If a license plate, a registration sticker, or your registration card has gone missing or fallen apart, the California DMV wants one specific document before it issues a replacement: REG 156. This guide walks through the current form field by field, shows you how to pick the exact item you need, how to state why you need it, and how to produce a signed copy you can submit. It uses the official REG 156 (REV. 11/2024) edition, and it links to a free fillable template so you can complete it in your browser.
REG 156 is a document-preparation task, not a quick online checkout. The DMV charges a fee for most replacements and still needs a signed paper application. The good news: the form is short, and once you know which boxes apply to your situation, it takes a few minutes.
What REG 156 is
REG 156 is the California DMV form titled "Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents." You will sometimes see it searched as the ca dmv reg 156 or simply the reg 156 form; they all refer to this same application. A registered owner of record uses it to ask the DMV to reissue vehicle items that were lost, stolen, destroyed, or never delivered.
The form covers more than license plates. In one section you choose exactly what you are replacing, which can include:
- License plates
- Registration card
- Year or month registration sticker (the small validation tab on the plate)
- Vessel (boat) stickers, certificates, and the mussel fee sticker
- Disabled Person placard or Disabled Person ID card
- Planned Non-Operation (PNO) card
- PFR sticker, CVRA weight decal, CVRA year sticker, and the trailer or OHV ID card
One quick check before you start: REG 156 is a California form. Other states use their own replacement applications (Texas, for example, uses a TxDMV form rather than REG 156), so if you landed here from a general search for "replacement plates," confirm your vehicle is registered in California first. Special-interest, special-recognition, and some equipment plates can require different applications, so verify your plate type if you have a specialty plate.
Before you start: decide what you are replacing
The form asks you to be precise, so gather a few details first. Pull your registration card or renewal notice and note:
- Your vehicle license plate number (or CF number for a vessel)
- The vehicle identification number (VIN) or hull ID number
- The vehicle make
- Your driver license or ID card number
- Your current physical address and your mailing address if it differs
Then settle two questions, because they map directly to two sections of the form:
- Which item do you need? A plate, the registration card, the year sticker, the month sticker, or something else. You can check more than one box.
- What happened to it? Lost, stolen, destroyed, never received, surrendered, or another reason you can explain.
Having clear answers to those two questions is most of the work.
REG 156 field by field
The image below is a rendering of the official REG 156 (REV. 11/2024) so you can see where each section sits before you fill it in.
Top block: vehicle identification
Above Section 1 you identify the vehicle: the Vehicle License Plate/CF Number, Make, and Vehicle ID Number/Hull ID Number. There are also lines for a Disabled Person Placard Number and birth date (only if the request involves a DP placard) and an Engine Number line used for motorcycles. Leave lines that do not apply to your vehicle blank.
Section 1: Registered Owner of Record
Print your true full name (last, first, middle) or business name and your driver license or ID card number. There is a line for a co-owner if the vehicle is held jointly. Enter your physical residence or business address with apartment or suite number, city, state, and ZIP, then the county where you live or where the vehicle or vessel is primarily garaged. Add a separate mailing address only if it differs from the physical address. The form asks you to print, so write legibly.
Section 2: Plates, Stickers, Documents Request
This is where you check the box or boxes for what you are replacing. For a typical car, that is usually License Plates, Registration Card, or the Year/Month Sticker line, where you mark whether it is the year sticker or the month sticker. The full list also includes the vessel, placard, PNO, PFR, CVRA, and trailer or OHV items noted earlier.
One rule to remember: the form states that for a missing license plate, license sticker, or Disabled Person placard, if the original turns up later, it is no longer valid and must be destroyed or returned to the DMV.
Section 3: The item requested was
Here you tell the DMV why you need the replacement by checking the box that matches your situation:
| You check | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Lost / Stolen / Destroyed-Mutilated | The item is gone or ruined. If destroyed or mutilated, the remnants of the plate(s) must be surrendered to the DMV. |
| Not Received from DMV | It was issued but never arrived. Allow 30 days from the issue date before you reapply. |
| Not Received from Prior Owner | You bought the vehicle and the prior owner did not hand over the item. |
| Surrendered | You turned plates in; note whether one or two plates were surrendered. |
| Special Plates Retained by Owner | For personalized, Disabled Person, or Disabled Veteran plates kept by the owner. |
| Requesting Registration Card with Current Address | You want a card printed with your updated address. |
| Per CVC 4467 | A copy of a police report, court documentation, or other law enforcement documentation is required. |
| Other - Explain | Anything else; write a short, specific reason. |
Keep the reason concrete. "Rear plate stolen from parked car on 10/14" is clearer than "missing."
