How to Fill Out and Submit California REG 256 (Statement of Facts)

California DMV Form REG 256, the Statement of Facts, is a sworn declaration you attach to a vehicle or vessel transaction when the standard paperwork doesn’t explain the whole situation. To use it, fill in only the section that matches your circumstances, sign at the bottom under penalty of perjury, and submit it with your title, registration, or transfer documents. The form is free from the DMV and prints on a single page.

Where to Get the Form

Download REG 256 as a fillable PDF from the California DMV’s forms page at dmv.ca.gov, or pick up a paper copy at any DMV field office.¹ Most transactions need only one copy. If you run out of room in a section, attach a plain sheet labeled with your name, the vehicle identification number, and the section you’re continuing.

When You Need It

The DMV asks for a Statement of Facts whenever a transaction needs an explanation the routine forms don’t handle. The common situations:

Family or gift transfers. Transfers between a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, spouse, or registered domestic partner qualify for a use tax exemption. Siblings qualify only if both are minors related by blood or adoption. REG 256 documents the relationship so the DMV can waive the tax.²³
Smog exemptions. Vehicles from the 1975 model year or earlier are exempt from smog checks, as are vehicles eight or fewer model years old. REG 256 certifies why you can’t produce a smog certificate.⁴
Name changes. A marriage, divorce, adoption, or court-ordered name change that doesn’t match the name on your title.⁵
Inherited vehicles. An heir can transfer title without probate by certifying entitlement under Vehicle Code Section 5910, when the deceased owner left no other property requiring probate.⁶
Body or engine changes. Swapping an engine or altering the body type so the DMV can update the record and adjust weight-based fees if needed.
Transfer-only or title-only requests. When a vehicle isn’t currently registered and has no fees due, you can transfer or retitle without reactivating registration.

How to Fill Out REG 256 Section by Section

Start at the top with the vehicle or vessel identifiers. Enter the license plate number, the 17-character VIN, or the California vessel number exactly as they appear on your existing registration card or title. A single transposed digit can bounce the whole package. Then complete only the section that matches your situation. Leave the rest blank.

Section A: Tax Exemption

Use Section A when transferring a vehicle between qualifying family members or registered domestic partners and you want to avoid use tax. Check the box that describes the relationship and enter the vehicle’s current fair market value. The exemption does not apply if the seller is in the business of selling that type of vehicle, so a parent who runs a dealership can’t use the family exemption for inventory.⁷ It doesn’t cover stepparents or stepchildren unless a biological parent or child is part of the transaction, and it ends the moment a divorce decree is final.

For a gift to someone outside the qualifying family list, you still use Section A. Write “gift” on the back of the title where the purchase price would normally go, and note the fair market value and gift date on the REG 256.³ True gifts are exempt from use tax, but if any value changed hands, it’s a sale.

Section B: Smog Exemption

Fill in Section B if your vehicle doesn’t need a smog check and you need to explain why. Common reasons include a model year of 1975 or earlier, an age of eight model years or newer, or being temporarily located outside California.⁴ Note the date a smog certificate was last issued (if ever) and select the reason.

Section C: Transfer Only or Title Only

Use Section C when the vehicle is not currently registered, isn’t abandoned, and has no outstanding registration fees. This processes a title or ownership transfer without reactivating registration, which helps for vehicles in long-term storage or restoration.

Section D: Window Decal for Wheelchair Lift or Carrier

Section D requests a window decal indicating the vehicle is equipped with a wheelchair lift or carrier. Provide your disabled person or disabled veteran license plate number, the plate number the decal will be affixed to, the vehicle make, the VIN, and your mailing address.

Section E: Vehicle Body Change

Use Section E if you’ve altered the body type, such as converting a van to a camper. Enter the current market value, the amount spent on modifications, and the date the work was completed. Check the boxes that describe what changed. Include your certificate of title with this section.

