505. A "registered owner" is a person registered by the department as the owner of a vehicle.
505.2. (a) A "registration service" is a person engaged in the business of soliciting or receiving any application for the registration, renewal of registration, or transfer of registration or ownership, of any vehicle of a type subject to registration under this code, or of soliciting or receiving an application for a motor carrier permit under Division 14.85 (commencing with Section 34600), or of transmitting or presenting any of those documents to the department, when any compensation is solicited or received for the service. "Registration service" includes, but is not limited to, a person who, for compensation, processes registration documents, conducts lien sales, or processes vehicle dismantling documents.
(1) A person performing registration services on a vehicle acquired by that person for his or her own personal use or for use in the regular course of that person's business. (2) A person who solicits applications for or sells, for compensation, nonresident permits for the operation of vehicles within this state. (3) An employee of one or more dealers or dismantlers, or a combination thereof, who performs registration services for vehicles acquired by, consigned to, or sold by the employing dealers or dismantlers. (4) A motor club, as defined in Section 12142 of the Insurance Code. (5) A common carrier acting in the regular course of its business in transmitting applications.
506. "Registration year" is the period of time beginning with the date the vehicle is first required to be registered in this state and ending on the date designated by the director for expiration of the registration or the period of time designated for subsequent renewal thereof.
507. The "relevant market area" is any area within a radius of 10 miles from the site of a potential new dealership.
507.5. A "remanufactured vehicle" is a vehicle that has been constructed by a licensed remanufacturer and consists of any used or reconditioned integral parts, including, but not limited to, frame, engine, transmission, axles, brakes, or suspension. Remanufactured vehicles may be sold under a distinctive trade name. An existing vehicle which is incidently repaired, restored, or modified by replacing or adding parts or accessories is not a remanufactured vehicle.
507.8. A "remanufacturer" is any person who for commission, money, or other thing of value, produces a vehicle that consists of any used or reconditioned integral parts, including, but not limited to, frame, engine, transmission, axles, brakes, or suspension which is subject to registration under this code. A remanufacturer is not a person who incidently repairs, restores, or modifies an existing vehicle by replacing or adding parts or accessories.
508. A "renter" is a person who is engaged in the business of renting, leasing or bailing vehicles for a term not exceeding four months and for a fixed rate or price.
510. A "repair shop" is a place where vehicles subject to registration under this code are repaired, rebuilt, reconditioned, repainted, or in any way maintained for the public at a charge.
512. A "representative" is any person regularly employed by a manufacturer or distributor for the purpose of negotiating or promoting the sale of the manufacturer's or distributer's vehicles to their franchisees or for regularly supervising or contacting franchisees or prospective franchisees in this state for any purpose.
515. A "residence district" is that portion of a highway and the property contiguous thereto, other than a business district, (a) upon one side of which highway, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 13 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures, or (b) upon both sides of which highway, collectively, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 16 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures. A residence district may be longer than one-quarter of a mile if the above ratio of separate dwelling houses or business structures to the length of the highway exists.
516. "Resident" means any person who manifests an intent to live or be located in this state on more than a temporary or transient basis. Presence in the state for six months or more in any 12-month period gives rise to a rebuttable presumption of residency. The following are evidence of residency for purposes of vehicle registration: (a) Address where registered to vote. (b) Location of employment or place of business. (c) Payment of resident tuition at a public institution of higher education. (d) Attendance of dependents at a primary or secondary school. (e) Filing a homeowner's property tax exemption. (f) Renting or leasing a home for use as a residence. (g) Declaration of residency to obtain a license or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to a nonresident. (h) Possession of a California driver's license. (i) Other acts, occurrences, or events that indicate presence in the state is more than temporary or transient.
520. A "retail sale" is a sale of goods to a person for the purpose of consumption and use, and not for resale to others, including, but not limited to, an arrangement where a motor vehicle is consigned to a dealer for sale.
521. A "retarder" is a device, other than a brake, which, when activated by the driver, applies a retarding force to the wheels of a vehicle without the use of friction. A retarder may be installed in or on the engine, exhaust system, drive train, or wheels of a motor vehicle, or an axle or wheels of a towed vehicle. A retarder may operate by altering the valve timing of the engine, by controlling the flow of a circulating fluid, by applying an electromagnetic force, by controlling the release of gases from the exhaust system, or by other means. A retarder may or may not be capable of stopping the vehicle upon which it is installed.
