No Registration Card in Vehicle
A CVC 4462 citation means you were unable to present your vehicle registration card during the stop. Vehicle Code 4462(a) requires the driver to present it on a peace officer’s demand, and Vehicle Code 4454 requires the owner to keep the card or a copy with the vehicle. Locating or obtaining the card and getting the citation certified resolves this violation.
Correction Window
The deadline is printed on your citation. Check the date on your ticket.
Fee After Correction
These steps apply when your ticket was issued as correctable. An officer does not issue it that way if there is evidence of fraud or persistent neglect, the violation presents an immediate safety hazard, or you cannot promptly correct it (Vehicle Code 40610(b)). When the court accepts your proof of correction, the court clerk collects a $25 fee for each corrected violation (Vehicle Code 40611). There is no fee if the agency that cited you handles the correction and nothing is sent to the court (Vehicle Code 40611(c)). Without proof of correction, you may owe the full fine. Check your notice or ask your court for the amount.
Who Can Certify
Show your registration card to a police department, the CHP, a sheriff or marshal, a DMV office or a court clerk to get the certificate of correction signed.
The court must dismiss a corrected violation when you deliver proof of correction on or before the date on your ticket (Vehicle Code 40522). After that date it may not accept the correction, and you may owe the full fine. If you fail to appear without good cause, the court may add a civil assessment of up to $100 after mailing you a warning notice (Penal Code 1214.1). Willfully failing to appear, or willfully failing to deliver proof of correction, is a misdemeanor (Vehicle Code 40508 and 40616). If you need more time, ask the court before the date passes.
Step by Step
How to Correct This Violation
- 1
Locate your registration card. Check your glove compartment, vehicle manual pocket, or any recent DMV mail.
- 2
If the card is lost, request a duplicate from the DMV online at dmv.ca.gov or in person.
- 3
Bring the registration card and your citation to a law enforcement agency or DMV office for sign-off.
- 4
Submit the signed citation with the $25 fee to the court before your deadline.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
- What if my registration is current but I just did not have the card?
- Vehicle Code 4462(a) requires the driver to present the registration card, or other evidence of registration, when a peace officer asks, so not presenting it is the violation even if your registration is current. Once you show the card to an officer, the DMV or a court clerk, the violation can be certified as corrected (Vehicle Code 40616(b) and (c)).
- How do I get a duplicate registration card?
- Visit dmv.ca.gov or your local DMV office. A duplicate can typically be printed the same day at a DMV office.
This guide covers passenger vehicles. Some rules differ for commercial vehicles and truck tractors (for example, where registration tabs go under Vehicle Code 5204(a)). If you were driving one, check with your employer or a licensed attorney.
This guide provides general procedural information only. It is not legal advice. For questions specific to your citation, contact the court listed on your ticket.
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