California Car Dealer Forms
These are the California DMV forms a licensed dealer needs to buy, sell, and title vehicles in California. From the California title and registration application to the bill of sale, odometer disclosure, title reassignment, and temporary tag paperwork, each links to the official source where available. Download the current version straight from the California DMV, Occupational Licensing (Vehicle Industry Services) or the federal agency, never a copy that's gone stale.
Which California form goes with which deal
A form list on its own does not tell you what to grab on a Saturday afternoon. Here is the same set arranged by the deal in front of you.
- Retail sale to a customer in state
- Application for Title or Registration (REG 343), Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment (REG 262), the FTC Buyers Guide, and Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment (REG 262). This is the stack behind almost every deal jacket you build.
- Retail sale to an out-of-state buyer
- Same paperwork, but the buyer titles in their home state, so the California title has to be assigned cleanly and the odometer reading has to match on every document. A correction later means a duplicate title and a delayed deal.
- Wholesale to another licensed dealer
- No Buyers Guide is required on a dealer-to-dealer sale, but the title assignment and odometer disclosure still are. Keep the invoice with the jacket, it is what proves the unit left your inventory.
- Taking a trade-in
- You need the customer's signed title assignment and odometer disclosure, plus a lien payoff quote in writing if the trade is financed. Take the trade in your books at actual cash value, not at the number you allowed on the deal.
- Title is not in hand at signing
- Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment (REG 262) covers the assignment and mileage disclosure until the title arrives. Track the promise: an unresolved title is the single most common reason a deal unwinds.
- Customer pays more than $10,000 in cash
- IRS Form 8300 is federal and applies in California like everywhere else. It covers cash and cash equivalents in one transaction or in related transactions, and it is due within 15 days.
California state forms
| Form | What it's for | When |
|---|---|---|
| Application for Title or Registration (REG 343) ↗ | Applies for California title and registration when transferring a vehicle to the buyer. | Every deal |
| Report of Sale, Used Vehicle (REG 51) ↗ | Records each retail used-vehicle sale and starts the registration/temporary-plate process; printed electronically. | Every deal |
| Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment (REG 262) ↗ | Secure form serving as bill of sale, federal odometer disclosure, and power of attorney at transfer. | Every deal |
| Power of Attorney (REG 260) ↗ | Authorizes the dealer to sign title/registration documents on the customer's behalf (non-odometer). | As needed |
| Bill of Sale (REG 135) ↗ | Standalone bill of sale when the REG 262 section isn't used. | As needed |
Federal forms (every state)
| Form | What it's for | When |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers Guide (FTC) ↗ | As-is vs. warranty window sticker required on every used vehicle offered for sale. | Every deal |
| IRS Form 8300 ↗ | Report cash payments over $10,000 in a single transaction. | As needed |
Temporary tags and dealer plates in California
California uses printed Temporary License Plates (TLPs), not paper temp tags. Since AB 516, dealers print a TLP and the Report of Sale, Used Vehicle (REG 51) at the point of sale through the DMV's electronic system (QuickTags). Handwritten Reports of Sale are no longer accepted; the TLP is valid up to 90 days or until permanent plates arrive.
Where California dealer forms come from
In California the agency really is the DMV. Everything below comes from the California DMV, Occupational Licensing (Vehicle Industry Services).
Paperwork mistakes that cost dealers money
None of these are exotic. They are the four that turn up again and again in audits and in unwound deals.
- Assuming an older car is odometer exempt. The federal rule changed for model year 2011 and newer: those vehicles carry a 20 year disclosure window, not 10. Dealers who learned the old rule skip disclosures they still owe.
- A Buyers Guide that is not on the car. The Used Car Rule wants it displayed on the vehicle while it is offered for sale, not produced at signing. It also has to match what you actually agreed to sell, and the copy the buyer takes home governs over the contract if the two disagree.
- A title assigned in the wrong hand. Reassignments are limited, the signature has to match the name printed on the title, and a correction fluid fix voids it. That is a duplicate title application and weeks of delay.
- Paperwork that lives in a drawer. A form you filed but cannot find is a form you did not file, as far as an auditor is concerned. Store documents against the VIN, not in a filing cabinet by month.
California dealer forms FAQ
What forms do car dealers need in California?+
California dealers use Application for Title or Registration (REG 343), Report of Sale, Used Vehicle (REG 51), Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment (REG 262), Power of Attorney (REG 260) and more, plus federal forms every dealer needs like the FTC Buyers Guide and the odometer disclosure. Each is listed below with its purpose and official link.
Where do I get official California dealer forms?+
Download current forms directly from the California DMV, Occupational Licensing (Vehicle Industry Services). Third-party copies go out of date, always pull the latest version from the official source linked on this page.
Is it the California DMV that handles dealer forms?+
Yes. In California the agency is the California DMV, so "California DMV forms" and "California DMV forms" mean the same thing. The links on this page all point there.
Do I need an FTC Buyers Guide on every used car in California?+
Yes. The federal Used Car Rule requires an as-is/warranty Buyers Guide displayed on every used vehicle offered for sale, in California and every other state.
Does an old car still need an odometer disclosure?+
Usually, yes. The federal exemption changed for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, which now require disclosure for 20 model years instead of 10. A 2011 model still needs a disclosure through 2031, so treat "it's an old car" as a reason to check, not to skip.
How long should I keep California deal paperwork?+
Keep the complete deal jacket, not just the forms you filed. State record-retention rules run for years and an audit or a customer dispute can land long after the sale. Loturn stores every document against the VIN so the jacket rebuilds itself.
Let the paperwork build itself
Loturn fills and stores your deal documents against each vehicle and customer, a complete, audit-ready deal jacket without the filing cabinet.
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