How To Cancel Vehicle Registration Online in Washington, D.C. in 2026
The District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (D.C. DMV) provides an online tag cancellation system for individuals who need to end their vehicle registration. Washington, D.C. DMV administers all vehicle registration matters in the District, offering both digital and traditional submission methods for tag cancellation.
Tag cancellation ends your vehicle's legal authority to operate on District roadways. After completing the cancellation process, you must properly dispose of your vehicle tags through marking, recycling, or returning them to the Washington, D.C. DMV to prevent erroneous ticket issuance against your cancelled registration.
When Registration Cancellation May Be Needed
District residents must cancel their vehicle tag registration under several circumstances:
- Completing a private sale transaction with an individual buyer
- Trading your vehicle at a dealership during a purchase
- Gifting your vehicle to charitable organizations or relatives
- Establishing permanent residency outside the District of Columbia
- Returning a leased vehicle at lease termination
- Delivering your vehicle to a salvage or recycling operation
- Receiving a total loss settlement from your insurance carrier
- Reporting your vehicle stolen to law enforcement without subsequent recovery
- Maintaining a vehicle in storage without active insurance coverage
- Transferring vehicle ownership through probate administration
- Withdrawing a vehicle from operational use permanently
- Replacing worn tags with new tag numbers
- Obtaining disability, personalized, or organizational tags
Online Cancellation Process
Washington, D.C. DMV operates an online tag cancellation system that allows eligible vehicle owners to cancel their registration electronically and receive immediate confirmation.
Online Tag Cancellation for Individual Owners
The online tag cancellation portal is accessible through the Washington, D.C. DMV website and processes cancellations 24 hours daily. This service is exclusively available for vehicles registered to individuals, not businesses, and only the primary owner listed first on the vehicle registration card may submit online cancellations.
Required Information:
- Tag number as shown on your vehicle registration card
- First and last name matching your registration card
- Personal information to verify identity
Processing:
Complete the online transaction through the Washington, D.C. DMV portal. Upon successful submission, the system generates a tag cancellation receipt. Download and preserve this receipt for your records and provide a copy to your insurance company when canceling your vehicle insurance policy.
Critical Timing Requirement: Cancel your vehicle tag registration before canceling your insurance policy to avoid insurance lapse fees assessed by Washington, D.C. DMV.
Refund Eligibility: When completing online tag cancellation, the system automatically calculates whether you qualify for a refund based on the remaining time on your registration. Refunds are calculated in six-month increments and cannot exceed 18 months in total. If eligible, you may provide a temporary address during the online transaction to ensure your refund check is sent to the correct location. Allow six to eight weeks for refund processing.
Tag Surrender by Mail or In Person
Vehicle owners who cannot use the online system—including business registrations and co-owned vehicles where someone other than the primary owner needs to cancel—must surrender their tags through alternative methods.
Mail Submission:
Mail your vehicle tags to:
D.C. DMV
Vehicle Registration
P.O. Box 90120
Washington, D.C. 20090
Or, if using certified mail:
D.C. DMV
Processing Center
95 M Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
Include a written notification stating your name, address, tag number, and reason for surrender. Washington, D.C. DMV processes mailed tag surrenders within seven to ten business days from receipt. Allow up to 15 business days to receive your surrender receipt before contacting Washington, D.C. DMV. Wait until you receive your surrender receipt before canceling insurance to prevent insurance lapse penalties.
In-Person Surrender:
Visit any Washington, D.C. DMV service center during regular business hours. Present your tags to a service representative who will process the surrender and provide an immediate receipt. In-person surrender provides instant confirmation and preserves your eligibility for registration refunds, if applicable.
Tag Disposal Requirements
After canceling your tag registration online, you remain responsible for permanently disposing of your vehicle tags. Mark through the tag number completely with a permanent marker before disposing of or recycling it.
