Will the DMV Mail My New Tags After I Get a Smog Test?

Your registration will be automatically processed. Please allow at least 30 days to receive your new tags.

You will not need to stand in line at the DMV to get your new registration card and sticker. The DMV will mail them to you once they remove the RDF (Report of Deposit of Fees) from record. Be prepared to experience a slight delay in getting your registration renewed through the DMV (online or by mail) if your vehicle requires a smog check but has not passed one. Here is the process that will occur should you pay your registration fees before passing a smog test. The DMV will receive your payment and lookup your vehicle's smog check record. If no passing smog test is found, they will place the vehicle under RDF. The RDF is simply an indication that registration fees are paid. The RDF is not current registration and can not be used to operate the motor vehicle on public roadways.

Paying registration fees through the DMV when a smog check is not on file.

Where the process gets a bit delayed is after the vehicle passes the smog check, the DMV has to realize the smog inspection record and clear the Report of Deposit of Fees. After that, the registration renewal is once again placed in queue for processing. In essence, paying registration fees before obtaining a passing smog certificate ends up requiring twice the processing time; once to set the RDF and once to remove the RDF, and mail new registration.

If you're in a crunch for time, here's how we can help.

If your registration is about to or has expired and you still need time to get the smog check, paying your registration renewal fees through NeedTags beforehand will get you your new registration card and sticker much faster than the DMV. Simply call or email us as soon as your smog check is complete and we'll process and mail out your registration renewal immediately. We can even overnight your order if you'd like. It's part of our dedicated to helping you drive legal!

Please Note: You must have used NeedTags to pay your registration renewal fees in order for us to complete your renewal the same day on which you obtain your smog inspection. If you start the renewal process with the DMV, you must await the arrival of your new registration card and sticker from the DMV.