Expired Registration

Man signing the back of car registration.

Driving with an Expired Registration

It is important to register your vehicle and renew it prior to expiration. It is when you drive with an expired California registration that you may run into serious problems. Although there are legitimate reasons for failing to make your registration on time, if you fail to do so for more than six months your car may be towed and impounded should you park it on a public street. 

If you never take your vehicle off of private property you never have to worry about registering your tags. However, since this is unrealistic, you will need registration to drive. If your registration has been expired for less than six months, a law enforcement officer may pull your vehicle over and give you a citation. If you are issued a citation, not only do you have to pay the fine of the ticket, but you also still have to pay for the car’s tags as well as any late fees, which could total upwards of $600.

Receiving a Ticket for Expired Tags

When you receive a ticket for expired tags, you usually have 30 days to go and register for new tags with the DMV. However, you may be required to appear in traffic court. For a convenient location, you can look up a traffic court near you.

Should you still not register your tags even after being issued a ticket for expired registration, you may be facing more serious consequences should you get pulled over once again. You may be issued a criminal traffic violation and the officer may have your car impounded. Even more serious, should you continuously receive citations for your expired registration over a specific period of time, you could face incarceration. 

That is why it is so important to ensure that you maintain your registration, keeping it up-to-date. Although it may be a nuisance to take care of, it could end up becoming a much worse situation, that could cost you not only financially, but could impact your driving privileges, therefore also taking away some of your freedom. 

The Cheap Traffic Attorneys Help Those Who Have Been Issued a Ticket for Expired Registration Tags

Although you may feel inclined to try to handle the situation yourself, you may not find yourself ending up with the best outcome. If you have received a ticket for an expired registration, it can have a big impact on your rights. That is why it is so important to consult with a knowledgeable and experienced traffic ticket attorney who understands the law, the consequences, and how to best minimize them on your behalf. 

At Cheap Traffic Attorneys, we are dedicated to defending California motorists against law officers and prosecutors who seek to carry out the toughest penalties on you including high fines, expensive and time-consuming traffic classes, suspension and even revocation of your license. To learn more or to schedule a free consultation, contact us today.