How to Get a Copy of Car Registration in California (REG 156)

To get a copy of your California car registration, request a replacement card online if your vehicle is eligible, or mail Form REG 156 or take it to a DMV office. The California DMV charges $28 for a replacement registration card. If you only need proof of registration today, the DMV lets you print your own vehicle record for $2. This guide covers California only, explains who can use each route, and shows which one fits a lost card, a stolen card, a changed address or a registration that is about to expire.

Rules and fees change, so confirm the amounts on the DMV pages named below before you pay. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Which Method Should You Use?

California offers four routes. Three of them replace the physical card for the same $28 fee; the fourth gives you a printout of your registration record without replacing anything. The table matches each route to what the DMV pages say about it.

The DMV explains the replacement process on its own Registration Card Replacement page. Everything below follows that page, the online replacement page, the REG 156 form (revision 11/2024) and the DMV Registration Fees page, all reviewed in October 2026.

Check Eligibility

Before you pick a route, confirm who is allowed to ask for the card and whether your vehicle qualifies for the online system. Checking first avoids paying for a request that cannot be processed.

Who Can Request A Copy

The REG 156 form is completed by the registered owner of record, with a co-owner listed if there is one, and it ends with a signature certified under penalty of perjury. The DMV card replacement page describes the process as one for a registration card that was lost, stolen or mutilated.

Required Information

For the online request, the DMV lists three things: your license plate number, your registration information and the last 5 digits of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), plus a payment method. If you do not have a California driver license or ID card number, the DMV says to type the word NONE in that field. The paper REG 156 form asks for the license plate number, the vehicle make, the full vehicle ID number, the owner name, the driver license or ID card number and the address.

Who Is NOT Eligible for the Online Replacement System?

The DMV lists these as ineligible for an online replacement request:

• Vessels, off-highway vehicles, special equipment plated vehicles and farm equipment
• Vehicles with registration due within the next 30 calendar days
• Vehicles with an expired or suspended registration, or on Planned Non-Operation
• Junked vehicles, vehicles with a salvage certificate issued, and non-repairable vehicles
• Vehicles with titles surrendered to another state
• Vehicles with an open collections action, an active Notice of Release of Liability, or a hold for processing, titling, outstanding citations or vehicle theft
• Vehicles in the Permanent Fleet Registration program
• Commercial vehicles under the International Registration Plan or Partial Year Registration, and trailers under the Permanent Trailer Identification program

If your vehicle is on that list, the DMV says to complete REG 156 and mail it to the address on the form or take it into a DMV office. If your renewal is within 30 days, use the paper route or renew and wait for the new card.

Online Request Process

For an eligible vehicle, the online route is the simplest. Follow the steps in this order, as laid out on the DMV online replacement page:

1. Check eligibility: compare your vehicle to the ineligible list above, especially the 30-day renewal rule.
2. Fix your address first: the online replacement application cannot change the owner address. Use the DMV change of address system, then confirm the change was processed before you order.
3. Gather your details: license plate number, registration information and the last 5 digits of the VIN.
4. Start the replacement request: choose a replacement registration card (or a replacement sticker, which includes a new card).
5. Pay the fee: $28 plus the service fee that applies to the payment method.
6. Wait for the mail: the DMV says replacement items are mailed within 14 days to the registered owner address on record.

The address step matters more than people expect. The DMV says an online address change can take up to three days to process, so a card ordered too early can go to the old address. Our guide on using a P.O. box for car registration covers what to do if you do not have a street mailing address.

In-person Request

You can take a completed REG 156 to your local DMV field office, or use a DMV kiosk. The DMV card replacement page says to bring your license plate number and the last 5 digits of the VIN for a kiosk application, and adds that you can make an appointment online for faster service. The page does not state how long a card takes when you apply in person, so ask the clerk before you leave.

