California · Penal Code

PEN §571: (a) A person engages in an act of unlawful subleasing of a motor vehicle if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The motor vehicle is subject to a lease contract, conditional sale contract, or

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Unlawful subleasing of a motor vehicle occurs when a non-party transfers or assigns rights in a leased/financed vehicle without the lessor's or secured party's written consent and receives compensation for doing so.

Read the full statutory text

(a) A person engages in an act of unlawful subleasing of a motor vehicle if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The motor vehicle is subject to a lease contract, conditional sale contract, or security agreement the terms of which prohibit the transfer or assignment of any right or interest in the motor vehicle or under the lease contract, conditional sale contract, or security agreement. (2) The person is not a party to the lease contract, conditional sale contract, or security agreement. (3) The person transfers or assigns, or purports to transfer or assign, any right or interest in the motor vehicle or under the lease contract, conditional sale contract, or security agreement, to any person who is not a party to the lease contract, conditional sale contract, or security agreement. (4) The person does not obtain, prior to the transfer or assignment described in paragraph (3), written consent to the transfer or assignment from the motor vehicle’s lessor, seller, or secured party. (5) The person receives compensation or some other consideration for the transfer or assignment described in paragraph (3). (b) A person engages in an act of unlawful subleasing of a motor vehicle when the person is not a party to the lease contract, conditional sale contract, or security agreement, and assists, causes, or arranges an actual or purported transfer or assignment, as described in subdivision (a).

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

Start your matter free Ask Law Link about this code

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.