521.5. "Revived salvage vehicle" means a total loss salvage vehicle as defined in Section 544, or a vehicle reported for dismantling pursuant to Section 5500 or 11520, that has been rebuilt or restored to legal operating condition with new or used component parts.
522. "Ridesharing" means two or more persons traveling by any mode, including, but not limited to, carpooling, vanpooling, buspooling, taxipooling, jitney, and public transit.
525. "Right-of-way" is the privilege of the immediate use of the highway.
527. (a) "Road" means any existing vehicle route established before January 1, 1979, with significant evidence of prior regular travel by vehicles subject to registration pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Chapter 1 of Division 3; provided, that "road" does not mean any route traversed exclusively by bicycles as defined in Section 39001, motorcycles as defined in Section 400, motor-driven cycles as defined in Section 405, or off-highway motor vehicles as defined in Section 38012.
(b) Even though nature may alter or eliminate portions of an existing vehicle route, the route shall still be considered a road where there is evidence of periodic use.
(c) A vehicle route need not necessarily be a publicly or privately maintained surface to be a road, as defined, for purposes of this section. Nothing contained herein shall pertain to any property in an incorporated area or properties held in private ownership.
(d) This section is definitional only and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to affect, alter, create, or destroy any right, title, or interest in real property, including, but not limited to, any permit, license, or easement; nor shall this chapter be deemed to affect the liability, or lack thereof, of any owner of an interest of real property based upon the use, possession, or ownership of such interest in real property or the entry upon such property by any person.
(e) This section shall only apply in a county where the board of supervisors has adopted a resolution or enacted an ordinance providing for such application.
530. A "roadway" is that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel.
535. Safety glazing material is any glazing material so constructed, treated, or combined with other materials as to reduce, in comparison with ordinary sheet, plate, or floatglass, the likelihood of injury to persons by glazing material whether it may be broken or unbroken.
540. A "safety zone" is the area or space lawfully set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected, or which is marked or indicated by vertical signs, raised markers or raised buttons, in order to make such area or space plainly visible at all times while the same is set apart as a safety zone.
543. "Salvage pool" means a person engaged exclusively in the business of disposing of total loss salvage vehicles, nonrepairable vehicles, or recovered stolen vehicles sent to it by, or on behalf of, insurance companies, authorized adjusters, leasing companies, self-insured persons, or financial institutions.
543.5. "Salvage vehicle rebuilder" means any person who rebuilds a total loss salvage vehicle, as defined in Section 544, or a vehicle reported for dismantling pursuant to Section 11520, for subsequent resale. A person who, for personal use, rebuilds a total loss salvage vehicle, or a vehicle reported for dismantling, and registers that vehicle in his or her name, is not a salvage vehicle rebuilder. Nothing in this section exempts a salvage vehicle rebuilder from any applicable licensing requirements under this code.
544. "Total loss salvage vehicle" means either of the following: (a) A vehicle, other than a nonrepairable vehicle, of a type subject to registration that has been wrecked, destroyed, or damaged, to the extent that the owner, leasing company, financial institution, or the insurance company that insured or is responsible for repair of the vehicle, considers it uneconomical to repair the vehicle and because of this, the vehicle is not repaired by or for the person who owned the vehicle at the time of the event resulting in damage. (b) A vehicle that was determined to be uneconomical to repair, for which a total loss payment has been made by an insurer, whether or not the vehicle is subsequently repaired, if prior to or upon making the payment to the claimant, the insurer obtains the agreement of the claimant to the amount of the total loss settlement, and informs the client that, pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 11515, the total loss settlement must be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which will issue a salvage certificate for the vehicle.
