How Do I Replace My California Department of Motor Vehicles Registration Letter?

Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged registration card or letter doesn't have to be difficult. The California DMV can help you with filling out the right forms and the website has many tips that can better streamline the request process. Please feel free to visit the organization's website for more details.

Dec 9, 2022

Since Henry Ford founded his namesake company in 1903, the advent of the automobile has exceeded all expectations and has become a valuable extension of our lives. One thing that has remained the same is also the most mundane: keeping your car's registration on record with your state's DMV. You used to have to go in person or mail in forms, but now you can go online for almost every type of task including replacing lost, stolen or damaged registration letters or cards. This guide will show you how to replace your California Department of Motor Vehicles registration letter.

Replacing Your Registration Card

If you need to replace the registration card or stickers, you will need your car's license plate number and the VIN. You will also need to choose to either replace the card only or the card and the sticker, along with the reason you're replacing them. Please note that there is a fee with replacing registration stickers and cards.

To replace one or both of these important documents, please visit the California DMV website and click the vehicle registration tab and then the replace registration card option. Follow the prompts to submit your request.

Another Important Document

As important as a registration card and stickers are, people looking for a registration letter might also need the California Certificate of Title. This document also contains important information like the owner's name and address, the date the vehicle was registered and its VIN, make, model and value. If you need another copy of this, you'd need to visit the Rush Title Processing section located under Vehicle Registration. Please note that there are fees that need to be paid with check, money order or cashier's check. Cash, debit and credit cards are not accepted. Your local DMV office also cannot expedite this type of request, the forms must be mailed in.

If this service is unavailable, you might check with the original lienholder for an additional copy of the title. The California DMV also has a listing that contains all the banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions current and no longer in business.

You can also call the California DMV customer service here if you have any questions or concerns.

Further questions?

Ask a followup or related question and we will try to provide an answer in seconds.
Adam has been tirelessly trying to help customers find the best tips and tricks to get through phone trees and writing many guides for prickly customer service problems. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition and Bloomberg.
How Do I Replace My California Department of Motor Vehicles Registration Letter?

Help from Real People

We partner with a US-based company with live tech support experts available 24/7. Take advantage of a $5 one-week trial membership and chat with an expert now.
Chat with an expert

Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV/RMV) Problems?

GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV/RMV) in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our How Do I Replace My California Department of Motor Vehicles Registration Letter? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.

California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV/RMV)

Asked 2 years ago
Updated a year ago
Viewed 1,118,548 times
California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV/RMV)
How can I replace my California DMV registration letter
Is replacing my California DMV registration letter possible

Speak to An Expert Now

We partner with a US-based expert help site to provide you with tech support 24/7. Enjoy a $5 one-week trial membership and chat with a live expert now.
Get Live Expert Help
Was this page helpful?
Thank you and please share!
Thank you and please share!
Needs work
Sharing is what powers GetHuman's free customer service contact information and tools. You can help!