Registering an out-of-state vehicle in California

[Hafaka]

I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "

My questions are:
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are? If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?


Thanks.

[Brad Houser]

Post by Hafaka
I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

You tell them.

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are?

Depends on the make, model, and age of the car (basically a property tax)
plus a fixed reg fee.

Post by Hafaka
If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

That depends. I don't know if there is a penalty for waiting past the 20
days.

Brad Houser

[Scott de Aztlán]

Post by Brad Houser

Post by Hafaka
If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

That depends. I don't know if there is a penalty for waiting past the 20
days.

Indeed there is, and it escalates depending on how late you are. Plus they
back-date your registration to the actual date of entry (whetever they determine
that to be). Thus, if this little scheme backfires, the OP will end up paying
the same amount in registration fees PLUS some extra punitive fines on top of
it.

[Christopher Green]

Post by Brad Houser

Post by Hafaka
I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

You tell them.

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are?

Depends on the make, model, and age of the car (basically a property tax)
plus a fixed reg fee.

Post by Hafaka
If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

That depends. I don't know if there is a penalty for waiting past the 20
days.

Your wallet gets whacked if you get caught. 40 percent penalty, for
any original-registration delinquency up to 1 year: Vehicle Code
9554.5. Failing to register a vehicle from out of state is a
correctable violation if you get stopped for it: Vehicle Code 4152.5.

[Scott de Aztlán]

Post by Hafaka
I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

The DMV will know your vehicle is physically present in CA if

* If you get pulled over for a traffic violation,
* You get caught in one of the workplace "sting" operations where a DMV or CHP
employee goes through the parking lot at your office complex and makes note of
all the out-of-state licence plates.

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are? If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

They don't care when YOU arrive - they care when your VEHICLE arrives. If you
have a plausible explanation as to how you managed to survive in California for
two months without a car, then you can put any date you want on the form. OTOH,
if you give them a lame bullshit story, they'll probably figure out the date you
established residency or took a job and assume your brought the car in on that
date (and fine you accordingly).

Only you can decide whether the risk of getting caught and fined is worth
whatever miniscule amount of money you might save be delaying your registration.

[John David Galt]

Post by Scott de Aztlán
* You get caught in one of the workplace "sting" operations where a DMV or CHP
employee goes through the parking lot at your office complex and makes note of
all the out-of-state licence plates.

What can he do then? Lots of people commute across a state line, and the state
where you _live_ is the only one that can insist you register your car there.

[Christopher Green]

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 23:51:17 -0700, John David Galt

Post by John David Galt

Post by Scott de Aztlán
* You get caught in one of the workplace "sting" operations where a DMV or CHP
employee goes through the parking lot at your office complex and makes note of
all the out-of-state licence plates.

What can he do then? Lots of people commute across a state line, and the state
where you _live_ is the only one that can insist you register your car there.

California has a special nonresident commuter permit for such people.

California will definitely nail you for driving a car with
out-of-state plates to work in California unless you have a commuter
permit. And so far as I know, there have been no successful appeals to
overturn it.

[John David Galt]

Post by Hafaka
I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "

As long as you "aren't a California resident" (ask a lawyer what that
means) you can leave it registered in the old state until it expires.

Post by Hafaka
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

They don't unless you tell them, or unless some busybody sees it parked
in the same place daily for a week or more and reports it. (Earlier
this year DMV announced a new 1-800-finkline for the purpose. I haven't
heard any followup since the original announcement, so I doubt it gets
very many calls. They don't offer any reward that I've heard of.)

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are? If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

It's based on the value of the car when it was new, times a multiplier
which assumes 5-year straight-line depreciation. The first year, the
tax is around 1% of the value of the car. Add around $40 in flat fees
on top of that. In addition, when you first bring it in they'll charge
you sales tax ("use tax") if you didn't buy the car in CA in the first
place, and you'll have to get it smog-inspected in CA.

But the biggest hurdle is this: if the car has less than 8,000 miles
on it, you can't bring it in at all unless it was built to CA smog
standards. So if that's a problem you definitely need to keep your old
plates until you've passed that magic number.

[Arthur L. Rubin]

Post by John David Galt

Post by Hafaka
I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "

As long as you "aren't a California resident" (ask a lawyer what that
means) you can leave it registered in the old state until it expires.

Post by Hafaka
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

They don't unless you tell them, or unless some busybody sees it parked
in the same place daily for a week or more and reports it. (Earlier
this year DMV announced a new 1-800-finkline for the purpose. I haven't
heard any followup since the original announcement, so I doubt it gets
very many calls. They don't offer any reward that I've heard of.)

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are? If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

It's based on the value of the car when it was new, times a multiplier
which assumes 5-year straight-line depreciation.

If accurate, my does DMV ask for the purchase price and date when
you DO register a car from out of state? I think that was the
intent of the law, but....

Also, I think the percentages specified are 100/80/70/60/50/40/30/20
and stop at 20, but I could easily be wrong about that.

