Is a dealer allowed to pass registration penalties onto the new car buyer?
Is a dealer allowed to pass registration penalties onto the new car buyer?
Buyers cannot be charged more than the amount required to complete the registration transaction.
Buyers may be charged all fees due to DMV, including fees for duplicates/substitutes and fees/penalties that accrued prior to the vehicle entering the dealer inventory, unless those fees/penalties accrued through untimely submission of fees and/or documents by the dealer.
Fees paid by a dealer to avoid penalties may usually be charged to the buyer.
Fees collected by the dealer in excess of the amount required to register/transfer the vehicle must be refunded to the purchaser, whether or not requested by the purchaser.
Administrative service fees (ASF) cannot be charged to the buyer.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/