Motor Vehicles

State laws vary when it comes to motor vehicle insurance requirements, licensing and registration. The term vehicle generally includes automobiles, motorcycles, vans, trailers and boats regularly parked or garaged overnight. Service Members and their families will want to understand their state’s laws on registration and licensing before moving to a new state. Visit the USA.gov Motor Vehicle Services page for links to state-specific websites. 

Service Members and their families can also visit DMV.org for specific registration and licensing requirements for the state of California.

Station Vehicle Registration

Vehicles are required to be registered with the Station PMO. This is not the same as State Registration. The installation requires a seperate registration for any vehicle operated on MCAS Miramar. The Vehicle Registration Office (The Visitor's Center) on MCAS Miramar is located in Building 6200 across East Gate. Phone number is 858-307-1463/1459. For more information on registration requirements, visit the PMO website. 

State Vehicle Registration Services

The vehicle registration service on the Flight Line Complex is closed until further notice. Visit the MCX Vehicle Registration Office for services to include transfers, renewals, plates, stickers, and titles for almost any vehicle type—cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, motor homes, boats and off-road vehicles. These services do charge a fee. Visit MCCS State Registration for more information.

Base Regulations

Vehicle Inspections -- Random, unannounced vehicle inspections are conducted on a regular basis. Any area that has restricted or controlled access will be posted.

Speed Limit -- The speed limit on station is 25 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.

The DMV has determined that a California driver's license is not required of a military family member as long as the following criteria are met:

• The family member's home state driver's license remains valid.
• The family member is age 18 or older.
• The family member does not establish permanent residency in California.
• The family member is not employed for compensation for the purpose of driving a motor vehicle.

The DMV maintains that lawful family members are entitled to the same non-resident status as their active duty sponsors.

Motorcycles

All motorcycle riders must wear properly fitted safety helmets which conform to federal safety standards and are so labeled. They also must wear a colored outer upper garment during the day. Only the upper part of the garment is required to be brightly colored. Brightly colored does not include the camouflage utilities, dark blue, black, and dark green. Lane splitting (i.e lane sharing) is legal in the State of California. However, it is not authorized on any DoD installation. 

An approved Motorcycle Safety Course is also required for Active Duty members wishing to register a motorcycle. In the event a person does not have the required course, they may sign up through their unit training. Upon obtaining a sign up sheet for the motorcycle courses, individuals may bring it to the Vehicle Registration Office and receive a temporary pass until the completion of the course date.

State and local laws regulate the operation of motor vehicles, and these laws can vary by location. Many states regulate the following:

• Seatbelt use
• Child safety seats
• Motorcycle operation
• The use of cellphones and other digital devices while driving

Learn more about motor vehicle laws in your state at the Distraction.gov State Laws page.