A large number of people admitted on social media that they didn't know what their car’s registration card looks like. TikTok user Maria Avila (@mariaavilaaa_) uploaded a viral clip that has accrued over 700,000 views on the popular social media application. In the video, she detailed an interaction with a police officer who asked for her car’s registration. Unfamiliar with the document, she asked the officer to show her a picture of what the card looks like. That’s because she had no idea what he was talking about and wanted a better chance of locating the paperwork he was asking for. Avila records her clip from her vehicle as she speaks into the camera and dishes out what transpired between her and the officer. "I just got pulled over, and the officer asked me for my registration. So, I was like, ‘Can you pull up a picture? Can I look up a picture so I can see what it looks like? So I can, like, look for it in the car? ‘Cause it’s probably in the car, right?’" she told viewers. How Did the Officer React? One may think that a police officer wouldn’t take too kindly to being put in this situation. After all, FindLaw and ConsumerShield both write that police officers can indeed issue citations to drivers who are commuting without proof of vehicle registration on hand at the time of a traffic stop. Of course, specific laws and related penalties vary from state to state. And these citations can still be issued even if one’s vehicle has been registered. Moreover, folks can find themselves on the receiving end of higher insurance premiums if they’ve been caught driving without proof of registration. In some instances, officers can impound or immobilize a vehicle if they choose to do so, FindLaw writes. Fortunately for Avila, the officer who pulled her over decided to let her go on her merry way. This may seem like a silver lining, but Avila quipped that there’s a downside to the way things played out: "He just giggled and told me to have a good day. So now I’ll never know what a registration looks like," she says at the end of the video. "Had No Idea it Needed to be Renewed" Several other folks who replied to Avila’s video remarked that they, too, were entirely ignorant of their car’s registration, like this person, who was also let off the hook. "I got pulled over for expired registration bc I had no idea it needed to be renewed, and the cop saw my Itachi wallet and went nice. I got a warning," they wrote. Someone else wrote about their own embarrassing traffic stop, which culminated in them sharing personal medical data with a police officer who asked for their registration. "I once panicked and handed the officer a document that looked like it could be my registration. They were my STD test results from planned parenthood," they shared. This same type of naivety extended to different automotive documents as well. One TikTok user says that when they were prompted for their insurance information, they handed a police officer a different set of information altogether. "I once gave an officer my medical insurance card when he asked for my insurance. He just gave it back and told me have a good night," they remarked. But not everyone was as lucky as Avila was to avoid a ticket after being pulled over. This user on the app shared their own foible, which didn’t have a happy ending. "First time I got pulled over at 17, I gave him the first paper I saw bc I didn’t know what it looked like. He came back and said ‘here’s your school schedule back & your ticket.’" Millions of Americans Backed Up on Registration Renewals According to CarFax, there are tons of folks who are in the same boat as Avila. In an article dedicated to car registration information, the outlet notes that approximately 17 million U.S. drivers were driving with expired registration tags in 2025 alone. Furthermore, the website states that it’s illegal in every state to drive a car without up-to-date registration. Also, the penalties for doing so vary from state to state. For instance, one Massachusetts driver mentioned in the write-up said a state trooper impounded his vehicle, leaving him stranded on the side of the road. Conveniently, many states allow drivers to update their registration information online. All folks have to do is navigate to their respective state of residence’s online DMV portal. Log in or create a profile and follow the necessary steps to update your vehicle’s registration. If online renewals aren’t offered, folks may be able to complete this task via mail. And if none of those options are available, then you’ll have to visit a local DMV in person, with your personal documentation in tow. As for what a registration tag looks like, again, their physical appearance may differ from state to state. However, they generally include the same information. The plate number of a vehicle, its VIN, the address it’s registered to, the make and model number of the car, and the registration class code are usually featured on these documents. Take a look at this sample vehicle registration card for the state of New York. Additionally, a car’s registration card will also feature the name of the person it’s registered to. And if you’re relocating to another state, you’ll have to make sure you update your car’s registration information with that state’s DMV authority. Motor1 has reached out to Avila via email for further comment. This story will be updated if she responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team