The California DMV’s Statement of Facts, Form REG 256, is a one-page sworn declaration you submit whenever a vehicle or vessel transaction needs a written explanation the standard title and registration forms don’t capture. You’ll most often use it to claim a use tax exemption on a family transfer, certify a smog exemption, correct a name on a title, or document a body-type change. You sign it under penalty of perjury, so every entry carries the weight of court testimony.
When the DMV Asks for a REG 256
Any time your paperwork can’t answer a question the DMV needs answered, a REG 256 fills the gap. The common triggers are tax exemptions on interfamily transfers, smog certification waivers, name corrections, and vehicle body changes. If a technician can’t process your transaction from the documents on the counter, they’ll usually hand you a REG 256 to complete on the spot. You can also fill one out ahead of time and bring it in or mail it with your other paperwork.
What Each Section Covers
The form runs from Section A through Section G, plus a signature block. You complete only the section that matches your situation.
- Section A — Use Tax Exemption. For transfers between qualifying family members, gifts, court-ordered transfers, and inheritances. Under California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 6285, the exemption covers transfers between a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, spouse, or domestic partner. Sibling transfers qualify only if both parties are minors related by blood or adoption. The seller also can’t be in the business of selling that type of vehicle.1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Revenue and Taxation Code 6285 – Family
- Section B — Smog Exemption. For situations where a smog certification isn’t required on a title transfer, including electric and diesel vehicles, vehicles outside California, and certain family transfers. Gasoline vehicles from model year 1975 or older and diesel vehicles from 1997 or older are exempt from smog inspections entirely.2California DMV. Smog Inspections
- Section C — Transfer Only or Title Only. To declare a vehicle hasn’t been driven or parked on a public road or off-highway area, which changes what fees apply.
- Section D — Window Decal for Wheelchair Lift or Carrier. For holders of Disabled Person or Disabled Veteran plates or a Permanent Disabled Person Parking Placard requesting a window decal.
- Section E — Vehicle Body Change. For changes to body type, unladen weight, motive power, or number of axles. Submit the ownership certificate with this section.
- Section F — Name Statement. To correct a misspelled name or document a legal name change on the title. The ownership certificate is also required.
- Section G — General Statement of Facts. Blank space for anything the other sections don’t cover. If the DMV asked for a written explanation of unusual circumstances, this is where it goes.
The Family Transfer Exemption in Detail
Section A is the reason most people encounter this form. California charges use tax on most vehicle transfers, and the family exemption is how eligible transfers avoid it. The exemption under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 6285 covers vehicles, vessels, and aircraft moving between parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, spouses, or domestic partners.1California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. California Revenue and Taxation Code 6285 – Family The sibling exception is narrow: both parties must be minors, and they must be related by blood or adoption.
Two conditions disqualify the exemption even when a qualifying relationship exists. The seller can’t be in the business of selling that type of property, so a parent who runs a used car lot can’t transfer inventory to a child tax-free under this section. And if the transfer involves trade or valuable consideration beyond a nominal amount, it may not qualify as a gift. When claiming the gift exemption, the form asks you to confirm no trade, contract transfer, or other consideration was involved.
How to Fill Out the Form
The REG 256 is available as a PDF on the California DMV forms page.3California DMV. Forms Start at the top with the vehicle identification: the 17-digit VIN, the license plate number, and the make and year. For a vessel, enter the hull identification number and vessel details instead.
Then move to the section that matches your transaction. For Section A, check the box that describes your situation (family transfer, gift, court order, or inheritance) and write in the specific relationship. For Section B, check the box that explains why the vehicle is exempt from smog certification. For Sections E and F, describe the change or correction precisely. Exact wording matters, because DMV staff process these literally. “Name should be Johnson, not Jonson” is clearer and faster than a paragraph.
Section G is the blank canvas. Keep it factual and short. State what happened and what the correct information should be. Skip the narrative.
Every entry needs to be legible. Handwritten forms are still common at DMV offices, and unreadable handwriting gets the form kicked back.
What the Signature Actually Means
The signature block isn’t a formality. By signing, you declare under penalty of perjury under California law that everything on the form is true and correct. California Penal Code Section 126 makes perjury a felony punishable by two, three, or four years in county jail.4California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code 126 – Perjury and Subornation of Perjury
Prosecutions for honest mistakes are rare. The real risk is for people who fabricate a family relationship to dodge use tax or forge signatures on transfer documents. If the DMV catches a false statement, the minimum consequence is rejection of your application. The maximum is a felony charge.
Fees That Come With the Transaction
The REG 256 has no filing fee, but the underlying transaction almost always does. A standard title transfer costs $15. Miss the 30-day transfer deadline after a sale and the DMV adds a $15 late-transfer penalty. You’ll also owe the Transportation Improvement Fee, which runs from $33 to $231 depending on the vehicle’s market value.5California DMV. Registration Fees
Unless a valid Section A exemption applies, the DMV also collects use tax on the purchase price or fair market value. The rate matches your county’s combined state and local sales tax rate. On a $20,000 vehicle, that can run close to $2,000 depending on where you live.
Where to Submit the Form
You can file a completed REG 256 in person at any California DMV field office or by mail. In person is faster for title transfers because the technician reviews the paperwork on the spot. To mail it, send the form and all supporting documents to:
Vehicle Registration Operations
Department of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 942869
Sacramento, CA 94269-00016California DMV. Contact Us
For FedEx, UPS, or other carriers that can’t deliver to a PO Box, use the physical address: 2415 1st Ave., Mail Station C271, Sacramento, CA 95818-2606.6California DMV. Contact Us Either way, keep a photocopy of the signed form and every supporting document. If something gets lost, your copy is your only proof of what you sent. Certified mail with return receipt is inexpensive insurance.
As of 2025, the DMV lists online title transfers at roughly four weeks and mailed registration renewals at about two weeks.7California DMV. Processing Times Mailed title transfers with a REG 256 attached can take longer because they require manual review. If the DMV needs more information, a deficiency letter goes out by mail and adds another round-trip.
What the REG 256 Is Not For
If you’re transferring a deceased person’s vehicle without probate, the primary form is REG 5, the Affidavit for Transfer Without Probate, combined with a death certificate and the title.8California DMV. Title Transfers and Changes The REG 5 is available when the estate’s total value is under California’s small estate threshold, which is $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025.9California Courts. Check if You Can Use a Simple Process to Transfer Property A REG 256 may accompany the REG 5 when the DMV needs clarification, such as a name mismatch between the title and the death certificate, but the REG 5 is the form that actually authorizes the transfer.