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Serious problems could develop from a violation of the expired registration California laws. Sometimes there are valid reasons for not making the registration on time, but if your tags are more than six months past the renewal date, your vehicle can be towed away and impounded. If you park on a public street, you could possibly find your car or truck gone when you return to it.
So, how long can you drive with expired tags in California? If you are on your own private property, you can drive as long as you want without registering your tags. But when you need to park your car or drive it on California’s public streets and freeways, expired tags could cause some trouble. If you are less than six months behind, a law enforcement officer may pull you over and issue a citation, which means you will be required to pay the ticket’s fine in addition to registering the car’s tags and paying any late fees. With the penalties added, this may cost you upwards of $200. Once you receive a ticket for expired tags, you will generally have 30 days to register for new tags with the DMV, but you may also need to make a court appearance. An online search for traffic courts near me could help you find a location that may not be too inconvenient.
If you fail to register your tags after receiving an expired registration ticket and then get pulled over for a second time, you could face more serious consequences. The officer may impound your car and issue a criminal traffic violation. If you receive repeated expired registration citations over a period of time, you could possibly be facing incarceration.
A registration issue can grow into an expensive headache that could also cause you to lose your driving privileges. Your best interests may not be served by a do-it-yourself approach. Well-versed traffic ticket lawyers who are familiar with the local traffic courts are the much better option.
