Vehicle Code 10750 VC - Altering or Changing a Vehicle Identification Number
Getting a citation for a traffic violation is never a good thing, but it doesn’t have to be a confusing thing. If you’ve got a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation and you’re wondering what it’s about, below you’ll learn all about what to expect with it, including details such as:
- What Vehicle Code 10750 VC is
- What it means to have violated it
- What you can do about the violation
- Other possible Vehicle Code violation connections
- How to avoid being cited with a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation
What is Vehicle Code 10750 VC?
According to the California legislation, an explanation of Vehicle Code 10750 VC reads as: “No person shall intentionally deface, destroy, or alter the motor number, other distinguishing number, or identification mark of a vehicle required or employed for registration purposes without written authorization from the department, nor shall any person place or stamp any serial, motor, or other number or mark upon a vehicle, except one assigned thereto by the department.”
In simpler terms, Vehicle Code 10750 VC tells us that your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a formally issued ID number for your vehicle that can’t be modified or changed in any way other than what the manufacturer or the DMV approves of. The VIN itself is often placed “secretly”, and it could be in several places, including the car’s body, the engine, the frame, or the mirrors for the vehicle.
There is a second part of the legislation that explains that this does not include anything done by the owner of the VIN, when properly authorized, or any kind of ID additives for new parts of the vehicle, etc. Again, these would all be authorized by the manufacturer.
What does it mean to have violated Vehicle Code 10750 VC?
That all sounds somewhat straight-forward, but what does it actually mean when it comes to receiving a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation? Let’s take our imaginary California driver, Zariah, and put him into various situations to understand it better.
Zariah wants to give the impression that his car is an upgraded version of its actual model. So, he manually changes a few numbers on the VIN so that it is going to register as a fancier and better version of what his car actually is. Because this has made the VIN inaccurate to his car, and he did this himself without proper authorization, Zariah would be considered guilty of violating Vehicle Code 10750 VC.
In another situation, Zariah is having a bad day. Perhaps his car won’t start, or he’s just having a day where everything is going wrong. Frustrated and bored, he decides to destroy the VIN on his car simply because he feels like it. Even though it’s seemingly harmless, it is the deliberate and intentional destruction of his vehicle’s ID number, so he would be guilty of a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation.
Finally, Zariah is looking to sell his car to make some fast cash. To better his odds, he alters a few of the numbers of his car’s VIN so that it seems newer and better than what it actually is. He also increases the price to get more money for this upgraded version of his car. Because this was done without authorization from the DMV and/or the manufacturer of the vehicle, Zariah has earned himself a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation for his efforts.
This all seems pretty straight-forward, right? There are a few exceptions to this citation, of course, most of which have to do with lack of knowledge or intention. For example, if Zariah received formal authorization from the DMV to change his VIN, he would be innocent of this citation. This citation itself is only accurate if he doesn’t receive permission from the DMV to make the changes.
If the VIN was altered or damaged to be illegible by accident, such as a criminal or a mean neighbor doing it, then Zariah would also be innocent, since he had no intention or even any idea that it had been done. This would also be the case if someone sold a car to Zariah with a VIN that had been modified.
What can I do about this violation?
Getting cited with a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation is considered a misdemeanor. This could earn you up to a year in county jail, as well as a fine of up to $1, 000. Sometimes there is probation given in place of the jail time, though this does depend on your driving record and what, if any, previous violations that you have.
If you are guilty of this violation, the best course of action is to plead guilty and accept your punishment given by the court. This assumes, of course, that you are guilty! If you believe you are innocent, you can plead as such and then explain your case with legal counsel to help you.
Other possible Vehicle Code violation connections
There are a few connections to this particular citation. Some of the most common ones that can be used include:
- Vehicle Code 10752 VC: This violation means you are deliberately trying to see a vehicle with a modified VIN, or that you have a fraud VIN on your vehicle.
- Vehicle Code 10802 VC: This is a violation that is deliberately tampering with the VIN to sell it or misrepresent it, criminally speaking (The main difference between this one and Vehicle Code 10750 VC is the criminal intent).
- Vehicle Code 10803 VC: This violation means that you are knowingly holding onto, or buying, a vehicle with a modified or invalid VIN.
- Vehicle Code 4463 VC: This violation means that you have committed fraud with your vehicle registration by altering the VIN on your registration card)
Depending on the peace officer who issues you the Vehicle Code 10750 VC citation, and the situation that surrounds it, they may add any of all of these to your citation. They also may use any or all of these in place of a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation, if these better fit the situation.
Is this ticket eligible for traffic school?
While traffic school can help in many cases in receiving a ticket, this kind of ticket is not eligible for traffic school. This is because qualifying for any kind of accredited traffic school, including MM TRAFFIC SCHOOL, means that you must receive a moving citation. For example, deliberately driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Since this citation is related to “paperwork”, it’s not considered a moving citation and is ineligible.
If you’ve got any kind of questions or comments on your citation, however, please feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to fill you in on all of the information related to your ticket. If you are looking for more information on your particular case, please feel free to call the court that issued your ticket, as they’ll be more familiar with your ticket.
How can I avoid a citation for a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation?
Since you don’t want to have the hassle, jail time, and fee associated with a Vehicle Code 10750 VC, avoiding this kind of citation is going to be important. One of the best details, however, is that it’s actually easy to do!
The first thing to help you out is that you must always see that the VIN is a legal and formal ID number. Even though it’s a simple etching located on your vehicle, changing it, scraping it off, or otherwise modifying it is against the law. The same goes for your registration’s listing of your VIN. Any time that this needs to have attention drawn to it, it should always be done through the manufacturer of the vehicle and/or the DMV.
If you are in an accident and the VIN is no longer recognizable, the manufacturer will be able to issue a new replacement part. This often will mean that it impacts your VIN, but since this is through the manufacturer and well-documented for your records, you’d be receiving the proper information that you can then use to register it legally with the DMV to keep it all above board.
If you notice that the VIN is modified or damaged and it was by accident, the best thing to do is to reach out to the DMV and see what the best thing to do will be. Since these are the authorities, it’s something to check with first, rather than ask for forgiveness later! This is a formal ID and it should be treated as such.
The other thing to consider is that you should always check to make sure the VIN on the registration matches the VIN in the manual and on the car (if you can see it) when you are looking at buying one from someone. While you would be considered innocent of a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation if you genuinely didn’t know, it’s a good idea to make sure that you check all of this out just on general principle! Remember: the point of a Vehicle Code 10750 VC violation is that you are intentionally or knowingly modifying your vehicle’s VIN. If you don’t realize it’s been tampered with, you would be considered innocent of this particular violation on your driving record!
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