Vehicle Code section 5602

An owner who has made a bona fide sale or transfer of a vehicle and has delivered possession of the vehicle to a purchaser is not, by reason of any of the provisions of this code, the owner of the vehicle so as to be subject to civil liability or criminal liability for the parking, abandoning, or operation of the vehicle thereafter by another when the selling or transferring owner, in addition to that delivery and that bona fide sale or transfer, has fulfilled either of the following requirements:

(a)

He or she has made proper endorsement and delivery of the certificate of ownership as provided in this code.

(b)

He or she has delivered to the department or has placed in the United States mail, addressed to the department, either of the following documents:

(1)

The notice as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 4456 or Section 5900 or 5901.

(2)

The appropriate documents and fees for registration of the vehicle to the new owner pursuant to the sale or transfer.

Source: Section 5602, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=5602.­ (updated Jul. 11, 1994; accessed Jun. 26, 2026).

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Verified:
Jun. 26, 2026

§ 5602's source at ca​.gov