california
Vehicle Registration and Tickets
<p>I reside in California, USA. I drive a small pick-up truck that is insured and owned by someone else. If it's not registered (doesn't get tags), but remains insured who is responsible to  for any ticket or moving violation I may receive? The operator (me) or the owner? Thanks.</p>

<p>The driver of a vehicle is responsible for moving violations, the owner is responsible for other tickets such as parking and vehicle correction notices.</p>
<p><a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&amp;sectionNum=4000" rel="nofollow noreferrer">California Vehicle Code</a> section 4000 states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A person shall not drive, move, or leave standing upon a highway, or
in an offstreet public parking facility, any motor vehicle, trailer,
semitrailer, pole or pipe dolly, or logging dolly, unless it is
registered and the appropriate fees have been paid under this code or
registered under the permanent trailer identification program, except
that an off-highway motor vehicle which displays an identification
plate or device issued by the department pursuant to Section 38010 may
be driven, moved, or left standing in an offstreet public parking
facility without being registered or paying registration fees.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A ticket for a moving violation, including driving an unregistered vehicle, is issued to the driver; the driver is responsible.</p>
<p><a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&amp;division=17.&amp;title=&amp;part=&amp;chapter=2.&amp;article=4." rel="nofollow noreferrer">Section 40610</a> of the California Vehicle Code describes what occurs with an unregistered vehicle. If there is no evidence of fraud or persistent neglect then a &quot;Notice to Correct Violation&quot; will be issued and will be the responsibility of the vehicle owner. The correction notice to have the vehicle registered is different than the violation of driving an unregistered vehicle.</p>
<p>Non-moving violations, such as parking tickets are the responsibility of the vehicle's owner if the vehicle is being operated with the owner's permission. <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&amp;sectionNum=40200." rel="nofollow noreferrer">Section 40200</a> describes this as it relates to parking tickets:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(a) Any violation of any regulation that is not a misdemeanor governing the standing or parking of a vehicle under this code, under any federal statute or regulation, or under any ordinance enacted by local authorities is subject to a civil penalty. The enforcement of those civil penalties shall be governed by the civil administrative procedures set forth in this article.</p>
<p>(b) Except as provided in Section 40209, the registered owner and driver, rentee, or lessee of a vehicle cited for any violation of any regulation governing the parking of a vehicle under this code, under any federal statute or regulation, or under any ordinance enacted by a local authority shall be jointly liable for parking penalties imposed under this article, unless the owner can show that the vehicle was used without consent of that person, express or implied. <strong>An owner who pays any parking penalty, civil judgment, costs, or administrative fees pursuant to this article shall have the right to recover the same from the driver, rentee, or lessee.</strong></p>
<p>(c) The driver of a vehicle who is not the owner thereof but who uses or operates the vehicle with the express or implied permission of the owner shall be considered the agent of the owner to receive notices of parking violations served in accordance with this article and may contest the notice of violation.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>While the owner of the vehicle is <em>legally</em> responsible for non-moving violations of the vehicle code, a reasonable argument can be made that the person who committed the infraction, such as parking illegally, is <em>morally</em> responsible and may incur a civil liability to the owner of the vehicle as highlighted by bold in section (b) above.</p>
