I have a 88" F-350 that I have parked for over 5 years and I went to register it about a month ago in California and they wanted $2200.00, I was outraged. Needless to say I never filled out the off road reg. thing.
The truck is hardly worth the amount they wanted. So I did the next best thing, I sold it to my stepson in Ill. for $200.00 dollars on paper. He registered it there, site unseen by DMV in Ill. and it cost $78.00 he sent me the plates and title and registration through the mail and walaa I now have a truck I can use. Just waiting for the day I get stopped by the cops and have to explain this.

 

lol thats the way to do it. I should do that too. My folks live in texas and I want Texas plates on both my vehicles. I never thought of that.

 

You can go on the Ca. DMV webstie and get the calulation for your reduced car tax

 

On the having diff state plates on your vehicle. In some states, you could be fined, or even jailed for not registering your vehicle in the state you are resident of. I was pulled over in AZ in my '70 Mustang when it still had Cal plates on it. Cop asked how long i had lived in AZ and then told me that technically I could be taken in and charged, fined, and possible put in jail for not getting an AZ license (still had valid CA license) and not registering my car in AZ. Just something to think about before you go and register your vehicle in another state, it probably violates your state's licensing laws. Cop told me only exception was if you are going to school at an accredited school as an out of state student.

 

All you have to do is tell them you're just visiting family. When he asks about having a CA driver's license, you can say you used to live here and never switched to Illinois. Who knows, it may work.

 

If you get caught they will back date your reg. For example say you get caught 3 yrs from now, you will pay back reg for the 3 yrs, plus a large fine for each yr you evaded CA fees. A friend of mine did it and after it was said and done he paid about 4k in reg fees and fines.

 

Just have your son sell it back to your wife... then register it.. It will be registering an out of state vehicle, and shouldn't be that much... (just a thought)

 

I got stopped with ILL. plates and just told the cop (CHP), that I had dual residency. ILL & CA (true). Ill law requires (as does CA) that the vehicle be registered in its home state - not yours. For years I had an AZ DL and still registered and ran CA plates on the car I kept in CA with no problems. Residency is the issue. If you bring the car back to CA for registration, I heard that they don't care whose name it is in, the fees are still due upon CA registration. I have a car currently registered in CO with the same problem - $2400 in back CA reg fees & penalties. It has been registered in CO for 4 years now. I am going to see if they still keep track when CO reg expires this December. According to CA law, the bogus penalties and fees can only be collected on the last three years. If they catch you evading fees, other charges may be incured. They used to lose track (erase from computer) inactive registration after 7 years. Each inquiry on the vin # reset the 7 year clock. Now it seems they don't purge records at all anymore.

 

I know this is an old post but amI understanding this completely...

If I have a vehicle registered in California, then move to say New York and register it there for three years...if I came back to CA and tried to register it, I would have to pay for the last three years registration.

Please help as I am going to move to NY for three years then come back (maybe)

Cablesplicer

 

My understanding is if it is register in another state before CA expires and you notify CA DMV, you will not have a problem. Your best bet is to simply call the DMV and ask... Call two different DMV offices as they are known to make mistakes.

 

After having just got dinged for over $250 to register a truck I paid $1500 for I am more than just a little peturbed with the DMV. Of course the fact that it has to be registered as a Commercial Vehicle is also baffling but..... What you gonna do.....

 

"Kepbrown"
I recently bought a "63" econoline P/U and the Calif DMV wanted a bunch of money to bring it current and they register it as a commercial vehicle. Being I am disabled, I can exempt one of my vehicles from weight fees. It only cost me 55 dollars a year after that. And they gave me disabled placard. What ever it takes these days!

Cowkicker59

 

If you get pulled over with out of state plates you tell them that the vehicle is kept at a vacation home in that registered state and that you recently drove it out here from that vacation home and are planning on driving it back.

I learned this one from good friend in Chicago who had all his vehicles registered in Wisconsin, at his lake house.

 

DMV law states that unless a truck has a shell or camper shell, everyone will classified as a "commercial" vehicle...

Too avoid the BS, just put a shell on your truck when registering it at DMV...which I did with my old 89 IDI diesel f-350 that was from Connecticut...

dmv employee asked during inspection if shell was always on this truck..?

" I never take it off " was my reply.

 

Here is the definition of a commercial vehicle From the Califorina Vehicle Code:

260. (a) A "commercial vehicle" is a motor vehicle of a type
required to be registered under this code used or maintained for the
transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or
designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of
property.
(b) Passenger vehicles and house cars that are not used for the
transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit are not
commercial vehicles.

No shell required to make it NOT a commercial vehicle out here.