Car Registration

Get Your Car Registration at Zaks Auto Registration

Looking for a fast and efficient way to renew your vehicle registration? Look no further than Zaks Auto Registration. We offer the convenience of instant tag pickup in San Diego. Visit us at 6499A El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115, pay for your tags, and leave with them on the spot. No waiting, no delays.

At Zaks Auto Registration, we know your time is precious. Our mission is to make the registration renewal process as seamless and quick as possible. Trust our skilled team to assist with your renewal, ensuring everything is accurate and prompt. We pride ourselves on providing a hassle-free experience for our customers.

Car Registration Renewal in San Diego

How Do I Find Out When My Car Registration Expires?

If you have your vehicle’s registration renewal notice handy, it’s the simplest way to check your DMV registration expiration date. Look at the top right of the notice for the “Due Date,” which indicates the expiration. You can also use our online registration renewal form to find the expiration date and renewal fees. The registration card, whether current or from an old registration, displays this information at the top center.

Remember, a vehicle’s registration expiration month and day stay the same, set during the initial California registration. The expiration year changes, but not the month and day. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t change when the vehicle is sold; the expiration date transfers to the new owner. You can also call Zaks Auto Registration anytime for this information—we can tell you over the phone in under 3 minutes. Or, if you’re in San Diego, drop by one of our locations, and we can let you know the expiration date right away.

How Much Is the Penalty If My Car Registration Is Late?

Penalties in California vary based on how late you renew your vehicle registration. The California DMV doesn’t provide a grace period, and penalties start accumulating the day after your tag expires. Here’s a breakdown of the additional fees for late renewal:

1 – 10 Days Late: 10% extra fee plus $10.00 DMV penalty and $10.00 CHP fee
11 – 30 Days Late: 20% extra fee plus $15.00 DMV penalty and $15.00 CHP fee
31 Days – 1 Year: 60% extra fee plus $30.00 DMV penalty and $30.00 CHP fee
1 Year – 2 Years: 80% extra fee plus $50.00 DMV penalty and $50.00 CHP fee
More Than 2 Years: 160% extra fee plus $100.00 DMV penalty and $100.00 CHP fee

Can My Car Be Impounded/Towed for Driving With Expired Car Registration?

Driving with expired California registration can lead to serious penalties, including vehicle impoundment. Typically, an officer issues a citation for expired registration under CVC 4000a(1), which can be paid through traffic court if the tags aren’t expired for more than 6 months. However, officers can impound any vehicle with registration expired over 6 months. While a 4000a(1) citation doesn’t add a traffic point, penalties can be harsh, especially if your vehicle is impounded. Renew your registration promptly to avoid complications. California Vehicle Code 4462 VC requires drivers to show proof of registration upon request. Displaying false or invalid proof of registration can result in misdemeanor charges, including up to 6 months in jail and/or up to a $1,000 fine.

Can I Renew My Car Registration Without No Insurance Coverage?

At Zaks Auto Registration, you can pay your renewal fees without current insurance coverage. This helps you avoid DMV late fees if you can’t get coverage before the registration expiration or if your insurance company hasn’t sent electronic proof to the California DMV. After renewing your registration, we’ll check DMV insurance records. If your vehicle lacks an insurance policy record, we’ll contact you to collect the information, usually by having you snap a photo of your insurance card and email it to us.

This method speeds up renewal, and you’ll get your new registration sticker and card once you submit proof of insurance or the DMV receives electronic proof from your insurer. California law requires insurance companies to electronically report auto insurance policy information to the DMV for all private-use vehicles (CVC §16058). Commercial or business insurance policies are exempt from electronic reporting. Depending on your insurance company’s data transmission speed to the DMV, your current insurance status may not reflect accurately. If you encounter this issue, contact us for help.

Do I Need a Smog Check Before I Can Get My Car Registered?

For California DMV vehicle registration renewal, vehicles 8 years and older need a smog inspection every two years. The DMV also requires smog checks when transferring your vehicle, whether it’s an out-of-state transfer or a California title transfer. Your DMV renewal notice will indicate this requirement. At Zaks Auto Registration, we can accept your renewal payment and post fees with the DMV to avoid penalties. After your vehicle passes the smog inspection, your new registration card and sticker will be ready for pickup or can be mailed. If you recently failed a smog test, this option helps you avoid late fees. The inspection station will electronically send your smog certificate to the DMV and give you a printout of the results. Pay attention to the smog check type requested by the DMV. Depending on the requirement, you may need to visit any smog station or one that is STAR certified. Visit Zaks Auto Registration at 6499A El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115, and we can refer you to a SMOG partner.