545. A "schoolbus" is a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained for the transportation of any school pupil at or below the 12th-grade level to or from a public or private school or to or from public or private school activities, except the following: (a) A motor vehicle of any type carrying only members of the household of the owner thereof. (b) A motortruck transporting pupils who are seated only in the passenger compartment, or a passenger vehicle designed for and carrying not more than 10 persons, including the driver, unless the vehicle or truck is transporting two or more disabled pupils confined to wheelchairs. (c) A motor vehicle operated by a common carrier, or by and under the exclusive jurisdiction of a publicly owned or operated transit system, only during the time it is on a scheduled run and is available to the general public, or on a run scheduled in response to a request from a disabled pupil confined to a wheelchair, or from a parent of the disabled pupil, for transportation to or from nonschool activities; provided, that the motor vehicle is designed for and actually carries not more than 16 persons including the driver, is available to eligible persons of the general public, and the school does not provide the requested transportation service. (d) A school pupil activity bus.
(e) A motor vehicle operated by a carrier licensed by the Interstate Commerce Commission which is transporting pupils on a school activity entering or returning to the state from another state or country. (f) A youth bus.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the governing board of a district maintaining a community college may, by resolution, designate any motor vehicle operated by or for the district, a schoolbus within the meaning of this section, if it is primarily used for the transportation of community college students to or from a public community college or to or from public community college activities. The designation shall not be effective until written notification thereof has been filed with the Department of the California Highway Patrol. (h) A state-owned motor vehicle being operated by a state employee upon the driveways, paths, parking facilities, or grounds specified in Section 21113 that are under the control of a state hospital under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Developmental Services where the posted speed limit is not more than 20 miles per hour. The motor vehicle may also be operated for a distance of not more than one-quarter mile upon a public street or highway that runs through the grounds of a state hospital under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Developmental Services, if the posted speed limit on the public street or highway is not more than 25 miles per hour and if all traffic is regulated by posted stop signs or official traffic control signals at the points of entry and exit by the motor vehicle.
(i) A general public paratransit vehicle, provided that the general public paratransit vehicle does not duplicate existing schoolbus service, does not transport a public school pupil at or below the 12th grade level to a destination outside of that pupil's school district, and is not used to transport public school pupils in areas where schoolbus services were available during the 1986-87 school year. In areas where expanded school services require expanded transportation of public school pupils, as determined by the governing board of a school district, general public paratransit vehicles shall not be used to transport those pupils for a period of three years from the date that a need for expansion is identified. For purposes of this section, a pupil is defined as a student at or below the 12th grade level who is being transported to a mandated school activity. (j) A schoolbus with the flashing red light signal system, the amber warning system, and the schoolbus signs covered, while being used for transportation of persons other than pupils, to or from school or school related activities.
545.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 545, a motor vehicle is not a schoolbus if it is operated for the purpose of transporting any pupil to or from a community college or to or from activities at that college, irrespective of the age of the pupil or the grade level of the pupil, if the pupil is a current enrollee in classes of the college providing the transportation. (b) A driver of a motor vehicle that meets the criteria established by subdivision (a) shall escort pupils as required by subdivision (d) of Section 22112 and shall meet the requirements of Section 12517. (c) This section shall apply to a community college district that includes within its boundaries one or more counties, each of which has a population of 250,000 or less.
545.5. (a) Notwithstanding Section 545, a bus of the type commonly known as a coach bus is not a schoolbus when it is operated by the Trona Unified School District to transport pupils to route-deviated school activities. (b) A coach bus operated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be inspected annually by the Department of the California Highway Patrol, shall meet the equipment safety standards established by the federal government for schoolbuses, and shall be used to transport pupils only if the driver has obtained a certificate to operate a schoolbus pursuant to Section 12517.
546. A "school pupil activity bus" is any motor vehicle, other than a schoolbus, operated by a common carrier, or by and under the exclusive jurisdiction of a publicly owned or operated transit system, or by a passenger charter-party carrier, used under a contractual agreement between a school and carrier to transport school pupils at or below the 12th-grade level to or from a public or private school activity, or used to transport pupils to or from residential schools, when the pupils are received and discharged at off-highway locations where a parent or adult designated by the parent is present to accept the pupil or place the pupil on the bus. As used in this section, common carrier, publicly owned or operated transit system, and passenger charter-party carrier refer to carriers in business for the principal purpose of transporting members of the public on a commercial basis. This section shall not apply to a motor vehicle operated by a carrier licensed by the Interstate Commerce Commission that is transporting pupils on a school activity trip entering or returning to the state from another state or country. The driver of a school pupil activity bus shall be subject to the regulations adopted by the California Highway Patrol governing schoolbus drivers, except that the regulations shall not require drivers to duplicate training or schooling that they have otherwise received which is equivalent to that required pursuant to the regulations, and the regulations shall not require drivers to take training in first aid. However, a valid certificate to drive a school pupil activity bus shall not entitle the bearer to drive a schoolbus.
