What to bring
- The vehicle, accessible with the hood open and the dash VIN and door-jamb label visible
- Any title, registration or bill of sale you have for it
- Your driver's license
- Payment: $100 for the mobile visit, or $60 if you bring the vehicle to our office (cash prices; cards add 3.79%)
What it costs
- VIN verification at our officeBring the vehicle to E Norris Rd
- $60
- Mobile VIN verificationOur licensed verifier comes to the vehicle
- $100
All service fees are in addition to the DMV’s own fees, which are the same everywhere and are passed through at cost.
Posted prices are cash prices. Paying by credit card adds a 3.79% convenience fee on the total.
All sales are final. There are no refunds on service fees once processing has begun; DMV and state fees, penalties and third-party charges are non-refundable.
When does California require a VIN verification?
Whenever the DMV needs to confirm that the vehicle in front of it matches the paperwork. The common cases are a vehicle coming in from another state or country, a vehicle that isn't in the DMV's system, a specially constructed or kit vehicle, and some title corrections. The DMV's out-of-state checklist describes the inspection as mandatory and in person; a licensed vehicle verifier is one of the people allowed to perform it, alongside DMV staff and peace officers.
What does the verifier check?
The public VIN on the dash, the federal certification label in the door jamb, the emissions label under the hood, the odometer, the body type and fuel type, and that none of it has been altered. It takes a few minutes. The verifier records everything on the REG 31, signs it, and you submit it with your registration application; if we're processing your registration, we keep it with the file.
- Out-of-state and out-of-country vehicles being registered in California
- Vehicles not found in the DMV system, including some older cars and trailers
- Specially constructed vehicles, kit cars and some engine changes
- Note: salvage and revived junk vehicles must be verified by the CHP, not a private verifier
Why mobile instead of driving to the DMV?
Because the car often can't be driven yet. An unregistered out-of-state vehicle, a non-running project, a trailer without plates or a fleet vehicle sitting at a yard shouldn't be on the road to get inspected. We come to the vehicle, in Bakersfield, Oildale, Shafter, Wasco, Delano, Arvin, Lamont, Taft, Tehachapi and the rest of Kern County. The mobile verification is $100; bringing the vehicle to our office is $60. Call to schedule.
Mobile VIN verification: common questions
Who can do a VIN verification in California?
DMV employees, California Highway Patrol officers, peace officers, and DMV-licensed vehicle verifiers. Ramos Auto Registration Services in Bakersfield provides a licensed mobile vehicle verifier who completes the REG 31 at your location. Salvage and revived junk vehicles must be verified by the CHP.
How much does a mobile VIN verification cost?
$100 for a mobile verification at your location, or $60 if you bring the vehicle to our office on E Norris Rd, cash prices (cards add 3.79%). Book by calling (661) 525-3050. The same verification is available at a DMV office at no charge if the vehicle can be driven there.
Can you register the vehicle after verifying it?
Yes. That's the point of doing both here: the verifier completes the REG 31, and as a DMV business partner we process the out-of-state transfer or new registration, collect the fees and issue plates and registration, often the same day.