Dealer charges: license plates.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish contracts for electronic programs that allow qualified private industry partners to join the department in providing services that include processing and payment programs for vehicle registration and titling transactions. Under existing law, a dealer is authorized to charge the purchaser or lessee of a vehicle certain charges, including an electronic filing charge, not to exceed the actual amount the dealer is charged by a first-line service provider, for providing license plate processing, postage, and other specified fees and services relating to first-line service providers. This bill would prohibit the electronic filing charge from being used to pay for additional fees, goods, or services not directly related to the electronic registration of a motor vehicle. Because a violation of these provisions would constitute an infraction, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.