550. A "semitrailer" is a vehicle designed for carrying persons or property, used in conjunction with a motor vehicle, and so constructed that some part of its weight and that of its load rests upon, or is carried by, another vehicle.
555. "Sidewalk" is that portion of a highway, other than the roadway, set apart by curbs, barriers, markings or other delineation for pedestrian travel.
557. A "snowmobile" is a motor vehicle designed to travel over ice or snow in whole or in part on skis, belts, or cleats, which is commonly referred to as an Over Snow Vehicle (OSV).
558. A "snow-tread tire" is a tire which has a relatively deep and aggressive tread pattern compared with conventional passenger tread pattern.
560. A "solid tire" is a tire of rubber or other resilient material which does not depend upon compressed air for the support of the load.
565. "Special construction equipment" is: (a) Any vehicle used primarily off the highways for construction purposes and which moves only occasionally over the highways and which because of the length, height, width, or unladen weight may not move over the public highways unladen without the permit specified in Section 35780. (b) Any vehicle which is designed and used primarily either for grading of highways, paving of highways, earth moving, and other construction work on highways, or for construction or maintenance work on railroad rights-of-way, and which is not designed or used primarily for the transportation of persons or property and which is only incidentally operated or moved over the highway. It includes, but is not limited to, road and railroad construction and maintenance machinery so designed and used such as portable air compressors, air drills, asphalt spreaders, bituminous mixers, bucket loaders, tracktype tractors, crawler tractors, ditchers, leveling graders, finishing machines, motor graders, paving mixers, road rollers, scarifiers, earth moving scrapers and carryalls, lighting plants, welders, pumps, water wagons, power shovels and draglines, speed swings, skip loaders, weed mowers, self-propelled and tractor-drawn earth moving equipment and machinery, including dump trucks and tractor-dump trailer combinations which either (1) are in excess of 96 inches in width or (2) which, because of their length, height or unladen weight, may not be moved on a public highway without the permit specified in Section 35780 of this code and which are not operated laden except within the boundaries of the job construction site, and other similar types of construction equipment.
570. "Special construction equipment" does not include any of the following: (a) A vehicle originally designed for the transportation of persons or property to which machinery has been attached unless specifically designated as such in Section 565. (b) Dump trucks originally designed to comply with the size and weight provisions of this code notwithstanding any subsequent modification which would require a permit, as specified in Section 35780 of this code, to operate such vehicles on a highway, truck-mounted transit mixers, cranes and shovels.
575. "Special mobile equipment" is a vehicle, not self-propelled, not designed or used primarily for the transportation of persons or property, and only incidentally operated or moved over a highway, excepting implements of husbandry.
580. A "specially constructed vehicle" is a vehicle which is built for private use, not for resale, and is not constructed by a licensed manufacturer or remanufacturer. A specially constructed vehicle may be built from (1) a kit; (2) new or used, or a combination of new and used, parts; or (3) a vehicle reported for dismantling, as required by Section 5500 or 11520, which, when reconstructed, does not resemble the original make of the vehicle dismantled. A specially constructed vehicle is not a vehicle which has been repaired or restored to its original design by replacing parts.
585. A "station wagon" is a dual purpose vehicle designed for the transportation of persons and also designed in such a manner that the seats may be removed or folded out of the way for the purpose of increasing the property carrying space within the vehicle. The term includes, but is not limited to, types of vehicles which carry the trade names of station wagon, estate wagon, town and country wagon, and country sedan.
587. "Stop or stopping" when prohibited shall mean any cessation of movement of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or official traffic control device or signal.
590. "Street" is a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. Street includes highway.
591. A "street" or "highway" shall not include those portions of a way or place in or upon which construction, alteration, or repair work is being performed insofar as the equipment performing such work and its operation are concerned. Where the work consists of a street or highway project, the limits of the project as shown or described in the plans or specifications of the awarding body shall be so excluded with reference to the equipment actually engaged in performing the work. The authority having jurisdiction over such way or place may include any or all of the requirements set forth in Divisions 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 in any permit issued for work on such way or place and the awarding body on any such street or highway project may include such requirements in the specifications for such project. It is the intention of the Legislature, in enacting this section, that this section shall not be construed to relieve any person from the duty of exercising due care.
