Application for Title or Registration

What REG 343 Is For

REG 343 is the form California uses to title or register a vehicle that isn’t already on the DMV’s books, usually because you just bought it, brought it in from another state, or it’s coming out of a family transfer. If your car, truck, motorcycle, or trailer coach has never had a California title, this is the application that starts that process.

It’s a two-sided form, and both sides matter. The DMV will send it back if a required section is left blank, so the goal here is to walk through it in the order the DMV actually reads it.

Who Needs to File This Form

You’ll need DMV REG 343 if any of these apply to you:

• You bought a used vehicle from a private party and it needs to be titled in your name
• You moved to California with a vehicle registered in another state
• You received a vehicle as a gift or in a family transfer
• You’re titling a vehicle that was rebuilt from salvage or junk status
• A dealer isn’t handling the paperwork for you and you’re filing it yourself

If you’re simply renewing a vehicle you already own and that’s already titled in California, you don’t need this. That’s handled through your renewal notice instead.

Before You Start

Have these on hand before you sit down with the form. It’ll save you a second trip:

• The vehicle’s current out-of-state title or the dealer’s paperwork, if it has one
• A bill of sale or purchase agreement showing what you paid
• Your driver’s license or ID number
• The lienholder’s name and address if you’re financing, or confirmation that there isn’t one
• The current odometer reading
• If the vehicle is coming from out of state, proof of when it arrived and when you became a California resident (or a smog or emissions inspection if your vehicle needs one; check current requirements on dmv.ca.gov, since this depends on the vehicle’s age and type)

How to Fill Out REG 343 Form, Section by Section

Section 1: Vehicle Information

Enter the VIN, make, year, model, and fuel type exactly as they appear on the title or manufacturer’s certificate. Check the one box that matches the vehicle type. If it’s a trailer coach, you’ll also need the length and width in inches. The two yes/no questions about commercial use and weight matter more than they look. Answering yes to the weight question means you’ll also need to complete a REG 4008 (Declaration of Gross Vehicle Weight).

Section 2: Owner Information

This is where people trip up. If there’s more than one owner, you have to check either “AND” or “OR”, and it’s not just a formality. “AND” means every owner has to sign anything involving the vehicle later, including a future sale. “OR” means just one owner’s signature is enough. Pick based on how you actually want ownership to work going forward, not just whichever box is closer to the pen.

Section 3: Legal Owner (Lienholder)

If you financed the vehicle, this is your lender’s name and address, entered exactly as it appears on their ELT (Electronic Lien and Title) listing. Don’t reword it or abbreviate it differently. If there’s no lender, don’t leave this blank. Write the word “None.” An empty box here is one of the more common reasons this form gets sent back.

Section 4: Odometer Information

Enter the reading as a whole number of miles (or check the kilometers box if that’s what your vehicle shows). If the odometer doesn’t reflect actual mileage, whether it’s been replaced, it rolled over, or it’s broken, check the matching discrepancy box and explain in the space provided. Don’t just write in a number that “seems about right.”

Section 5: Date Information

Four separate dates go here: when the vehicle entered California, when it was first driven here, when you became a California resident (or got your CA license, whichever came first), and when you bought or acquired the vehicle. If you’ve been a resident since birth, put your birth date. These dates are how the DMV calculates whether you’re within the registration deadline, so get them right rather than estimating.

Section 6: Cost Information

Check exactly one box (purchase, gift, or trade) and fill in the matching dollar amount. A gift requires a separate Statement of Facts (REG 256). If you modified the vehicle’s body since acquiring it (like converting a pickup to a utility bed), that triggers a Statement of Construction (REG 5036) as well.

Section 7: Out-of-State Vehicles

Only fill this in if the vehicle was previously registered outside California. It covers whether you already paid sales tax elsewhere (which can offset California’s use tax) and what happened to your old plates. If you’re not sure whether you qualify for a use tax credit, the Board of Equalization handles that question, not the DMV.

Section 8: Military Service

Active-duty service members and their spouses may qualify for a registration exemption. If that applies to you, this section points you to the Nonresident Military Exemption (REG 5045) form.

Section 9: Certifications and Signatures

Every owner listed under “AND” in Section 2 needs to sign here, not just the primary applicant. If you’re signing on behalf of a business, the signature line needs both the company name and the name of the person signing for it (for example, “ABC Co. by John Smith”). Missing a required signature is another top reason applications get returned.

Common Mistakes That Get This Form Rejected

• Leaving the lienholder section blank instead of writing “None”
• Guessing at an odometer reading instead of checking the discrepancy box when something’s off
• Missing a co-owner’s signature when the section is marked “AND”
• Checking more than one box in Section 6 (Cost Information), or none at all
• Estimating dates in Section 5 instead of confirming them

Fees and Other Forms You Might Need

Registration fees depend on things like your vehicle’s value, weight, and county, so there’s no single number to give you here. Use the DMV’s fee calculator to see what you’ll owe.

Depending on your situation, you might also need one of these forms along with REG Form 343:

• REG 4008, if your vehicle is commercial or heavier than the weight limit
• REG 256, if you got the vehicle as a gift
• REG 5036, if the body was modified
• REG 5045, if you’re an active duty service member

Where to Send It

Once it’s complete and signed, Form 343 can be mailed to the DMV or brought to a field office in person, along with the title, bill of sale, and any additional forms your answers required. An appointment at a field office will usually move faster than walking in.

Frequently Asked Questions