Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual

When renewal fees are paid by both the buyer and the seller (former owner) of a vehicle for the same registration year, the refund is issued to:

• The buyer if the fees were paid by the seller before selling the vehicle.
• The seller if the fees were paid after selling the vehicle because a renewal notice was received.

The original registration remains valid when double registration results from theft of the vehicle.

The following must be submitted:

• A completed Application for Refund (ADM 399) form when one of the double registrations is canceled within three years following payment of the fees.
• The registration card and unused sticker.

The procedures below must be followed:

• If the refund application is received in the field office, write “Sticker(s) Taken Up” on the registration card and forward the application to DMV headquarters.

An applicant who cannot surrender the sticker for cancellation, because it was placed on the license plate of the double-registered vehicle, must complete a Statement of Facts (REG 256) form explaining what happened. Attach the REG 256 to the ADM 399 and send it with the miscellaneous work to the appropriate Registration Processing Unit (RPU) in DMV headquarters.

New Vehicles Registered Twice—If a dealer reports the sale of a new vehicle registered twice to the same owner and both applications clear, the first registration will stand and the second registration will be canceled.

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