Disposal Options:
- Take tags to the Fort Totten Transfer Station on the first Saturday of each month for recycling
- Mail destroyed tags to Washington, D.C. DMV at the addresses listed above for shredding and proper disposal
Important: You bear responsibility for any ticket infractions issued against your tags if you fail to surrender them to Washington, D.C. DMV or properly dispose of them after online cancellation. Always retain your tag cancellation receipt to contest any tickets erroneously issued to your cancelled registration.
Petition for Refund of Registration Fees
Washington, D.C. DMV regulations permit vehicle owners to receive refunds for the unused portion of vehicle registration when surrendering tags with substantial time remaining before expiration.
Refund Eligibility
Registration fee refunds are calculated based on six-month increments remaining on your registration at the time of tag surrender, not to exceed a total of 18 months.
Eligibility Calculation:
Refunds are issued if you have at least six full months remaining on your registration when you surrender your tags. Calculations round down, meaning registrations with less than six complete months remaining do not qualify for refunds.
Refund Timeframes:
- Six to eleven months remaining: refund for one six-month period
- Twelve to seventeen months remaining: refund for two six-month periods (12 months)
- Eighteen months or more remaining: maximum refund for 18 months
Excluded Fees: Residential parking permit fees and inspection fees are non-refundable under District regulations.
Processing Time: If you qualify for a refund, allow six to eight weeks for Washington, D.C. DMV to process and mail your refund check.
Refund Application Process
The Washington, D.C. DMV provides two methods for obtaining registration fee refunds depending on how you surrender your tags.
Automatic Refund Through Online Cancellation:
When using the online tag cancellation system, Washington, D.C. DMV automatically calculates your refund eligibility based on the time remaining on your registration. If eligible, the system prompts you to provide a mailing address for your refund check. No additional application is required.
Manual Refund Application for Mail or In-Person Surrender:
If you surrender tags by mail or in person at a service center, complete the Refund Request Application to request a refund for unused registration.
Application Requirements:
- Complete the customer information section with current contact details
- Provide vehicle identification number, tag number, tag surrender date, and tag expiration date
- Select "Unused Registration" as the refund reason
- Include proof of payment (copy of cancelled check, money order, or credit card statement)
- Attach your tag surrender receipt
Submission:
Mail completed applications to:
D.C. DMV
P.O. Box 90120
Washington, D.C. 20090
Or fax to: (202) 673-9908
Or deliver in person to any Washington, D.C. DMV service center
Review and Approval: Refund requests must be submitted within six months of payment or six months from the tag surrender date. Washington, D.C. DMV management reviews all refund applications for approval. Processing takes approximately six to eight weeks.
Status Inquiries: Call 311 within the District or (202) 737-4404 outside the 202 area code to check refund status.
Governing Laws and Regulations
District of Columbia vehicle registration cancellation and tag surrender procedures are established through local statutes and regulations:
- District of Columbia Code § 50-2201.03 grants the Mayor authority to establish regulations governing vehicle titling, registration, revocation, suspension, and reinstatement procedures, and establishes excise tax requirements for title issuance
Government Agencies
District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles
District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 90120, Washington, D.C. 20090
Phone: (202) 737-4404 (or 311 within D.C.)
Official Website: District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles
Online Services:
Online Tag Cancellation Portal
D.C. DMV Online Services
D.C. DMV Mobile App
Washington, D.C. DMV Service Centers
Washington, D.C.. DMV operates four full-service centers throughout the District where residents can surrender vehicle tags in person and receive immediate processing.
Georgetown Service Center
3270 M Street, NW, Canal Level - Suite C200, Washington, D.C. 20007
Phone: (202) 737-4404
Official Website: Georgetown Service Center
Rhode Island Service Center
2350 Washington Place, NE, Suite 112N, Washington, D.C. 20018
Phone: (202) 737-4404
Official Website: Rhode Island Service Center
Southwest Service Center
95 M Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024
Phone: (202) 737-4404
Official Website: Southwest Service Center
Benning Ridge Service Center
4525 Benning Road, SE, Washington, D.C. 20019
Phone: (202) 737-4404
Official Website: Benning Ridge Service Center
