NOTICE OF TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY - Form REG 138 - Vehicle/Vessel

Sep 20, 2026

Upload by Franzy

Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability form REG 138 (Rev. 2/2012) instructs sellers/lessees and new owners to report the sale, transfer, or lease return of a vehicle or vessel to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). It requires accurate, legible completion in black or blue ink, including new owner and seller/lessee names and addresses, odometer reading, sale date, vehicle/vessel details, selling price, and signatures. Filing is required within five days and may be submitted online at dmv.ca.gov or mailed with the top card; copies of bills of sale must not be sent.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

NOTICE OF TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY

Filing requirements and submission options

Required information fields

Warnings and timelines

TO ENSURE YOUR LIABILITY IS RELEASED, PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW. THE FORM MUST BE COMPLETED IN FULL. PRINT IN CAPITAL LETTERS USING BLACK OR BLUE INK. DMV DOCUMENT IMAGING USE ONLY NOTICE OF TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY MAIL THIS FORM TO DMV [OR FILE ONLINE AT](OR FILE ONLINE ATdmv.ca.gov)[dmv.ca.gov](OR FILE ONLINE ATdmv.ca.gov) NEW OWNER’S LAST NAME (OR) COMPANY NAME FIRST NEW OWNER’S ADDRESS APT NUMBER ODOMETER READING (NO TENTHS) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | , | | | | | --- | --- | --- | CITY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | SELLER’S OR LESSEE’S LAST NAME (OR) COMPANY NAME ZIP CODE | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | DATE OF SALE, TRANSFER, OR LEASE RETURN | MO.
| DAY
| | YR.
| | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | SELLING PRICE (NO CENTS) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | WHOLE DOLLARS SELLER’S OR LESSEE’S ADDRESS APT NUMBER | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | CITY STATE ZIP CODE IF VEHICLE IS A GIFT, ENTER 0 FOR SELLING PRICE SELLER’S OR LESSEE’S SIGNATURE X VEHICLE LICENSE OR CF NUMBER MAKE OR BUILDER YEAR MODEL VEHICLE ID OR VESSEL HULL NUMBER | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | WARNING! You must provide accurate, legible information: vehicle/vessel description, your name/address, buyer’s name/address, and date of sale, transfer, or lease return, or the information SHALL NOT be updated or retained. REG 138 (REV. 2/2012) NOTICE OF TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY | A Public Service Agency | | | --- | --- | |
Please Protect Yourself!
Submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability
Give Us |
1. VEHICLE OR VESSEL 4. DATE OF SALE, TRANSFER, OR DESCRIPTION LEASE RETURN
2. NEW OWNER’S NAME 5. YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND ADDRESS
3. ODOMETER READING | [This form may be filed online at](This form may be filed online at dmv.ca.gov and a receipt can be printed ensuring it had been received)[ dmv.ca.gov](This form may be filed online at dmv.ca.gov and a receipt can be printed ensuring it had been received)[ and a receipt can be printed ensuring it had been received](This form may be filed online at dmv.ca.gov and a receipt can be printed ensuring it had been received). This form may also be mailed, but no notification will be sent that it was received. WARNING:You must provide accurate, legible information: vehicle/vessel description, your name/address, new owner’s name and address, and the date of sale, transfer, or lease return. Otherwise the information WILL NOT be updated or retained. You WILL NOT receive notification that the information was not updated or retained. Pay careful attention to write the new owner’s information in the new owner section and the seller’s information in the seller’s section. If you have multiple vehicles or sell multiple vehicles at the same time, be sure to enter the correct vehicle licen

FAQs

When must this REG 138 form be filed with DMV?

The form must be filed within five (5) days from the date you sell or otherwise dispose of a vehicle or vessel.

What submission methods does the form provide?

You can file online at dmv.ca.gov. If not filing online, complete and mail the top card to DMV and detach/keep the other part for your records.

What happens if the information is not accurate or legible?

If required vehicle/vessel description, names/addresses, and the date are not accurate and legible, the information will not be updated or retained by DMV.

Sep 20, 2026

Upload by Franzy