592. "Highway", for the purposes of Division 3 (commencing with Section 4000), Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), Division 13 (commencing with Section 29000), Division 14.8 (commencing with Section 34500), and Division 15 (commencing with Section 35000), does not include a way or place under the jurisdiction of a federal governmental agency, which lies on national forest or private lands, is open to public use, and for which the cost of maintenance of such way or place is borne or contributed to directly by any users thereof.
593. "Supplemental restraint system" means an automatic passive restraint system consisting of a bag that is designed to inflate upon collision, commonly referred to as an "airbag."
595. "Terminal" is a place where a vehicle of a type listed in Section 34500 is regularly garaged or maintained, or from which the vehicle is operated or dispatched.
600. A "through highway" is a highway or portion thereof at the entrance to which vehicular traffic from intersecting highways is regulated by stop signs or traffic control signals or is controlled when entering on a separated right-turn roadway by a yield-right-of-way sign.
605. "Tire traction devices" are devices or mechanisms having a composition and design capable of improving vehicle traction, braking, and cornering ability upon snow or ice-covered surfaces. Tire traction devices shall be constructed and assembled to provide sufficient structural integrity and to prevent accidental detachment from vehicles. Tire traction devices shall, at the time of manufacture or final assembly, bear a permanent impression indicating the name, initials, or trademark of the assembling company or primary manufacturer, and the country in which the devices were manufactured or assembled in final form.
610. "Tire tread" is that portion of the tire, consisting of the ribs and grooves, which comes in contact with the roadway.
611. A "toll highway" or "toll road" is a publicly owned way or place open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel which use requires the payment of a fee.
612. "Tour bus" means a bus designed for carrying more than 16 passengers and the driver which is operated by or for a charter-party carrier of passengers, as defined in Section 5360 of the Public Utilities Code.
612. "Tour bus" means a bus, which is operated by or for a charter-party carrier of passengers, as defined in Section 5360 of the Public Utilities Code, or a passenger stage corporation, as defined in Section 226 of the Public Utilities Code, or any highway carrier of passengers required to register with the California Public Utilities Commission pursuant to Section 3910 of the Public Utilities Code.
615. (a) A "tow truck" is a motor vehicle which has been altered or designed and equipped for, and primarily used in the business of, transporting vehicles by means of a crane, hoist, tow bar, tow line, or dolly or is otherwise primarily used to render assistance to other vehicles. A "roll-back carrier" designed to carry up to two vehicles is also a tow truck. A trailer for hire that is being used to transport a vehicle is a tow truck. "Tow truck" does not include an automobile dismantlers' tow vehicle or a repossessor's tow vehicle. (b) "Repossessor's tow vehicle" means a tow vehicle which is registered to a repossessor licensed or registered pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 7500) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code that is used exclusively in the course of the repossession business. (c) "Automobile dismantlers' tow vehicle" means a tow vehicle which is registered by an automobile dismantler licensed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11500) of Division 5 and which is used exclusively to tow vehicles owned by that automobile dismantler in the course of the automobile dismantling business.
617. A "tow dolly" is a vehicle towed by a motor vehicle and designed and used exclusively to transport another motor vehicle and upon which the front or rear wheels of the towed motor vehicle are mounted, while the other wheels of the towed motor vehicle remain in contact with the ground. "Tow dolly" does not include a portable or collapsible dolly used as specified in Section 4014.
620. The term "traffic" includes pedestrians, ridden animals, vehicles, street cars, and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any highway for purposes of travel.
625. A "traffic officer" is any member of the California Highway Patrol, or any peace officer who is on duty for the exclusive or main purpose of enforcing Division 10 (commencing with Section 20000) or 11 (commencing with Section 21000).
626. A "traffic violator school" is a business that, for compensation, provides, or offers to provide, instruction in traffic safety, including, but not limited to, classroom traffic violator curricula, for persons referred by a court pursuant to Section 42005 or to other persons who elect to attend.
