California Officers Can No Longer Enforce Expired Registration Until...When?

This post is only offered as a discussion topic only and does not represent legal advice. Officers must refer to the laws in their own State as well as their agency's policies, which can be more restrictive on officers that the law requires.

On July 1, 2024, California Assembly Bill 256 modified Vehicle Codes 4000(a), 5204, and 40225 regarding our ability to enforce expired vehicle registration. Specifically, VC 4000(a)4(A)(i) now reads: "A violation of this subdivision shall not be the sole basis for any enforcement action before the second month after the month of expiration of the vehicle’s registration."

Although this has been almost universally reported as giving drivers two months leeway before officers can enforce expired registration, that's not entirely accurate. To begin with, the intent of the bill is to give driver's at least 30 days reprieve, not 60. The author of the bill, Assembly Woman Diane Dixon said as much in her official fact sheet regarding this bill. You might have noticed the wording of the section says "before the second month after the month of expiration". So, if a vehicle's registration expires on January 31, January is the month of expiration. Enforcement may begin on March 1, since March is the second month after January.

The second inaccuracy regarding the media reporting of this is that officers cannot enforce expired registration within that delayed enforcement period. But again, that's not what the law says. Expired registration just can't be used as the "sole basis" for any enforcement action. In fact, VC4000(a)(4)(A)(ii) specifically says this. It reads, "Notwithstanding clause (i), if a vehicle is stopped for any other violation of this code, enforcement action for a violation of this subdivision may be taken before the second month following the month of expiration."

As always, the resources discussed in this training are provided in the additional resources in our learning platform, including Assembly Woman Dixon's fact sheet. And please, officers should remember to refer to their agency's policy, which can be more restrictive on officers than the law requires.