Filing a DMV Planned Non Operation (PNO) for Your Vehicle

A DMV planned non operation filing, usually called a PNO, tells the DMV your vehicle will stay off public roads for the registration year. You pay a filing fee instead of the full renewal. Our North Hollywood office can prepare the PNO paperwork with you by appointment, or help you decide whether a PNO fits at all. The DMV also accepts PNO filings online.

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369 Registration Services is a private registration service licensed by the California DMV. We are not the DMV or a branch of the DMV. You can complete these transactions directly with the California DMV without paying our service fee.

What this service covers

PNO stands for planned nonoperation. You file it online or on form REG 102 to certify that for the whole year the vehicle stays off every public road: no driving, no towing, no parking, no storage on the street. While a PNO is on record, no renewal fees come due. The status stays in place until you choose to register the vehicle again, so there is nothing to refile each year.

Who needs it

Owners storing a car, truck, or motorcycle in a garage or on private property for the year.
People with a project vehicle that will not be road ready before the registration expires.
Anyone whose registration lapsed within the last 90 days without the vehicle being driven.
Sellers who want a clean record with no past-due fees while the vehicle waits for a buyer.

What to bring to your appointment

Sourced from the DMV's requirements. Bring originals where the DMV asks for them. We confirm the exact list when we set your time.

What to bring: Planned Nonoperation

Your plate number and the final five characters of the VIN
Your renewal notice, if you received one
It shows the PNO fee for your filing date.
Planned Non-Operation Certification (REG 102), for filing by mail
Used when there is no renewal notice.
A current mailing address on the DMV record
If you moved, change the address with the DMV first.
Payment for the PNO filing fee
Plus the late penalty if filing after the expiration date.
Certificate of Non-Operation (REG 102) with the first date of operation, for a commercial vehicle leaving PNO
Also needed for any vehicle with evidence of use, such as a parking ticket, while on PNO.

Based on DMV requirements as published on dmv.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-12. The DMV may ask for more depending on your vehicle. We confirm your exact list when we set your appointment.

When you might need this service

Filing before the expiration date

The DMV accepts a PNO up to 60 days before the registration expires. Your renewal notice shows the PNO amount next to the full renewal amount. Filing by the expiration date means you owe only the filing fee. If you are not sure the vehicle will really stay parked, our vehicle registration renewal page covers the other path.

Filing after the registration already expired

The DMV still accepts a PNO filed within the 90 days following expiration, provided the vehicle stayed off public roads during that gap: no driving, towing, or street parking. The DMV adds a late penalty to the PNO fee. Past 90 days the PNO option closes, which means a full renewal with a year of fees and penalties. Our page on expired registration explains how those penalties grow.

Taking the vehicle off PNO

To put the vehicle back on the road, pay the full renewal fees on or before the first day you drive it. The DMV may also require a current smog inspection and proof of insurance. If you pay first but still owe a document, the DMV gives you a receipt listing what is missing. That receipt does not allow you to drive.

Moving a PNO vehicle for one day

A vehicle on PNO can be moved under a Vehicle Moving Permit (REG 172), issued at a DMV office at no charge, for one day. The DMV allows it for moving to a new storage spot, a repair shop, a smog inspection, a DMV or CHP inspection, or a dismantler. The permit must be in hand before the vehicle moves.

Selling a vehicle that is on PNO

A buyer takes on any past-due fees and penalties unless the registration is current or a PNO is on file, so a PNO keeps the record clean for the sale. Once it sells, file your notice of transfer with the DMV so later fees or tickets do not come back to you.

How it works with us

Call us or send an appointment request
Tell us the vehicle, when the registration expires, and whether it has been driven since.
We confirm the PNO fits
We check the expiration date, the filing window, and the vehicle type, since the DMV does not allow PNO on certain vehicles. We also confirm the mailing address on the record is current.
We prepare the filing with you
We complete the REG 102 with you, or the online filing if that is the better route, with the fee checked against your renewal notice.
The DMV records the PNO
After the DMV processes the fee, it sends an acknowledgment of nonoperational status. Keep it with the vehicle's paperwork. When you are ready to drive again, we can prepare the renewal.

Fees

DMV fees are set by the State of California, not by us. Only the DMV decides the final total, which depends on your vehicle, the transaction, and any penalties already on the record.

The DMV charges a $28 planned nonoperation fee, which replaces the renewal fees for that year. (DMV source, checked 2026-10-12)
A PNO filed after the expiration date, but within 90 days of it, carries a late penalty based on the full renewal amount for the vehicle. The DMV's fee calculator does not price PNO transactions, so the DMV says to contact it for the amount. (DMV source, checked 2026-10-12)
A one-day Vehicle Moving Permit (REG 172) for a PNO vehicle has no fee. (DMV source, checked 2026-10-12)

Our service charge

Every transaction is different, so our service charge depends on the paperwork your case needs. Tell us about it when you call or send a request and we will explain our charge before you decide to proceed. DMV fees, taxes, and penalties are separate.

DMV fee calculator

How California registration fees add up

Common issues and special cases

The vehicle got driven or ticketed anyway

If a PNO vehicle is operated, or parked somewhere it can be cited, the DMV charges that year's full registration fees, with penalties on top. A parking ticket counts as evidence of use. Pay the renewal before the first day it goes on the road.

Vehicles that cannot be put on PNO

The DMV does not accept PNO filings for park trailers, trailer coaches, vessels, special equipment, or mopeds. Dealer inventory, vehicles held for a lien sale, and apportioned fleet vehicles follow separate rules.

PNO versus Affidavit of Non-Use

An Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090) is for a vehicle that is currently registered but no longer insured, so the DMV does not suspend the registration. If you filed an ANU and the vehicle is still parked when the renewal date arrives, the DMV expects a PNO at that point. An ANU cannot be filed after the registration expires.

Questions about planned nonoperation

What does a DMV planned non operation filing actually do?

It tells the DMV that for the registration year the vehicle stays off public roads entirely, whether driven, towed, parked, or stored. In return, only the PNO filing fee is charged instead of renewal fees.

Can I file a PNO after my registration expires?

Yes, within the 90 days that follow expiration, provided nobody has used the vehicle on a public road in the meantime. The DMV adds a late penalty. After 90 days you must register the vehicle with full fees and penalties.

Do I need to file a PNO every year?

No. A PNO stays on the record until you register the vehicle again, so nothing is due until you decide to put the vehicle back on the road.

Can I park a PNO vehicle on the street?

No. A PNO vehicle cannot be parked, stored, towed, or driven on any public road or highway. It has to stay on private property for the whole year.

How do I start driving a vehicle that is on PNO?

Pay the full renewal fees on or before the first day of operation. The DMV may also need a smog inspection result and proof of insurance before it completes the registration. Paying without those documents gets you a receipt, not permission to drive.

What is the difference between a PNO and an Affidavit of Non-Use?

An Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090) tells the DMV a currently registered vehicle is parked off the road with its insurance cancelled. A PNO is filed at renewal time to skip the renewal fees. Vehicles with either one on record are not subject to an insurance suspension.

Ready to set an appointment?

Call or send a request. We will confirm what to bring and a time that works.