626.2. A "traffic violator school branch or classroom location" is any place where a traffic violator school conducts instruction or maintains records.
626.4. A "traffic violator school instructor" is any person who provides instruction to traffic violators on behalf of a traffic violator school.
626.6. A "traffic violator school operator" is the person who directs and manages the operations of a traffic violator school. A "traffic violator school operator" may be either the traffic violator school owner or another person designated by the traffic violator school owner to personally direct and manage the traffic violator school for the traffic violator school owner.
626.8. A "traffic violator school owner" is any natural person, association, or corporation that owns a traffic violator school.
627. (a) "Engineering and traffic survey," as used in this code, means a survey of highway and traffic conditions in accordance with methods determined by the Department of Transportation for use by state and local authorities. (b) An engineering and traffic survey shall include, among other requirements deemed necessary by the department, consideration of all of the following: (1) Prevailing speeds as determined by traffic engineering measurements. (2) Accident records.
(3) Highway, traffic, and roadside conditions not readily apparent to the driver. (c) When conducting an engineering and traffic survey, local authorities, in addition to the factors set forth in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (b) may consider all of the following: (1) Residential density, if any of the following conditions exist on the particular portion of highway and the property contiguous thereto, other than a business district: (A) Upon one side of the highway, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 13 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures. (B) Upon both sides of the highway, collectively, within a distance of a quarter of a mile, the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by 16 or more separate dwelling houses or business structures. (C) The portion of highway is longer than one-quarter of a mile but has the ratio of separate dwelling houses or business structures to the length of the highway described in either subparagraph (A) or (B). (2) Pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
630. A "trailer" is a vehicle designed for carrying persons or property on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon any other vehicle. As used in Division 15 (commencing with Section 35000), "trailer" includes a semitrailer when used in conjunction with an auxiliary dolly, if the auxiliary dolly is of a type constructed to replace the function of the drawbar and the front axle or axles of a trailer.
635. A "trailer coach" is a vehicle, other than a motor vehicle, designed for human habitation or human occupancy for industrial, professional, or commercial purposes, for carrying property on its own structure, and for being drawn by a motor vehicle. A "park trailer," as described in Section 18009.3 of the Health and Safety Code, is a trailer coach.
636. A "trailer bus" is a trailer or semitrailer designed, used, or maintained for the transportation of more than 15 persons, including the driver, and includes a connected towing motor vehicle that is a motor truck, truck tractor, or bus.
640. A "transferee" is a person who has acquired the sole ownership of or an equity in a vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code.
642. A "transit bus" is any bus owned or operated by a publicly owned or operated transit system, or operated under contract with a publicly owned or operated transit system, and used to provide to the general public, regularly scheduled transportation for which a fare is charged. A general public paratransit vehicle is not a transit bus.
645. (a) A "transporter" is a person engaged in the business of moving any owned or lawfully possessed vehicle by lawful methods over the highways for the purpose of delivery of such vehicles to dealers, sales agents of a manufacturer, purchasers, or to a new location as requested by the owner.
650. A "trolley coach" is a vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails.
655. (a) A "truck tractor" is a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry a load, other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and the load so drawn. As used in this section, "load" does not include items carried on the truck tractor in conjunction with the operation of the vehicle if the load carrying space for these items does not exceed 34 square feet. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a truck tractor, operated by a motor carrier whose owner is licensed by the Department of the California Highway Patrol to transport explosives pursuant to Division 14 (commencing with Section 31600), may be equipped with a cargo container used exclusively for the transportation of explosives or munitions-related security material, as specified by the United States Department of Defense.
657. A "truss" is an assemblage of beams, bars, or rods typically arranged in a triangle or combination of triangles to form a rigid framework and used as a structural support in buildings.
660. The "unladen weight" of a vehicle is the weight equipped and ready for operation on the road including the body, fenders, oil in motor, radiator full of water, with five gallons of gasoline or equivalent weight of other motor fuel; also equipment required by law, and unless exempted under Section 66l, any special cabinets, boxes or body parts permanently attached to the vehicle, and any machinery, equipment or attachment which is attendant to the efficient operation of the body or vehicle. Unladen weight shall not include any load or any machinery or mechanical apparatus, such as, but not limited to, wood saws, well-drilling machines, spray apparatus, tow truck cranes, and grinding equipment. The unladen weight of a vehicle shall have no application in determining any fee under this code or the Revenue and Taxation Code other than Section 9400.
