2005 California Health and Safety Code Sections 43150-43156 Article 1.5. Prohibited Transactions

43150.  The Legislature finds and declares that the people of this
state, in order to achieve the purposes of this part, have a special
interest in assuring that only those new motor vehicles and new motor
vehicle engines which meet this state's stringent emission standards
and test procedures, and which have been certified pursuant to this
chapter, are used or registered in this state.  The Legislature also
finds and declares that this special interest must be protected in a
manner which will not unduly or unreasonably infringe upon the right
of the people of this state and other states to travel and do
business interstate.
43151.  (a) No person who is a resident of, or who operates an
established place of business within, this state shall import,
deliver, purchase, rent, lease, acquire, or receive a new motor
vehicle, new motor vehicle engine, or motor vehicle with a new motor
vehicle engine for use, registration, or resale in this state unless
such motor vehicle engine or motor vehicle has been certified
pursuant to this chapter.  No person shall attempt or assist in any
such action.
   (b) This article shall not apply to a vehicle acquired by a
resident of this state for the purpose of replacing a vehicle
registered to such resident which was damaged or became inoperative
beyond reasonable repair or was stolen while out of this state;
provided that such replacement vehicle is acquired out of state at
the time the previously owned vehicle was either damaged or became
inoperative or was stolen.  This article shall not apply to a vehicle
transferred by inheritance, or by a decree of divorce, dissolution,
or legal separation entered by a court of competent jurisdiction, or
to any vehicle sold after the effective date of the amendments to
this subdivision at the 1979-80 Regular Session of the Legislature if
the vehicle was registered in this state before such effective date.
   (c) This chapter shall not apply to any motor vehicle having a
certificate of conformity issued pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. Sec.  7401 et seq.) and originally registered in another state
by a resident of that state who subsequently establishes residence
in this state and who, upon registration of the vehicle in this
state, provides satisfactory evidence to the Department of Motor
Vehicles of the previous residence and registration.  This
subdivision shall become operative 180 calendar days after the state
board adopts regulations for the certification of new direct import
vehicles pursuant to Section 43203.5.
   (d) "Established place of business," as used in this section,
means a place actually occupied either continuously or at regular
periods.
43152.  No person who is engaged in this state in the business of
selling to an ultimate purchaser, or renting or leasing new motor
vehicles or new motor vehicle engines, including, but not limited to,
manufacturers, distributors, and dealers, shall intentionally or
negligently import, deliver, purchase, receive, or otherwise acquire
a new motor vehicle, new motor vehicle engine, or vehicle with a new
motor vehicle engine which is intended for use primarily in this
state, for sale or resale to an ultimate purchaser who is a resident
of or doing business in this state, or for registration, leasing or
rental in this state, which has not been certified pursuant to this
chapter.  No person shall attempt or assist in any such act.
43153.  No person who is engaged in this state in the business of
selling to an ultimate purchaser or renting or leasing new motor
vehicles or new motor vehicle engines, including, but not limited to,
manufacturers, distributors, and dealers, shall intentionally or
negligently sell, or offer to sell, to an ultimate purchaser who is a
resident of or doing business in this state, or lease, offer to
lease, rent, or offer to rent, in this state any new motor vehicle,
new motor vehicle engine, or vehicle with a new motor vehicle engine,
which is intended primarily for use or for registration in this
state, and which has not been certified pursuant to this chapter.  No
person shall attempt or assist in any such action.
43154.  (a) Any person who violates any provision of this article
shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand
dollars ($5,000) per vehicle.
   (b) Any action to recover a penalty under this section shall be
brought in the name of the people of the State of California in the
superior court of the county where the violation occurred, or in the
county where the defendant's residence or principal place of business
is located, by the Attorney General on behalf of the state board, in
which event all penalties adjudged by the court shall be deposited
in the Air Pollution Control Fund, or by the district attorney or
county attorney of such county, or by the city attorney of a city in
that county, in which event all penalties adjudged by the court shall
be deposited with the treasurer of the county or city, as the case
may be.
43155.  An action brought pursuant to Section 43154 to recover such
civil penalties shall take special precedence over all other civil
matters on the calendar of the court except those matters to which
equal precedence on the calendar is granted by law.
43156.  (a) For purposes of this article, it is conclusively
presumed that the equitable or legal title to any motor vehicle with
an odometer reading of 7,500 miles or more, has been transferred to
an ultimate purchaser, except as provided in subdivision (b), and
that the equitable or legal title to any motor vehicle with an
odometer reading of less than 7,500 miles, has not been transferred
to an ultimate purchaser.
   (b) For purposes of this article, it is conclusively presumed that
the equitable and legal title to any direct import vehicle which is
less than two years old has not been transferred to an ultimate
purchaser and that the equitable or legal title to any direct import
motor vehicle which is at least two years old has been transferred to
an ultimate purchaser.
   For purposes of this subdivision, the age of a motor vehicle shall
be determined by the following, in descending order of preference:
   (1) From the first calendar day of the model year as indicated in
the vehicle identification number.
   (2) From the last calendar day of the month the vehicle was
delivered by the manufacturer as shown on the foreign title document.
   (3) From January 1 of the same calendar year as the model year
shown on the foreign title document.
   (4) From the last calendar day of the month the foreign title
document was issued.