Wrong Name on Your Title? Start With the REG 101
Your car title shows a misspelled name, a missing owner, or a signature on the wrong line. The REG 101 fixes these problems before they turn into a rejected application. California DMV calls it the Statement to Record Ownership and Statement of Error or Erasure, and it packs two forms into one PDF.
Most people meet this form at a DMV counter, when a clerk looks at their paperwork and asks for a statement to record ownership. That usually means DMV cannot tell who the owners are, how their names connect, or who holds the lien. This page shows which side of the form you need, how to fill out every box, and what to do when a title has a mistake on it.
One PDF, Two Jobs: Which Side Do You Need?
The REG 101 has two pages, and most people need only one of them.
- Statement to Record Ownership (page 1). You spell out the registered owners, how their names connect, the lien holder, and where a leased vehicle or vessel is kept. DMV builds your new title and registration from these answers.
- Statement of Error or Erasure (page 2). You use it when someone made a mistake on a California or nonresident title, such as a lined out signature or an erased name. The person who made the mistake explains it and signs under penalty of perjury.
A few jobs look similar but belong to other forms. To add or remove an owner, DMV asks for a corrected title and a Statement of Facts on REG 256. If your title is lost, stolen, or too damaged to use, you need an application for a replacement title. The REG 101 only explains or corrects what already sits on the record. It does not change who owns the car.
When DMV Asks for a Statement to Record Ownership
DMV treats this form as a clarifier. These are the usual reasons a clerk hands it to you:
- Unclear owner names or addresses. DMV uses the form to clarify the registered owner or legal owner names and addresses.
- Joint owners with no AND or OR. Names on your application must match the title, including the word that joins them. When an application shows neither word, DMV issues the new title with a slash in place of AND.
- A leased vehicle application with no room for addresses. If the application has no spaces for the lessee and lessor addresses, this form goes in with it.
- Lien holder details. DMV prints the lender on the new title, so a missing or wrong lender causes trouble later.
- Vessels. The form has its own boxes for a CF number, a hull identification number, and the place where the vessel stays.
Accuracy matters here. DMV prints your new certificates from what you write, and wrong information can void a certificate and force a correction. Leaving out the legal owner, which means the lender, is an especially costly slip.
How to Fill Out the CA DMV REG 101, Box by Box
Download the PDF and type your answers, or print it and write clearly. The form asks you to print or typewrite every name. Work through page 1 in this order:
- Vehicle information. Enter the license plate number, or the CF number for a vessel. Add the VIN or hull identification number exactly as it appears on the title, then the make of the vehicle or the vessel builder.
- Registered owner. Print the true full name as it appears on your California driver license or ID card, in the order last, first, middle. Add the license or ID number next to the name.
- Other owners. The form has two more lines for additional owners. Mark AND or OR in front of each added name, and give each person’s license or ID number.
- Address and purchase details. Write the address, city, state, and ZIP code, then the purchase date and the purchase price.
- Lien holder. Print the lender’s full name and address. If no lender holds a lien, write NONE.
- Leased vehicles only. Add the lessee’s address if it differs from the address above.
- Vessels only. Add the address where the vessel is principally kept.
The ownership side has no signature line. Only the error side does, which is why the next section matters.
AND or OR: Pick the Word Before You Write It
One small word between two names decides who can sign later. DMV’s own application spells out the rule: owners joined by AND need the signature of each owner when the car is sold, and owners joined by OR need the signature of only one owner.
Think about how you and your other owner actually handle money before you mark a box. Many married couples pick OR, because either spouse can sign a sale without chasing the other. Business partners, or anyone who wants a veto, usually pick AND. If you skip the word, DMV prints a slash in place of AND, so you may end up with the stricter rule by accident.
Copy the names exactly as they appear on the title or application. Do not shorten a first name or drop a middle name, because DMV matches the form against those records.