We recommend coming into our office or calling us so we can pull up your smog check certificate online. When renewing through the DMV by mail or online, allow 30 days from the smog inspection date to receive your new registration card and sticker. For a quick renewal, especially if your registration is expiring soon, renew with Zaks Auto Registration. We’ll post fees with the DMV to avoid late fees and mail your new registration card and sticker on the same day as your smog inspection. For even faster DMV service, schedule an appointment before visiting our San Diego locations and walk out with your registration and stickers in hand.

What Can I Do If My Vehicle Requires a Smog But My Vehicle Is Out of State?

If your car is temporarily out of state and your DMV renewal notice indicates a smog certificate is required, you don’t necessarily need to bring it to California for a smog inspection. When renewing by mail, submit an Application for Temporary Smog Exemption (REG 5103) along with your renewal notice. After processing, the DMV will mail your new registration card and sticker to the mailing address on file, which may not be convenient if your vehicle needs current tags in the state where you’re temporarily located.

For renewal with Zaks Auto Registration, if your vehicle is out of state and you need a smog check exemption, email us your REG 5103 instead of mailing it to the DMV. We’ll process your renewal without a smog check and mail your new registration card and sticker to your out-of-state address on the same business day we receive your REG 5103. This service, especially beneficial for RVers, students, and military personnel temporarily out of state, expedites the process. Note: Smog exemptions aren’t allowed when a vehicle is in Nevada.

To proceed, submit your vehicle registration renewal order with Zaks Auto Registration. Upon receiving our confirmation email, reply with your REG 5103 attachment, and we’ll file your smog check exemption with the California DMV. You can submit your REG 5103 as a scanned PDF document or a high-resolution photo taken with your smartphone. Ensure it’s neatly cropped if submitting a photo/image.

If you’ve already paid your vehicle registration renewal fees through the California DMV, place a new renewal order by giving us a call. Upon receiving our Smog Check required email, reply with your completed REG 5103 form or come into our office and have us fill it out for you.

Can I Renew My Car’s Registration If I Have Parking Tickets?

Whether you can renew with outstanding parking tickets depends on whether they are recorded with the DMV. If they are, you can renew, but only after paying the parking or toll tickets along with your DMV registration renewal payment. Your total renewal fees will include an itemized list of outstanding tickets, which you can pay along with your DMV renewal. Renewal isn’t possible without addressing these citations recorded with the DMV. Not all parking and toll tickets are recorded, only delinquent ones. Your renewal notice will specify which tickets must be paid, including details such as the date, court handling the violation, citation number, and fine amount.

When renewing with Zaks Auto Registration, we won’t require payment for delinquent tickets until confirming with the DMV. If there are recorded unpaid citations during order processing, we’ll notify you, giving you the option to complete your renewal along with paying the fines. To renew your registration, both DMV renewal fees and outstanding fines must be paid online, by mail, or in-person if parking or toll violations are recorded. Contesting a parking ticket requires contacting the issuing municipality before renewing. If you’ve paid but the DMV indicates outstanding penalties, your citation clearance might not have been filed. Proof of payment may be necessary to expedite the renewal process.

How Can I Renew My Registration In San Diego?

At Zak’s Auto Registration, we understand the hassle of waiting weeks for your registration to arrive by mail or standing in long San Diego DMV lines for your renewal. That’s why one of our highly trained staff members at Zak’s Auto Registration will finalize your renewal within 10 minutes, and you’ll walk out with your new registration card and sticker. Why wait when you can get that renewal done in minutes? We offer DMV services and car registration services in San Diego. Skip the line and choose Zaks.

To renew your vehicle’s registration in San Diego, the DMV requires a few things first:

Renewal notice or Registration card
REG 156
Last 5 digits of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or your Hull Identification Number (HIN) or California license plate number
Smog certificate (if required)
Proof of Insurance (if required)