Classic Cars for Sale in California
102 listings
Verified seller locations from California. New listings added daily.
Browse classic cars for sale in California from local owners and dealers. Nationwide consignment listings (where the vehicle isn't actually in the listed location) are excluded.
Buying a classic car in California: what the asking price doesn't include
A California listing price does not include tax. The base rate is 7.25% plus local district taxes, and the combined rate in the state's October 2026 table runs from 7.25% to 11.75% depending on the city where you register the car. A dealer collects it; a private buyer pays use tax at the DMV on the total price, including the value of anything traded in. Add the $15 transfer fee, and send the signed title and fee to the DMV within 10 days of the sale.
Smog is the check that decides who pays in California. Gasoline cars of the 1975 model year and older need none. From 1976 on, the seller must give you a valid certificate, good for 90 days, so make it part of the deal before you pay. Under SB 1392, qualifying collector cars made before 1981 become exempt on January 1, 2028, but until then the 1975 cut-off stands. A car from another state needs a Verification of Vehicle (REG 31) too. A dry-climate car usually has less rust than a snow-state one, but check the floors, trunk pan and lower panels, and look for sun damage to paint, weatherstrip, dashboards and upholstery.
Historical Vehicle plates cost a one-time $25 for cars made after 1922 and at least 25 years old.
Classic car dealers in California
We profile 47 classic car dealers in California; these are the 6 with the most cars listed here. See all of them, on a map and by specialty, in every classic car dealer we cover in California.
Buying a classic car in California: FAQ
How long do I have to pay registration fees on a classic I bring into California? +
Registration fees on a vehicle last registered elsewhere are due within 20 days of the date they become due, even if the title or smog paperwork is not finished. A car brought in within 12 months is presumed bought for use in California, and tax paid to another state is credited.
Does Jay Leno's Law exempt my classic from smog in California? +
Not yet. SB 1392 exempts qualifying collector cars made before 1981 starting January 1, 2028, rising one year at a time to before 1986 in 2033. The car must be at least 35 model years old, insured as a collector car and used mainly for shows and parades. Until 2028 the 1975 cut-off stands.
Does the seller keep the plates when I buy a classic in California? +
Historical Vehicle plates are permanently assigned to the car and stay with it when it is sold. Year of Manufacture plates can stay too if the seller releases them on form REG 352 and the buyer files a new one.
What should I know before buying a classic with a salvage title in California? +
Dealers must pull a National Motor Vehicle Title Information System report and post a disclosure if it shows a salvage or branded title. A revived salvage car needs a DMV or CHP verification and a safety systems inspection before it can be registered again. A non-repairable certificate means it never can be.