Section F: Name Statement

Use Section F when the name on your title doesn’t match your current legal name. This covers misspellings, married names, and court-ordered changes. Bring your title as proof of ownership along with supporting documents such as a marriage certificate, dissolution decree, or adoption papers.⁸

Section G: Statement of Facts

Section G is the catch-all. After completing the specific section that applies to you, use this space for a plain-language explanation of what happened and what you need the DMV to do. Keep it brief and factual. A few sentences are usually enough. For an inherited vehicle, describe your relationship to the deceased, the date of death, and that no probate is required. For an engine swap, note the old and new engine numbers and the date of the change.

Section H: Signature

Sign and date at the bottom. Your signature must be handwritten, or a stamped version of your usual signature. The DMV does not accept electronic or digital signatures on this form.⁹ If you can’t write, you may sign by mark with a witness present. By signing, you declare under penalty of perjury that everything on the form is true.¹⁰

What to Attach

REG 256 never travels alone. What you include depends on the transaction:

Family or gift transfer. The signed-over certificate of title with “gift” written in the purchase price field for gifts, plus the $15 transfer fee.¹¹
Inherited vehicle without probate. The certificate of title and registration card if available, a certified copy of the death certificate if the DMV requests it, and a certification under penalty of perjury stating the date and place of death, that no probate is pending, that all unsecured creditors have been paid, and that you are entitled to the vehicle as heir or beneficiary.⁶
Name change. The certificate of title plus a marriage certificate, divorce decree showing the name change, or court order.⁵
Body change. The certificate of title showing current ownership.
Smog exemption. Usually no extra documents beyond the REG 256, unless the DMV asks for proof the vehicle is out of state.

Double-check every identifier on REG 256 against your title and registration card before you send the packet. Mismatched VINs or plate numbers are the fastest way to get everything returned.

How to Submit

You can submit by mail or in person. To mail, send the completed REG 256 and all supporting documents to:

Department of Motor Vehicles
Vehicle Registration Operations
PO Box 942869
Sacramento, CA 94269-0001¹²

Include a check or money order for any applicable fees. A title transfer runs $15, plus use tax if the transaction isn’t exempt.¹¹ Use tax is calculated at the local sales tax rate for the address where you register the vehicle.¹³

To submit in person, bring the packet to any DMV field office. Scheduling an appointment at dmv.ca.gov saves significant wait time, though walk-ins are accepted. Paying at the counter also lets you use a credit or debit card, which isn’t an option by mail.

Processing Time

Titles processed through the DMV typically arrive by mail within 15 to 30 days.⁵ Simple transactions like name corrections tend to land on the shorter end. Inherited-vehicle transfers and body change updates can take longer if the DMV asks for more documentation. If nothing arrives after six weeks, call the DMV or check the transaction status online. Confirm your mailing address on file before you submit, because a title sent to an old address becomes a new problem.

Penalty of Perjury

Every REG 256 is signed under penalty of perjury. A knowingly false statement, such as claiming a vehicle is a gift when money changed hands, inventing a family relationship to dodge use tax, or misrepresenting a vehicle’s specifications, can bring both criminal and civil consequences.

Perjury is a felony under California Penal Code Section 118, which covers anyone who certifies under penalty of perjury something they know to be false.¹⁴ Vehicle Code Section 4463 separately treats fraudulent registration documents as a wobbler: as a felony, 16 months, two years, or three years in state prison; as a misdemeanor, up to one year in county jail.¹⁵ On the tax side, falsely claiming a gift or family exemption also exposes you to unpaid use tax plus penalties and interest assessed by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

1
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Forms – California DMV
2
California Legislative Information. California Revenue and Taxation Code 6285
3
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Transactions Not Subject to Use Tax
4
California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code HSC 44011
5
California DMV. Title Transfers and Changes
6
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 5910 – Transfer of Vehicle Interest on Death
7
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Exemptions and Exclusions: Vehicles, Vessels, Aircraft – Frequently Asked Questions
8
California DMV. Update Information on Your Driver’s License or ID Card
9
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Signatures and Endorsements
10
California Department of Motor Vehicles. REG 256 Miscellaneous Certifications
11
California DMV. Registration Fees
12
California DMV. Contact Us – California DMV
13
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Tax Guide for Purchasers of Vehicles
14
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code PEN 118 – Perjury
15
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4463