One Trip Permit in California: Cost, Insurance, and Penalties

A California One Trip Permit (DMV form REG 402T) is a $28 temporary authorization that lets you legally drive an unregistered vehicle on a single, continuous trip on public roads. You can get one at any DMV field office or through a DMV-authorized business partner such as a licensed registration service. It stands in for California registration for that one movement only, and it doesn’t replace your insurance or any tax you owe on the vehicle.

What the Permit Lets You Do

The permit is authorized under California Vehicle Code Section 4003 and covers one narrow situation: moving a vehicle that should be registered in California but isn’t. The trip must go from one location to another by the most direct route, either within California or crossing the state line in either direction.¹

“One continuous trip” is literal. You can’t run errands over several days or add side trips. There’s no mileage cap on a standard one-way trip, but once you reach the destination on the permit, it’s spent.

One exception allows a round trip: moving a vehicle to and from a lawful parade or exhibition. That round trip is capped at 100 miles total and must be completed within 60 days of when the permit was issued.¹

Before you drive, write the date of movement on the permit in ink and display it on the windshield or another prominent spot where it’s visible from outside the vehicle.¹

Vehicles and Trips That Don’t Qualify

The permit can’t be issued or used for:

Cranes, under any circumstances.
Vehicles that require a special transportation permit from the California Department of Transportation because of their size or weight.
Trailer coaches physically present in California and owned by California residents. These require full registration.
Loaded commercial vehicles. The only exception is a loaded commercial vehicle traveling to a parade or exhibition.

An unladen commercial vehicle can use the permit, and that includes one carrying another vehicle piggyback, as long as at least the front or rear wheels of the mounted vehicle rest on the ground. If none of the mounted vehicle’s wheels touch the ground, the carrying vehicle counts as loaded and the permit is invalid.¹

Trailer Coaches: Nonresidents and Military

Nonresidents have more room to use the permit for trailer coaches than California residents do. A nonresident who buys a trailer coach in California can use a One Trip Permit to move it out of the state. A nonresident can also bring an unregistered trailer coach into California with a permit, though registration comes due on arrival unless an exemption applies. Nonresident military personnel and their nonresident spouses can also use the permit to move an unregistered trailer coach.¹

You Still Need Insurance

The permit replaces registration. It does not replace insurance. California’s financial responsibility law applies to any vehicle operated on public roads, whether it’s registered or moving under a temporary permit.²

Carry evidence of insurance in the vehicle during the trip. Minimum liability coverage is:

$30,000 for injury or death of one person
$60,000 for injury or death of more than one person
$15,000 for property damage

If you don’t have a standard policy, the alternatives are a $75,000 cash deposit with the DMV, a DMV-issued self-insurance certificate, or a $75,000 surety bond from a California-licensed company. Most people moving a recently bought car will just add it to an existing policy before the trip.³

How to Get One and What It Costs

Pick up a One Trip Permit at any DMV field office or through a DMV-authorized business partner. It is not available through the DMV’s online portal. You’ll provide identifying details about the vehicle, including its VIN, make, and model.¹

Vehicle Code Section 9258 sets a statutory fee of $15, but the DMV’s current fee schedule shows the actual cost at $28.⁴⁵

Each permit covers one vehicle and one trip. Businesses that need permits often, such as dealerships or tow operators, can buy them in booklets. The fee is the same per permit, but bulk purchase cuts down on repeat office visits.¹

What the Permit Doesn’t Do for Taxes

Using a One Trip Permit doesn’t wipe out tax you owe on the vehicle. If you bought a vehicle in California, you generally owe use tax, and the DMV collects it when you register. Moving the car on a permit instead of registering it doesn’t erase that liability.

One exclusion matters here. If you bought a vehicle from a private party in California, your only use of it in the state is to drive it out on a One Trip Permit, and you never register it in California, you may not owe California use tax. The exclusion does not apply to purchases from licensed dealers, which are subject to California sales tax at the point of sale regardless of where you take the vehicle afterward.⁶

What Happens If You Drive Without One

Driving an unregistered vehicle without a permit is an infraction under Vehicle Code Section 4000(a)(1). The base fine is $280, and California’s penalty assessments can push the total well beyond that. An unregistered parked vehicle can also be towed and impounded, though authorities generally must try to contact the owner first. Against those costs, $28 for a legitimate trip is cheap insurance.

1
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. One Trip Permit (REG 402T) (VC 4003)
2
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 16020
3
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance Requirements
4
California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 9258
5
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Appendix 1F – Fees
6
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Tax Guide for Purchasers of Vehicles