California Department of Motor Vehicles Edition REG 138 (Rev. 3/2024) 2 pages California

REG 138 — Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (California DMV)

Sold, traded or gave away a car, motorcycle or boat in California? Tell the DMV within 5 days so later tickets aren't yours.

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REG 138 · Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability
The official California Department of Motor Vehicles form, edition REG 138 (Rev. 3/2024) — blank
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REG 138 (2024) Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability — page 1 of 2
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REG 138 (2024) Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability — page 2 of 2
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Fill this form online Blank PDF from California Department of Motor Vehicles

What is REG 138?

The Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, form REG 138 (often called the NRL), is how a California seller tells the Department of Motor Vehicles that a vehicle or vessel has changed hands. Once the DMV records it, liability for parking and traffic violations and civil litigation from the vehicle's use after the date of sale, transfer or lease return becomes the new owner's responsibility.

The form says you must notify the DMV within five days from the date you sell or dispose of the vehicle or vessel. Filing it does not transfer the title: before your name comes off the DMV's records, the new owner must apply for transfer using the Certificate of Ownership (title) you endorsed.

The DMV prefers the online NRL at dmv.ca.gov/nrl, but mailing the paper REG 138 is still allowed. FileIt fills the official PDF for you — in the capital letters and single-character boxes the DMV asks for — and copies the details onto the part you keep.

Who fills it
The seller or lessee (the person on the registration)
Sent to
Department of Motor Vehicles, Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, P.O. Box 942859, Sacramento, CA 94259-0001
Deadline
Within 5 days of the sale, transfer or lease return
Signatures
The seller or lessee signs the top card
Edition
REG 138 (Rev. 3/2024)
Agency
California Department of Motor Vehicles

Who needs to fill out REG 138?

  • Anyone who sells a California-registered car, truck, motorcycle or trailer to a private buyer or dealer.
  • Owners who give a vehicle away as a gift or transfer it to a family member.
  • Lessees returning a leased vehicle.
  • Owners of a registered vessel (boat) who sell or transfer it — the CF number goes in the plate box.

When to use REG 138

  • As soon as the vehicle or vessel changes hands — the DMV must be told within 5 days.
  • When you would rather mail a paper notice than file the NRL online.
  • Once per vehicle: if you sell several at the same time, the form says to submit a separate one for each.

What you need before you start

  • The new owner's name (or company name) and address — the form suggests checking the buyer's ID.
  • The odometer reading at the time of sale, in whole miles.
  • The date of sale, transfer or lease return, and the selling price in whole dollars (0 for a gift).
  • Your own name and address.
  • The license plate (or CF) number, make, year model and full VIN or hull number, from the registration card or title.

What’s on REG 138

The 2024 edition has 2 pages. FileIt asks for it in 4 parts, and it is signed by Seller or lessee:

  1. New ownerSeller or lessee
  2. The saleSeller or lessee
  3. Seller or lessee (you)Seller or lessee
  4. Vehicle or vesselSeller or lessee

How to fill out REG 138, step by step

1 New owner

Enter the new owner's last name (or company name), first name, street address with apartment number, city, state and ZIP. The card has one box per letter, so long names and streets need abbreviating.

2 Odometer, date and price

Give the odometer reading with no tenths, the month, day and year of the sale, transfer or lease return, and the selling price with no cents. If the vehicle was a gift, the form says to enter 0 for the selling price.

3 Seller or lessee

Enter your own name and address, as they appear on the registration.

4 Vehicle or vessel

Copy the license plate or CF number, the make, the year model and the vehicle identification number or vessel hull number from the registration or title, and sign the card.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Waiting more than 5 days after the sale.
  • Mixing up the sections — the form warns to put the new owner's details in the new owner section and yours in the seller's section.
  • Leaving anything out: the form says it will not be updated or retained without the vehicle description, both names and addresses, and the date.
  • Thinking the NRL transfers ownership. The buyer still has to transfer the title with the Certificate of Ownership you signed over.
  • Putting several vehicles on one form, or mailing a bill of sale with it — the form says not to.

After you fill it out

Sign the top card and mail it to the DMV address printed on the form, keeping the bottom part (which FileIt fills in too) for your records. The form says no notice will be sent confirming the DMV received a mailed form, so keep a copy — it notes collection notices can arrive months or years after a sale.

Filing online at dmv.ca.gov/nrl instead gives you a confirmation to print, and the DMV page says the record updates within one business day.

The new owner must still apply for the title transfer. FileIt keeps the completed notice in your vault so you can show when you reported the sale.

Fill out REG 138 online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 21 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real California Department of Motor Vehicles form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start REG 138 now — it’s free

REG 138: frequently asked questions

Do I have to file a REG 138 when I sell my car in California?

Yes. The form says you're required by law to notify the DMV within five days from the date you sell or dispose of a vehicle or vessel. You can do it online at dmv.ca.gov/nrl or by mailing this form.

Does the release of liability transfer the title?

No. The form states that filing it does not constitute an application for transfer of ownership. The new owner must apply for transfer with the endorsed Certificate of Ownership.

Where do I mail the REG 138?

To the Department of Motor Vehicles, Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, P.O. Box 942859, Sacramento, CA 94259-0001, as printed on the form.

Will the DMV confirm it got my form?

Not for a mailed form — the form says no notification will be sent. Keep a copy. Filing online gives you a confirmation you can print.

What if the car was a gift?

Enter 0 as the selling price, as the form instructs.

Can someone else submit it for me?

The DMV page says someone else may submit the NRL for you, but the seller remains responsible for making sure it's complete.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by California Department of Motor Vehicles or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

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