place to find out all you need to know.

Learn about new vehicle registrations

Renew Your Registration

Skip the line and renew your vehicle registration online.

Renew your registration

Replace Your Registration Card

If your registration card has been lost, stolen, or mutilated, you may get a replacement registration card for a fee.

Replace your registration card

Smog Inspections

Smog inspections are required when you register or renew registration for a vehicle in California, but there are some exceptions.

Learn more about smog inspections

Update Info on Your Registration

It’s important to keep the information on your registration current and accurate. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to make basic changes to your vehicle registration!

Update info on your registration

Titles

A California Certificate of Title is an official document that identifies the legal owner of a vehicle and contains important vehicle identification information.

Learn more about titles

Registration Fees

There are a variety of fees that may be required when applying for or renewing vehicle registration. 

See registration fees

Insurance Requirements

Insurance (also referred to as financial responsibility) is required on all vehicles operated or parked on California roads.

Learn more about insurance requirements

License Plates, Decals, & Placards

License plates, decals, and placards help identify vehicle owners, show proof of registration, grant driving and parking privileges, and more. 

Learn more about plates, decals & placards

Partial Year Registration

Commercial motor vehicles not operated throughout a calendar year may be eligible for partial year registration (PYR). PYR can be valid for any amount of time between 1-12 months. 

To use the service, you must be the primary registrant. That means your name must be the first one listed on the registration. You will need the document number (see sample documents) from your most recently issued document. If you renewed or ordered yours recently and have not received it in the mail yet, you will need to wait for it to arrive before you can create a MyDMV account.

You can check the status of your registration renewal through our online renewal tracking tool Where's My Sticker if you completed your renewal online. The tracker will tell you WHEN IT WAS MAILED to you, not when you should receive it. If the registration renewal was submitted:

In the worst case, you could end up going to court, face an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving. The police are also allowed to seize, and in some cases, destroy a vehicle that is being driven uninsured.

How to check vehicle insurance - does my insurance renew automatically?

If you previously bought an insurance policy for your car and aren’t sure if you’re still covered, it’s possible that your policy has renewed automatically.

Most insurers will send you a renewal notice just before your 12-month insurance period ends. But if you don’t take action before the policy expires, your insurer may automatically renew your cover. If you think this has happened, contact your insurer and check your bank statements to see if any payments have been made in the past year.

If your policy has automatically renewed, make a note of the expiry date for future reference so that you can shop around for car insurance in good time. 

Automatically renewing your policy is often more expensive so it pays to make sure you get the best quotes for car insurance in advance and avoid sorting your insurance at the last minute.

Some motorists have also been known to buy a new car insurance policy with a different provider without realising that their old policy has automatically renewed. This has resulted in two separate policies on the one car. As well as potentially causing complications in the event of a claim, this also means the policyholder is paying more than they should be as only one policy can be valid at any time.

Who can drive my car?

Just because you’ve used an insurance checker, and have found out your vehicle is insured, this doesn’t mean anyone can drive it. 

Insurance policies cover drivers not cars, so before letting someone loose behind the steering wheel, check that your policy allows other motorists with comprehensive cover in their own right to drive your car. If not, you’ll need to add them to your policy as a named driver.

Am I still insured if my car is written off?

If your car’s written off, ownership is effectively transferred to your car insurance provider. You will then receive a pay-out equivalent to the value of the vehicle if it were sold in its pre-accident condition. This is known as a settlement.

If you want to drive another car, even on a temporary basis, you would need to check with your insurance company.

If your car has reached the end of its useful life and you want to get rid of it you can arrange for a scrap merchant to collect it. The moment they load it on to their lorry, you can cancel your insurance. 

Can I drive an uninsured car with my insurance?

All cars driven on a UK road need to be covered by insurance, with a minimum of third party cover. Always check the car insurance status of any vehicle you intend to drive.

Can I check if my car is taxed and has an MOT?

Even if you take the steps to check if your car is insured, you should also make sure you have road tax and a valid MOT. 

You can check if a car is taxed and has a valid MOT certificate by using the government’s free car check service. You can find out if a vehicle is currently taxed or registered as off-road (SORN) just by entering the registration number. 

Aside from telling you whether the car has been taxed, and when the tax expires, you’ll also find out when the next MOT test is due. It also gives the vehicle make and when it was first registered.

How do I check the status of my vehicle registration in California?

How long does it take to get my registration sticker in the mail California?

How do I check if my car is registered in Kentucky?

How do I check the status of my vehicle registration in Alabama?