Post by John David Galt
... The first year, the
tax is around 1% of the value of the car. Add around $40 in flat fees
on top of that. In addition, when you first bring it in they'll charge
you sales tax ("use tax") if you didn't buy the car in CA in the first
place, and you'll have to get it smog-inspected in CA.

In theory, you could deduct the sales tax you paid on the
car from the use tax due. In practice, I dunno.

[{STP}]

Post by Arthur L. Rubin
If accurate, my does DMV ask for the purchase price and date when
you DO register a car from out of state? I think that was the
intent of the law, but....
Also, I think the percentages specified are 100/80/70/60/50/40/30/20
and stop at 20, but I could easily be wrong about that.

The CA state government is so idiotic.

It's trying to get older cars off the road, yet it gives you a financial
incentive to keep them there.

This schedule should be reversed.

{STP}

[Scott de Aztlán]

Post by John David Galt

Post by Hafaka
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

They don't unless you tell them, or unless some busybody sees it parked
in the same place daily for a week or more and reports it. (Earlier
this year DMV announced a new 1-800-finkline for the purpose. I haven't
heard any followup since the original announcement, so I doubt it gets
very many calls. They don't offer any reward that I've heard of.)

The reward is knowing that some scofflaw tax cheat is going to get punked down
by the DMV and forced to pay his fair share instead of mooching off of *my*
taxes.

[Brad Houser]

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are? If I plan to register the

Post by Hafaka
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

It's based on the value of the car when it was new, times a multiplier
which assumes 5-year straight-line depreciation. The first year, the
tax is around 1% of the value of the car. Add around $40 in flat fees
on top of that. In addition, when you first bring it in they'll charge
you sales tax ("use tax") if you didn't buy the car in CA in the first
place, and you'll have to get it smog-inspected in CA.

If the car is more than 90 old the use tax is waived. Also, if you paid
sales tax in another state, that amount is deducted from the use tax owed,
assuming CA wants more.

Post by Hafaka
But the biggest hurdle is this: if the car has less than 8,000 miles
on it, you can't bring it in at all unless it was built to CA smog
standards. So if that's a problem you definitely need to keep your old
plates until you've passed that magic number.

I believe the mileage is 7500.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/nonresident.htm

Brad Houser

[Hafaka]

I believe the information you have is incorrect.

For example, the site states that
"California law prohibits importing and/or registering a new vehicle
(one with less than 7,500 miles at the time of purchase) unless it
meets or is exempt from California emission standards.
If you acquire a 49 state vehicle (vehicle manufactured for all states
except California) from another state or country and do not qualify
for one of the exemptions, you cannot register your vehicle and must
immediately remove it from this state."

HOWEVER, I'm not a California resident.

Post by John David Galt

Post by Hafaka
I'll be moving to CA soon.
The DMV site states that "Your vehicle may be subject to California
registration from the date of entry. Fees must be paid within 20 days
from the date the vehicle entered California to avoid penalties. "

As long as you "aren't a California resident" (ask a lawyer what that
means) you can leave it registered in the old state until it expires.

Post by Hafaka
1. How would they know when the vehicle has entered the state?

They don't unless you tell them, or unless some busybody sees it parked
in the same place daily for a week or more and reports it. (Earlier
this year DMV announced a new 1-800-finkline for the purpose. I haven't
heard any followup since the original announcement, so I doubt it gets
very many calls. They don't offer any reward that I've heard of.)

Post by Hafaka
2. Anyone has an idea how much the fees are? If I plan to register the
car about 2 months after I arrive, would that cost plenty?

It's based on the value of the car when it was new, times a multiplier
which assumes 5-year straight-line depreciation. The first year, the
tax is around 1% of the value of the car. Add around $40 in flat fees
on top of that. In addition, when you first bring it in they'll charge
you sales tax ("use tax") if you didn't buy the car in CA in the first
place, and you'll have to get it smog-inspected in CA.
But the biggest hurdle is this: if the car has less than 8,000 miles
on it, you can't bring it in at all unless it was built to CA smog
standards. So if that's a problem you definitely need to keep your old
plates until you've passed that magic number.

[Brad Houser]

Post by Hafaka
I believe the information you have is incorrect.
For example, the site states that
"California law prohibits importing and/or registering a new vehicle
(one with less than 7,500 miles at the time of purchase) unless it
meets or is exempt from California emission standards.
If you acquire a 49 state vehicle (vehicle manufactured for all states
except California) from another state or country and do not qualify
for one of the exemptions, you cannot register your vehicle and must
immediately remove it from this state."
HOWEVER, I'm not a California resident.

You said you would be moving here: "I'll be moving to CA soon."

Won't you be a resident then?

Brad Houser

[Scott de Aztlán]

Didn't understand the point. Why would it mean that I'm lying to the
insurance company? As a matter of fact, today I mailed out a letter to
my insurance company letting them know I'd be changing my address
soon.

Which, of course, means that the CA DMV will know you moved, since insurance
companies report your car insurance status electronically to the DMV. ;)