661. Unladen weight shall not include the following machinery, equipment or attachment which is attendant to the efficient operation of the body or vehicle: (a) Equipment used for loading, compacting, or unloading of refuse. (b) Transitmix cement equipment.
(c) Temporary equipment used to contain or support the load which does not change the body classification. (d) Any camper unit that is temporarily attached to a vehicle. (e) Refrigeration equipment.
665. A "used vehicle" is a vehicle that has been sold, or has been registered with the department, or has been sold and operated upon the highways, or has been registered with the appropriate agency of authority, of any other state, District of Columbia, territory or possession of the United States or foreign state, province or country, or unregistered vehicles regularly used or operated as demonstrators in the sales work of a dealer or unregistered vehicles regularly used or operated by a manufacturer in the sales or distribution work of such manufacturer. The word "sold" does not include or extend to: (1) any sale made by a manufacturer or a distributor to a dealer, (2) any sale by a new motor vehicle dealer franchised to sell a particular line-make to another new motor vehicle dealer franchised to sell the same line-make, or (3) any sale by a dealer to another dealer licensed under this code involving a mobilehome, as defined in Section 396, a recreational vehicle, as defined in Section 18010.5 of the Health and Safety Code, a commercial coach, as defined in Section 18012 of the Health and Safety Code, an off-highway motor vehicle subject to identification, as defined in Section 38012, or a commercial vehicle, as defined in Section 260.
665.5. A "U-turn" is the turning of a vehicle upon a highway so as to proceed in the opposite direction whether accomplished by one continuous movement or not.
668. A "vanpool vehicle" is any motor vehicle, other than a motortruck or truck tractor, designed for carrying more than 10 but not more than 15 persons including the driver, which is maintained and used primarily for the nonprofit work-related transportation of adults for the purposes of ridesharing.
670. A "vehicle" is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
670.5. A "vehicle frame" is defined as the main longitudinal structural members of the chassis of the vehicle, or for vehicles with unitized body construction, the lowest main longitudinal structural members of the body of the vehicle, used as the major support in the construction of the motor vehicle.
671. (a) A "vehicle identification number" is the motor number, serial number, or other distinguishing number, letter, mark, character, or datum, or any combination thereof, required or employed by the manufacturer or the department for the purpose of uniquely identifying a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part or for the purpose of registration. (b) Whenever a vehicle is constructed of component parts identified with one or more different vehicle identification numbers, the vehicle identification number stamped or affixed by the manufacturer or authorized governmental entity on the frame or unitized frame and body, as applicable, and as defined in Section 670.5, shall determine the identity of the vehicle for registration purposes.
672. (a) "Vehicle manufacturer" is any person who produces from raw materials or new basic components a vehicle of a type subject to registration under this code, off-highway motorcycles or all-terrain vehicles subject to identification under this code, or trailers subject to identification pursuant to Section 5014.1, or who permanently alters, for purposes of retail sales, new commercial vehicles by converting the vehicles into house cars that display the insignia of approval required by Section 18056 of the Health and Safety Code and any regulations issued pursuant thereto by the Department of Housing and Community Development. As used in this section, "permanently alters" does not include the permanent attachment of a camper to a vehicle. (b) A vehicle manufacturer that produces a vehicle of a type subject to registration that consists of used or reconditioned parts, for the purposes of the code, is a remanufacturer, as defined in Section 507.8. (c) Unless a vehicle manufacturer either grants franchises to franchisees in this state, or issues vehicle warranties directly to franchisees in this state or consumers in this state, the manufacturer shall have an established place of business or a representative in this state. (d) The scope and application of this section are limited to Division 2 (commencing with Section 1500) and Division 5 (commencing with Section 11100).