Statement of Error or Erasure: Fixing a Mistake on a California Title
DMV requires page 2 for any erasure or lined out information on a California Certificate of Title. A common example is a seller who signs on the wrong line and crosses it out. DMV then wants the person whose signature appears in error to complete the form and explain what happened.
The signer depends on the mistake:
- A signature in the wrong place. The person whose signature it is completes and signs the form.
- A printed name or address that someone lined out. The person who made the wrong entry can complete the form.
- A mistake made by a dealer or financial institution representative. The dealer or institution may certify its own signature errors.
To fill out the error side, enter the plate or CF number, the VIN or hull number, and the make. Complete the sentence that points to the line on the title where the wrong name sits. Then write the reason in the box, in one or two plain sentences. A clear example reads: “I signed on the buyer line by mistake and lined it out. I am not a buyer or an owner of this vehicle.”
Finish with your signature, the date, your address, and a daytime phone number. You sign under penalty of perjury, so write only what is true.
Do not use correction fluid or tape on a title. Draw one neat line through the mistake, leave it readable, and attach the form. If the mistake is on a REG 262 transfer and reassignment form, start over with a fresh copy, because DMV does not allow erasures or alterations on that one.
Where to Send the REG 101 California DMV Form
The REG 101 almost always rides along with another transaction, such as a title application, a transfer, or a correction. Submit it with that paperwork, in person at a DMV field office or by mail, the same way you would send the main application. If you are registering a car, pair it with your application for title or registration.
DMV lists no fee for the form itself. You pay the fees that belong to the main transaction, and the fee calculator on dmv.ca.gov gives an estimate before you go. The line at the bottom of the PDF reads REV. 3/2007, and that is the version DMV still posts, so you do not need a newer copy.
After You File: Check the New Title Line by Line
DMV says titles usually arrive by mail in 15 to 30 days. When yours shows up, read it right away:
- Every owner name matches your driver license or ID card
- The word between names is the one you chose: AND, OR, or a slash
- The lien holder is correct, or blank if you own the car free and clear
- The address is the one where you get your mail
Report a problem fast. A title with a wrong name or lien holder is easy to fix now and much harder after the car has been sold once or twice.
Special Cases
- Leased vehicles. Fill in the lessee address box when it differs from the owner address, and check that the leasing company appears where DMV expects it.
- Vessels. Use the CF number and hull identification number, and add the address where the vessel is kept.
- Out of state titles. The error side works for nonresident titles too, not only California titles.
- Dealer paperwork. A dealer representative can initial a correction on the dealer’s own forms, such as REG 397 or REG 51, except in the odometer section.
- A lender still holds a lien. List the lender in full. Writing NONE when a lien exists leaves the lender off the new title.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the REG 101 form used for in California?
It has two jobs. The Statement to Record Ownership clarifies owner names, addresses, joint ownership, and the lien holder. The Statement of Error or Erasure explains a mistake or erasure on a California or nonresident title. Most people need only one side.
What does AND or OR between two names on a California title mean?
Owners joined by AND must each sign when the car is sold. Owners joined by OR need only one signature. If the application shows neither word, DMV prints a slash in place of AND.
Who has to sign the Statement of Error or Erasure?
The person who made the mistake signs. For a signature on the wrong line, that is the person whose signature appears there. For a printed name or address that someone lined out, the person who made the entry can complete it. Dealers and lenders can certify their own representative’s errors.
Can I cross out or white out a mistake on my California title?
You can line out a mistake, but DMV then requires a REG 101 for any lined out or erased information. Skip correction fluid, because it makes the title harder to read. If the title is too damaged to use, apply for a replacement with REG 227.
How much does the REG 101 cost?
The PDF is free, and DMV lists no separate fee for the form. You pay the fees for the transaction it supports, such as a title transfer. The fee calculator on dmv.ca.gov shows an estimate.
Does the REG 101 need a notary?
No. The form has no notary section. You sign the error side under penalty of perjury, which means a false statement can bring legal trouble.