California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California SB 76
Vehicles: registration fees and penalties.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Vetoed
Sponsors
- Seyarto (Republican)
Summary
Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary
Existing law imposes renewal fee penalties for late payment of vehicle registration except in limited specified cases. Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to waive the registration penalties accrued before the purchase of a vehicle upon payment for the fees for registration due, if the transferee or purchaser was not aware that the fees were unpaid. Existing law also authorizes the department to waive the registration fees that became due before the purchase of the vehicle if the transferee or purchaser was not aware that the fees were unpaid and the license plate assigned to the vehicle displays a validating device issued by the department that contains the year number of the registration year for which the transferee or purchaser is requesting a waiver of fees. Existing law further provides that these unpaid fees and penalties are the personal debt of the transferor of the vehicle and may be collected by the department in an appropriate civil action if the department has waived the fees and penalties.
This bill would instead require the department to waive delinquent registration fees and penalties when a transferee or purchaser of a vehicle applies for a transfer of registration if the department determines that the fees became due or the penalties accrued before the purchase of the vehicle. The bill would require the department to create a system to collect these delinquent fees and penalties from the seller or transferor. The bill would repeal the provision authorizing the department to collect the waived fees and penalties in a civil action. These provisions would become operative on January 1, 2030.
Text versions
- 09/08/25 - Enrolled· Sep 8, 2025
- 01/15/25 - Introduced· Jan 15, 2025
- SB76
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 12:24 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 4, 2025 House | SB 76 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Chen | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 29, 2025 House | Do pass. | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jul 14, 2025 House | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| May 29, 2025 Senate | Special Consent | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| May 23, 2025 Senate | Do pass | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Apr 7, 2025 Senate | Placed on suspense file | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Mar 25, 2025 Senate | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
Actions
- Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Veto sustained. - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Stricken from file. - Oct 1, 2025 · Senate
In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. - Oct 1, 2025 · Senate
Vetoed by the Governor. - Sep 10, 2025 · Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. - Sep 4, 2025 · Senate
In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. - Sep 4, 2025 · House
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 2906.) Ordered to the Senate. - Sep 2, 2025 · House
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - Aug 29, 2025 · House
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29). - Aug 20, 2025 · House
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file. - Jul 15, 2025 · House
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Jun 5, 2025 · House
Referred to Com. on TRANS. - May 29, 2025 · House
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. - May 29, 2025 · Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1323.) Ordered to the Assembly. - May 27, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to special consent calendar. - May 23, 2025 · Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - May 23, 2025 · Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1191.) (May 23). - May 16, 2025 · Senate
Set for hearing May 23. - Apr 7, 2025 · Senate
April 7 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file. - Mar 28, 2025 · Senate
Set for hearing April 7. - Mar 26, 2025 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0. Page 534.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Mar 11, 2025 · Senate
Set for hearing March 25. - Jan 29, 2025 · Senate
Referred to Com. on TRANS. - Jan 16, 2025 · Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 15. - Jan 15, 2025 · Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.