675. (a) "Vehicle salesperson" is a person not otherwise expressly excluded by this section, who does one or a combination of the following: (1) Is employed as a salesperson by a dealer, as defined in Section 285, or who, under any form of contract, agreement, or arrangement with a dealer, for commission, money, profit, or other thing of value, sells, exchanges, buys, or offers for sale, negotiates, or attempts to negotiate, a sale, or exchange of an interest in a vehicle required to be registered under this code. (2) Induces or attempts to induce any person to buy or exchange an interest in a vehicle required to be registered, and who receives or expects to receive a commission, money, brokerage fees, profit, or any other thing of value, from either the seller or purchaser of the vehicle. (3) Exercises managerial control over the business of a licensed vehicle dealer or who supervises vehicle salespersons employed by a licensed dealer, whether compensated by salary or commission, including, but not limited to, any person who is employed by the dealer as a general manager, assistant general manager, or sales manager, or any employee of a licensed vehicle dealer who negotiates with or induces a customer to enter into a security agreement or purchase agreement or purchase order for the sale of a vehicle on behalf of the licensed vehicle dealer. (b) The term "vehicle salesperson" does not include any of the following: (1) Representatives of insurance companies, finance companies, or public officials, who in the regular course of business, are required to dispose of or sell vehicles under a contractual right or obligation of the employer, or in the performance of an official duty, or under the authority of any court of law, if the sale is for the purpose of saving the seller from any loss or pursuant to the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction. (2) Persons who are licensed as a manufacturer, remanufacturer, transporter, distributor, or representative. (3) Persons exclusively employed in a bona fide business of exporting vehicles, or of soliciting orders for the sale and delivery of vehicles outside the territorial limits of the United States. (4) Persons not engaged in the purchase or sale of vehicles as a business, disposing of vehicles acquired for their own use, or for use in their business when the vehicles have been so acquired and used in good faith, and not for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of this code. (5) Persons regularly employed as salespersons by persons who are engaged in a business involving the purchase, sale, or exchange of boat trailers. (6) Persons regularly employed as salespersons by persons who are engaged in a business activity which does not involve the purchase, sale, or exchange of vehicles, except incidentally in connection with the purchase, sale, or exchange of vehicles of a type not subject to registration under this code, boat trailers, or midget autos or racers advertised as being built exclusively for use by children. (7) Persons licensed as a vehicle dealer under this code doing business as a sole ownership or member of a partnership or a stockholder and director of a corporation or a member and manager of a limited liability company licensed as a vehicle dealer under this code. However, those persons shall engage in the activities of a salesperson, as defined in this section, exclusively on behalf of the sole ownership or partnership or corporation or limited liability company in which they own an interest or stock, and those persons owning stock shall be directors of the corporation; otherwise, they are vehicle salespersons and subject to Article 2 (commencing with Section 11800) of Chapter 4 of Division 5. (8) Persons regularly employed as salespersons by a vehicle dealer authorized to do business in California under Section 11700.1 of the Vehicle Code.
675.5. A "vehicle verifier" is a person not expressly excluded by Section 675.6 who inspects, records, documents, and submits to the department, or its authorized representative, such proof of vehicle identification as may be required by the department for the purpose of registering or transferring the ownership of vehicles.
675.6. (a) "Vehicle verifier" does not include any of the following: (1) A peace officer. (2) An authorized employee of the department. (3) A special agent of the National Auto Theft Bureau. (4) An employee of an organization certified under the provisions of Part 5 (commencing with Section 12140) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code whose duties require or authorize the verification of vehicles. (b) Any person specified in subdivision (a) may perform the duties of a vehicle verifier without obtaining the special permit required in Section 11300.
676. "Year-round registration" is a system whereby the director designates a date for the expiration of registration of a vehicle and renewal thereof in order to equalize the volume of such renewals throughout the year.
676.5. A "water tender vehicle" is a vehicle designed to carry not less than 1,500 gallons of water and used primarily for transporting and delivering water to be applied by other vehicles or pumping equipment at fire emergency scenes.
680. (a) A "youth bus" is any bus, other than a schoolbus, designed for and when actually carrying not more than 16 persons and the driver, used to transport children at or below the 12th-grade level directly from a public or private school to an organized nonschool-related youth activity within 25 miles of the school or directly from a location which provides the organized nonschool-related youth activity to a public or private school within 25 miles of that location. (b) In addition to the destinations specified in subdivision (a), a youth bus may also be used to transport children at or below the 12th-grade level to or from their place of residence if the driver has met the requirements of Section 12523 and received additional instruction and training approved by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
