4600.  Certificates of ownership shall not be renewed annually but
shall remain valid until suspended, revoked, or canceled by the
department for cause or upon a transfer of any interest shown
therein.


4601.  (a) Except as otherwise provided in this code, every vehicle
registration and registration card expires at midnight on the
expiration date designated by the director pursuant to Section
1651.5, and shall be renewed prior to the expiration of the
registration year.  The department may, upon payment of the proper
fees, renew the registration of vehicles.
   (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, renewal of
registration for any vehicle which is either currently registered or
for which a certification pursuant to Section 4604 has been filed may
be obtained not more than 60 days prior to the expiration of the
current registration or certification.



4601.5.  Notwithstanding Section 4601, the registration for vehicles
registered pursuant to the International Registration Plan as
described in Article 4 (commencing with Section 8050) of Chapter 4 of
Division 3 and for vehicles registered under the Partial Year
Registration Program as described in Article 5 (commencing with
Section 9700) of Chapter 6 of Division 3, expires at midnight of
December 31 of the registration year.  However, for the purposes of
applying any future reductions or increases in the vehicle license
fee, the vehicle registrations subject to this section shall be
deemed to have a final expiration date in the succeeding calendar
year.



4602.  Application for renewal of a vehicle registration shall be
made by the  owner not later than midnight of the expiration date,
and shall be made by presentation of the registration card last
issued for the vehicle or by presentation of a potential registration
card issued by the department for use at the time of renewal and by
payment of the full registration year fee for the vehicle as provided
in this code.  If the registration card and potential registration
card are unavailable, a fee as specified in Section 9265 shall not be
paid.


4603.  Whenever in his opinion the interests of the State will be
promoted thereby, the director with the approval of the Governor may
extend for a period not to exceed 10 days the closing of the period
during which applications for renewal of registration may be
presented without the payment of penalties.



4604.  (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d), prior to
the expiration of the registration of a vehicle, if that
registration is not to be renewed prior to its expiration, the owner
of the vehicle shall file, under penalty of perjury, a certification
that the vehicle will not be operated, moved, or left standing upon
any highway without first making an application for registration of
the vehicle, including full payment of all fees.  The certification
is valid until the vehicle's registration is renewed pursuant to
subdivision (c).
   (b) Each certification filed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
accompanied by a filing fee of  ten dollars ($10).
   (c) (1) An application for renewal of registration, except when
accompanied by an application for transfer of title to, or any
interest in, the vehicle, shall be submitted to the department with
payment of the required fees for the current registration year and
without penalty for delinquent payment of fees imposed under this
code or under Part 5 (commencing with Section 10701) of Division 2 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code if the department receives the
application prior to or on the date the vehicle is first operated,
moved, or left standing upon any highway during the current
registration year and the certification required pursuant to
subdivision (a) was timely filed with the department.
   (2) If an application for renewal of registration is accompanied
by an application for transfer of title, that application may be made
without incurring a penalty for delinquent payment of fees not later
than 20 days after the date the vehicle is first operated, moved, or
left standing on any highway if a certification pursuant to
subdivision (a) was timely filed with the department.
   (d) A certification is not required to be filed pursuant to
subdivision (a) for any of the following:
   (1) A vehicle on which the registration expires while being held
as inventory by a dealer or lessor-retailer or while being held
pending a lien sale by the keeper of a garage or operator of a towing
service.
   (2) A vehicle registered pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with
Section 8050) of Chapter 4 of Division 3.
   (3) A vehicle described in Section 5004, 5004.5, 5004.6, or 5051,
as provided in Section 4604.2.  However, the registered owner may
file a certificate of nonoperation in lieu of the certification
specified in subdivision (a).
   (4) A vehicle registered pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with
Section 9700) of Chapter 6 if the registered owner has complied with
subdivision (c) of Section 9706.
   (e) For purposes of this section, a "vehicle" is, notwithstanding
Section 670, a device by which any person or property may be
propelled, moved, or driven upon a highway having intact and
assembled its major component parts including, but not limited to,
the frame or chassis, cowl, and floor pan or, in the case of a
trailer, the frame and wheels or, in the case of a motorcycle, the
frame, front fork, and engine.  For purposes of this section,
"vehicle" does not include a device moved exclusively by human power,
a device used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks, or a
motorized wheelchair.



4604.2.  (a) When the registration of a vehicle registered on a
partial year basis has expired and the vehicle is not thereafter
operated, moved, or left standing upon any highway, and the vehicle
is in compliance with subdivision (b) of Section 9706 applying to
vehicles registered on a partial year basis, any application for
renewal made subsequent to that expiration shall be accompanied by a
certificate of nonoperation.
   (b) An application for registration or renewal of registration of
a vehicle described in Section 5004, 5004.5, or 5004.6 that has not
been operated, moved, or left standing upon any highway shall be
accompanied by a certificate of nonoperation for the period during
which the vehicle was not registered.
   (c) A certificate of nonoperation may be accepted for a vehicle
registered pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 8050) of
Chapter 4 solely for the purpose of waiver of penalties.
   (d) The application for registration or renewal of registration of
vehicles specified in subdivisions (a) and (b), whether or not
accompanied by an application for transfer of title, shall be
accepted by the department upon payment of the proper fees for the
current registration year without the payment of delinquent fees
imposed under this code or Part 5 (commencing with Section 10701) of
Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code if the department
receives the application and certificate of nonoperation prior to the
date the vehicle is first operated, moved, or left standing upon any
highway during the current registration year.