What to Bring: A Checklist From the DMV Pages

• A completed and signed REG 156 form (or complete the application at a kiosk instead)
• Your license plate number, the make of the vehicle and the vehicle ID number (the VIN)
• Your driver license or ID card number, as the form requests it (or NONE if you have none)
• Payment for the $28 fee: the Registration Fees page says offices accept cash, cards, bank account payments and money orders
• A police report if the request involves stolen plates and your address differs from the DMV record, since the form asks for it in that case
• A change of address completed beforehand if you have moved

Request By Mail

Mail is the fallback for vehicles the online system will not take. The DMV page gives this address for the completed application and payment: Department of Motor Vehicles, Registration Operations, PO Box 942869, Sacramento, California 94269-0001. The Registration Fees page says mail accepts a check from a bank account or a money order, not cash or cards.

Download The Form

The form is called Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156), and the version dated 11/2024 is the one on the DMV site as of October 2026. It is a two-page form covering plates, stickers and documents, so check the box for Registration Card in Section 2, and in Section 3 mark whether the item was lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated, not received from the DMV, or not received from the prior owner.

If the item was not received from the DMV, the form says to allow 30 days from the issue date before reapplying. Section 5 requires the registered owner to certify the mailing address and sign under penalty of perjury.

Processing Time

The DMV pages give no timeframe for mail-in replacement requests. The only figure on the card replacement pages is for online orders: mailed within 14 days. The DMV tells online customers who waited more than two weeks to contact DMV Customer Service. The REG 156 form lists 1-800-777-0133 for current fee information.

Fees And Payment Options

The DMV Registration Fees page lists replacement fees under one heading, and it notes that all fees may change depending on the law. Here are the amounts relevant to this topic.

As an example of the card fees, 1.95% of $28 is about 55 cents and 2.1% of $28 is about 59 cents, so the card fee is small next to the replacement fee. Paying from a bank account online avoids the card fee on the vehicle record request, per the DMV record request page.

Need Proof of Registration Today? Try the $2 Vehicle Record Request

If you need something to show right now, the DMV Online Vehicle Record Request prints your own vehicle or vessel registration record. The DMV says you need to be ready to create an online account if you have never used the site, pay $2 (plus the 1.95% card fee, or no extra fee when paying directly from a bank account), and have a printer on and ready, because you only have one opportunity to print after the fee is paid.

This is a record printout, not a replacement card. The DMV pages do not say that every agency or lender accepts it in place of the card, so check with whoever asked for proof. You can only request your own record this way.

Which Situation Are You In?

Receiving Your Registration Copy

Delivery Methods

Online replacements are mailed to the registered owner address on record. If you are also missing a sticker, see our guide on how to get a car registration sticker and where to put the registration sticker once it arrives.

Expected Timeframe

The DMV says online replacement items are mailed within 14 days. For paper requests, no timeframe is given on the DMV pages, so build in extra time if you have a deadline. Our explainer on whether a car registration expires covers the date rules.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

These are the mistakes and misunderstandings that come up most often, matched to what the DMV pages say.

What This Guide Does Not Cover

• Other states: registration replacement works differently elsewhere, for example Pennsylvania, covered in our guide on reprinting a PA car registration online
• Replacement plates, disabled person placards and commercial vehicle items, which have their own forms

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Get A Copy Of My Car Registration In California?

Request a replacement registration card online if your vehicle is eligible, at a DMV kiosk, or with Form REG 156 by mail or in person. The DMV replacement fee is $28. If you only need proof today, print your own vehicle record for $2.

How Long Does It Take To Receive A Duplicate Registration?

The DMV says online replacement items are mailed within 14 days to the registered owner address. The DMV pages give no timeframe for mail-in requests, so ask DMV Customer Service at 1-800-777-0133 if you are under a deadline.

Can I Get A Car Registration Copy Online In California?

Yes, if your vehicle is eligible. Vehicles with registration due within 30 days, expired or suspended registrations, salvage vehicles and several other categories must use REG 156 by mail or at a DMV office.

Is There A Faster Way To Get Proof Of My Registration Without Waiting For The Mail?

The DMV Online Vehicle Record Request prints your own registration record for $2. You get one chance to print after paying, so have your printer ready.

Conclusion

A copy of your California registration costs $28 through the online, kiosk, mail or in-person routes, and the right one depends on your vehicle, your address and how soon you need it. When in doubt, start at the DMV Registration Card Replacement page and confirm the current fee before paying.