How to Fill Out and Submit California DMV Form REG 4017: PTI Certification

California DMV form REG 4017 is the Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Certification form. You use it in three situations: to request a paper certificate of title for a PTI-registered trailer, to transfer ownership of a PTI trailer when no paper title was ever issued, or to add a lienholder to the record. The form has two sides, every signature is made under penalty of perjury, and the current revision is dated January 2022.¹

When to Use REG 4017

The form routes to a different section depending on what you need:²

Sole owner requesting a paper certificate of title: Side A.
Seller and buyer transferring a trailer that was never issued a paper title: Side B.
Owner adding a legal owner (lienholder) to an existing record: Side B.

One boundary matters here. If a paper title was previously issued for the trailer and you’ve lost it, REG 4017 is the wrong form. You need REG 227, the Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title.³

You can download REG 4017 as a PDF from the DMV website or pick up a copy at any field office.²

Side A: Requesting a Paper Certificate of Title

Side A is short and only works if you are the sole registered owner. Enter the trailer’s PTI identification plate number, its Vehicle Identification Number, and the year and make. Sign and date. Your signature certifies under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct.¹

If two or more people co-own the trailer, Side A alone will not do the job. The DMV’s instructions limit this side to sole owners, so co-owners should ask at a field office for the right procedure.

Side B: Transferring Ownership or Adding a Lienholder

Side B is split into seven numbered sections. You only complete the ones that apply to your transaction.¹

Transferring a Trailer Without a Paper Title

The seller fills in Sections 1 and 2. The buyer fills in Sections 4 through 7 as they apply.

Section 1, Trailer Description: PTI plate number, VIN, year and make.
Section 2, Release of Ownership: the current registered owner signs. If co-owners are joined by “AND” on the record, every owner must sign. Co-owners joined by “OR” need only one signature.
Section 4, New Trailer Owner(s): purchase price (or market value if the trailer was a gift or trade), date acquired, full legal name, driver license or ID number, and physical and mailing addresses. Every new owner signs under penalty of perjury.
Section 5, New Legal Owner: lienholder name, Electronic Lienholder ID (ELT) number, and address. If there is no lienholder, write “NONE.”
Section 6, Leased Vehicles: lessee name and address, only if the trailer is leased.
Section 7, Dealer’s Release: used only when a dealership is involved. The dealer agent signs and provides the dealership number.

California law gives you 10 days from taking possession of the trailer to complete the transfer. The deadline is printed on the form in Section 4.¹

Adding a Lienholder to Your Existing Record

If ownership isn’t changing and you just need to add a legal owner, such as a lender financing the trailer, complete Sections 1, 3, and 5. Section 3 exists specifically for adding a legal owner without changing registered ownership.¹

Fees to Include

PTI trailers have their own fee schedule under Vehicle Code Section 5014.1:⁴

Transfer of ownership: $7
Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) record or paper title: $22
Replacement title (only when a paper title was previously issued): $28
Replacement PTI plate or identification certificate: $7

Submitting the form without the correct fee stalls the paperwork. If you’re both transferring the trailer and requesting a paper title at the same time, expect to pay the transfer fee and the title fee together.

Where to Submit the Form

Any California DMV field office will accept the completed REG 4017 with payment. In person is the faster route because a technician can catch errors before you leave the counter.

To mail it, send the form and a check or money order for the applicable fees to:⁵

Vehicle Registration Operations
Department of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 942869
Sacramento, CA 94269-0001

For FedEx, UPS, or other private carriers, use the physical address:

Vehicle Registration Operations
Department of Motor Vehicles
2415 1st Ave., Mail Station C271
Sacramento, CA 95818-2606

What You Receive Back

After processing, the DMV issues a new PTI identification certificate reflecting the updated ownership or lien information. The PTI plate itself stays on the trailer and does not get replaced during a transfer.⁶ If you requested a paper title on Side A, it comes by mail to the address on file.

Mail submissions generally take several weeks. Given the 10-day transfer deadline, visit a field office in person if your transaction is time-sensitive.

Mistakes That Delay or Reject the Form

The most common mix-up is confusing REG 4017 with the Statement of Facts (REG 256). They are different forms with different purposes. REG 256 is a general-purpose sworn declaration used for things like smog exemptions, name corrections, and odometer disclosures. REG 4017 is used only for PTI trailer titling and transfers.⁷

Other errors that routinely send paperwork back:

Missing signatures. If co-owners are joined by “AND,” every owner must sign the release in Section 2.
Wrong VIN or plate number. Check both against the trailer’s physical plate and any prior DMV paperwork.
Blank Section 5. Even without a lienholder, the section needs “NONE” written in.
Using REG 4017 to replace a paper title that was already issued. Use REG 227 for that.

Every statement on REG 4017 is made under penalty of perjury. Knowingly providing false information on a DMV document is a misdemeanor under California Vehicle Code Section 20, and a false statement on a sworn form can support a felony perjury charge under Penal Code Section 118. Taking an extra few minutes to check the entries is worth it.

1
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Certification REG 4017
2
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Permanent Trailer Identification PTI Certification REG 4017 Form
3
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Title Transfers and Changes
4
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Appendix 1F – Fees
5
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Contact Us
6
California Legislative Information. California Code VEH – Section 5014.1
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California DMV. Forms