4604.5.  (a) (1) If the vehicle has not been operated, moved, or
left standing upon any highway subsequent to the expiration of the
vehicle's registration, the certification specified in Section 4604
or 4604.2 may be filed after the expiration of the registration of a
vehicle, but not later than 90 days after the expiration date,
subject to the payment of the filing fee specified in Section 4604
and the penalty specified in paragraph (2).
   (2) A penalty shall be collected on any certification specified in
Section 4604 or 4604.2 filed later than midnight of the date of
expiration of registration.  The penalty shall be computed as
provided in Sections 9406 and 9559 and after the registration and
weight fees have been combined with the license fee specified in
Section 10751 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, as follows:
   (A) For a delinquency period of 10 days or less, the penalty is 10
percent of the fee.
   (B) For a delinquency period of more than 10 days, to and
including 30 days, the penalty is 20 percent of the fee.
   (C) For a delinquency period of more than 30 days, to and
including 90 days, the penalty is 60 percent of the fee.
   (3) This subdivision applies to the renewal of registration for
vehicles with expiration dates on or before December 31, 2002.
   (b) The certification specified in Sections 4604 and 4604.2 may be
filed no more than 90 days after the expiration of the registration
of a vehicle if the vehicle has not been operated, moved, or left
standing upon any highway subsequent to the expiration of the vehicle'
s registration.  A penalty shall be collected on any certification
specified in Section 4604 or 4604.2 filed later than midnight of the
date of expiration of registration.  After 90 days, the vehicle must
be registered pursuant to Section 4601.  A certification filed
pursuant to this subdivision is subject to the payment of the filing
fee specified in Section 4604 and the payment of the penalties
specified in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subdivision.
   (1) The penalty for late payment of the registration fee provided
in Section 9250 is as follows:
   (A) For a delinquency period of 10 days or less, the penalty is
ten dollars ($10).
   (B) For a delinquency period of more than 10 days, to and
including 30 days, the penalty is fifteen dollars ($15).
   (C) For a delinquency period of more than 30 days, to and
including 90 days, the penalty is thirty dollars ($30).
   (2) The penalty on the weight fee and the vehicle license fee
shall be computed after the weight fee as provided in Section 9400 or
9400.1 plus the vehicle license fee specified in Section 10751 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code have been added together as follows:
   (A) For a delinquency period of 10 days or less, the penalty is 10
percent of the fee.
   (B) For a delinquency period exceeding 10 days, to and including
30 days, the penalty is 20 percent of the fee.
   (C) For a delinquency period of more than 30 days, to and
including 90 days, the penalty is 60 percent of the fee.
   (3) Weight fees not reported and not paid within 20 days, as
required by Section 9406, shall be assessed a penalty on the
difference in the weight fee, as follows:
   (A) For a delinquency period of 10 days  or less, the penalty is
10 percent of the fee.
   (B) For a delinquency period exceeding 10 days, to and including
30 days, the penalty is 20 percent of the fee.
   (C) For a delinquency period of more than 30 days, to and
including 90 days, the penalty is 60 percent of the fee.
   (c) This section shall apply to registration renewals that expire
on or after January 1, 2003.


4605.  Notwithstanding Section 4000 of this code, and
notwithstanding Section 38020 of this code, no fees or penalties
imposed under this code or under Part 5 (commencing with Section
10701) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall accrue
due to operation of a vehicle in conjunction with the theft or
embezzlement of the vehicle if the owner or legal owner submits a
certificate in writing setting forth the circumstances of the theft
or embezzlement and certifies that the theft or embezzlement of the
vehicle has been reported pursuant to the provisions of this code.




4606.  Notwithstanding any provision of subdivision (a) of Section
5204 to the contrary, when an application for the registration of a
vehicle has been made as required in Sections 4152.5 and 4602, the
vehicle may be operated on the highways until the new indicia of
current registration have been received from the department, upon
condition that there be displayed on the vehicle the license plates
and validating devices, if any, issued to the vehicle for the
previous registration year.



4607.  The department, upon renewing a registration, shall issue a
new registration card to the owner as upon an original registration.



4609.  The department may extend the life of the current series of
license plates, outstanding during 1957, and may hereafter issue a
new series of license plates for an indefinite period of time, but in
no event for a period less than five (5) years.  During each
intervening year of the period for which the plates are issued, the
department shall issue a tab, sticker, or other suitable device as
herein provided.
   Any such series of plates may be canceled by the director with the
approval of the Governor at any time after five years from the year
of issuance of such series.



4610.  The department may authorize an endorsement of a receipt or
the validation of a registration card or potential registration card
as provided in this code by a person or organization holding a
certificate of authority issued under the provisions of Part 5
(commencing with Section 12140) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code.