Section 4: License Plate (only if your address changed)
Complete Section 4 only if the license plate(s) were stolen or missing and your address is different from the department's records (California Vehicle Code 4466). In that case the form directs you to appear in person at a DMV office and bring: proof of ownership (an original or photocopy of the Certificate of Title, Registration Card, or Registration Renewal Notice); your driver license or ID card; a copy of the police report if the plates were stolen; and a CHP verification of the VIN if duplicate plates were issued within the last 90 days.
You then check one box: either one license plate is missing (automobiles, two-plate commercial vehicles, or pick-ups, where the remaining plate must be surrendered to the DMV), or two plates are missing or one plate is missing from a single-plate commercial truck tractor, motorcycle, or trailer, which also requires you to notify law enforcement right away.
Section 5: Certification and signature
Section 5 is the part you cannot skip. By signing, you confirm your mailing address is valid and you consent to receive service of process there under CVC 1808.21 and related code sections. Above the signature line the form reads: "I certify (or declare) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct." Print your full name, add a title if you are signing for a company, and provide a telephone number. Then sign on the line marked with an X, add the date, and your email address. An unsigned form is not a complete application.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not checking a specific item. Section 2 needs an actual box checked. "Replace my stuff" is not selectable; pick the plate, card, or sticker.
- A vague reason. Section 3 asks what happened. Choose lost, stolen, destroyed, not received, or use the Other line with a clear explanation.
- Address mismatch. If your address differs from DMV records and plates were stolen or missing, you cannot mail it in; Section 4 sends you to a field office in person with documents.
- Leaving it unsigned. The certification in Section 5 must be signed and dated by the registered owner. The DMV notes that all information on the form is mandatory and that missing information can lead to rejection.
- Forgetting the remnants. If an item was destroyed or plates were surrendered, read the surrender rules; the plate remains may need to go back to the DMV.
Fill, review, and download REG 156 in Fylune
You can complete the form online instead of hand-printing it. Open the REG 156 template in Fylune and the official PDF loads directly in the browser editor.
- Fill the fields. Type your vehicle and owner details, check the item in Section 2 and the reason in Section 3, and complete Section 5. You can also use Fylune's optional AI assistant (Faye) to organize facts you provide into the right fields; it does not invent your details, and you review every entry.
- Review everything. Read each field against your registration card. The AI assists; it does not replace your check.
- Download or print, then sign. Export the completed PDF, print it, and sign Section 5 by hand (or add your own visible signature before printing). Fylune does not sign for you.
Filling and getting started are free in the browser. As Fylune's template page states plainly, the tool "only prepares a downloadable PDF. It does not collect DMV fees, submit the request or guarantee delivery." Core editing is free; clean, watermark-free exports and AI credits are paid options, so check current pricing before you rely on a specific tier. If you want a general-purpose editor for other PDFs, Fylune also offers a free PDF editor.
After you fill it out: submitting to the DMV
REG 156 itself tells you where it goes: "Complete all sections of this form and submit to any DMV office or mail to: DMV, P.O. Box 942869, Sacramento, CA 94269-0001." If your address has changed, the form notes you should also submit the appropriate Change of Address form.
There is a fee to replace most items. The current amount is set by the DMV and changes over time, so the form directs you to check the latest fee at dmv.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-777-0133 rather than relying on a figure you read elsewhere. Fylune prepares the paperwork; it does not collect the fee or file on your behalf.
FAQ
Can REG 156 replace a lost license plate? Yes. In Section 2 check the License Plates box, and in Section 3 mark the reason (for example, Lost or Stolen). If plates were stolen or missing and your address differs from DMV records, Section 4 requires an in-person visit with supporting documents.
Is REG 156 a California form? Yes. REG 156 is issued by the California DMV. Other states handle replacements with their own applications, so a similar-sounding form from another state is not interchangeable with the ca dmv reg 156.
Does Fylune submit the form to the DMV? No. Fylune helps you fill, review, and download or print the reg 156 form. You sign it yourself and submit it to the DMV by mail or in person; Fylune does not collect the fee, file the application, or guarantee delivery.
How long should I wait if an item was issued but never arrived? For an item "Not Received from DMV," the form says to allow 30 days from the issue date before you reapply.
Sources
- California DMV, REG 156 "Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents" (REV. 11/2024), official form PDF, read 2026-10-31: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/application-for-replacement-plates-stickers-documents-reg-156-pdf/
- California DMV, vehicle registration and current fee information: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/
- Fylune REG 156 template, verified live 2026-10-31: https://www.fylune.com/tools/forms/ca-reg-156
- Fylune free PDF editor, verified live 2026-10-31: https://www.fylune.com/features/free-pdf-editor
About the author: Nina@Aurcue is Chief Marketing Officer at Aurcue and writes for the Fylune editorial team. This article is general information to help you prepare a form; it is not legal advice, and Fylune is not affiliated with or endorsed by the California DMV. Always confirm requirements and fees with the DMV.