About Address Changes on Car Registration in California

Submitting a California DMV change of address is mandatory whenever your mailing or residential address changes. When you change car registration address information with the California DMV, you can update your voter registration records at the same time, unless you are moving to a new county.

If you do not notify the DMV of your new address after it changes, you may fail to receive your yearly registration renewal notices and other important mail. To learn how to perform an address change on car registration credentials, review the sections below.

How do I change my car registration address in California?

You must submit a DMV change of address form to the California DMV within 10 days of changing your mailing or residential address. According to state law, you must notify the DMV regardless of whether you are moving outside the state or within California.

If you plan to register your motor vehicle in your new state of residence, you must make a note of this on your application. However, the DMV only accepts permanent address changes. If you are only moving temporarily, you do not need to notify the department.

Moreover, you may submit a change of address online or by mail, depending on your preferred application method. Learn more about these two application methods in the sections below.

Updating Online

To submit your address change on your registration through the DMV’s website, you must meet a few requirements. For instance, you must be a U.S. citizen, hold a California driver’s license and have a valid Social Security Number (SSN).

If you do not meet these requirements and cannot complete the change-of-address process electronically, you must apply by mail.

By Mail

If you cannot submit your DMV address change form online, you must mail your request to the DMV. Afterward, you may choose to purchase a replacement car registration card that displays your new address, or you may use a pen or pencil to write your new address directly onto the face of the existing registration card.

Remember that you and any other vehicle owners must submit your own separate address change application. You cannot use one DMV change of address application to correct the addresses of each vehicle owner at the same time.

Required Information for a California DMV Address Change

When changing your car registration address in CA, you must provide several important pieces of information about yourself and your vehicle. For instance, you will need:

• Your full name, birth date and driver’s license number.
• Your new and former addresses.
• Your vehicle’s license plate number.

Depending on your circumstances, you may need other documents.

There is no fee to change your car registration address unless you choose to purchase replacement registration materials after doing so.