What to bring
- Your driver's license or other government photo ID
- The license plate number and VIN, or the latest renewal notice or registration card
- For reinstatement: a current smog certificate on file and proof of insurance
- Payment for the DMV fees, any penalties the record shows, and our service fee
What it costs
This one depends on the vehicle and the paperwork, so we quote the service fee before anything is processed. Call and describe your situation.
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.
What is Planned Non-Operation and when should I file it?
PNO is a DMV filing that says a vehicle won't be driven, towed, stored or parked on public roads for the coming registration year. It replaces the full registration fees with a small filing fee, and it keeps the record clean so you don't accumulate late penalties on a car that's sitting in the garage, under a cover, or waiting on a project. File it around the time the registration would expire; filing late is possible but costs more.
- A second car or project car you won't drive this year
- A vehicle that failed smog and won't be repaired right away
- A car stored for a deployment, a long trip, or a family member who's stopped driving
- A trailer or motorcycle that only comes out in certain seasons
How do I reinstate registration that's expired?
Pay what the record shows and clear whatever stopped it. The DMV has no grace period, so penalties begin the day after expiration and increase at 10 days, 30 days, one year and two years. Reinstatement needs the smog certificate on file if one is due, insurance on the vehicle, and any parking tickets attached to the record paid. We read the record with you first, so you know the full amount before paying a dollar.
What is a temporary operating permit?
A DMV-issued permit that lets you operate a vehicle for a limited time while something that blocks full registration is resolved, for example while a smog repair is being finished or paperwork from another state is on its way. It's issued only in situations the DMV allows, and it isn't a substitute for registration. Call and describe what's pending; we'll tell you honestly whether a permit applies.
PNO & reinstatement: common questions
Can I file PNO at Ramos Auto Registration?
Yes. Planned Non-Operation filings are among the transactions DMV business partners process, and we file them at 332 E Norris Rd in Bakersfield. Bring your ID and the vehicle's plate number or renewal notice. The DMV offers the same filing without our service fee.
Can a car on PNO be parked on the street?
No. A vehicle on Planned Non-Operation status may not be driven, towed, stored or parked on any public road or in a public parking lot. It must stay on private property, such as a garage, driveway or storage lot, until it's registered again.
How much are late registration penalties in California?
Penalties scale with how late you are: 1 to 10 days adds 10% of the vehicle license and weight fees plus $10 registration and $10 CHP late fees; 11 to 30 days adds 20% plus $15 and $15; 31 days to one year adds 60% plus $30 and $30; one to two years adds 80% plus $50 and $50; over two years adds 160% plus $100 and $100.